Senate bill to aid non-English speakers

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- With the number of non-English speakers growing in Missouri, state officials are taking steps to see that they know what they're buying when they purchase insurance policies.

Under a bill passed Thursday by the Senate, insurance companies could provide policies and related documents in languages other than English. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Larry Rohrbach, was approved 32-0 without debate and now heads to the House.

"Hopefully, this will facilitate everyone in Missouri to have insurance, which is a good thing for everybody," said Rohrbach, R-California, chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee.

The legislation, which originated with the Department of Insurance, allows for insurers to provide policies, riders, endorsements and explanatory material in languages other than English.

But policyholders would also have to be given copies in English -- and the English version would be the official version in the event of legal disputes.

Rohrbach's bill also seeks to protect Missourians not proficient in English from being bilked by insurance companies. Companies that knowingly misrepresent information in a language other than English could face action by the state under the Unfair Trade Practice Act, which contains provisions covering fraud.

State law allows the director of the Department of Insurance to enforce penalties, fines or forfeitures authorized by law for unfair or deceptive practices.

Unfair practices are those committed in conscious disregard of state law or done frequently enough to indicate a general business practice.