Policy Language Simplification Law

Overview

A. In addition to any other requirements of law, no policy forms shall be delivered or issued for delivery in New Mexico on or after the dates such form must be approved under this article, unless: (1) the text achieves a minimum score of forty (40) on the Flesch reading ease test or an equivalent score on any other comparable test as provided in Subsection C of this section; (2) it is printed, except for specification pages, schedules and tables, in not less than ten-point type, one point leaded; (3) the style, arrangement and overall appearance of the policy give no undue prominence to any portion of the text of the policy or to any endorsements or riders; and (4) it contains a table of contents or an index of the principal sections of the policy if the policy has more than three thousand (3,000) words printed on three (3) or fewer pages of text, or if the policy has more than three (3) pages regardless of the number of words. B. For the purpose of this section, a Flesch reading ease test score shall be measured by the following method: (1) for policy forms containing ten thousand (10,000) words or less of text, the entire form shall be analyzed. For policy forms containing

Sections covered

• § 59A-19-1 NMSA 1978Short title; exclusive control
• § 59A-19-2 NMSA 1978Scope of article
• § 59A-19-3 NMSA 1978Definitions
• § 59A-19-4 NMSA 1978Minimum language simplification standards
• § 59A-19-5 NMSA 1978Superintendent may allow lower reading ease score
• § 59A-19-6 NMSA 1978Approval of forms
• § 59A-19-7 NMSA 1978Effective date of approval requirement