Derek Slap

CT Senate Passes Bill Re: Travel Insurance Covering Suicide

HARTFORD – The state Senate today approved a bill by state Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford) that would prohibit insurance companies in Connecticut that offer travel insurance from denying an insurance claim because an insured’s family member or friend died by suicide, thereby cancelling the vacation and losing any deposits the family may have already made.

The bill — believed to be the first of its kind in the nation — now heads to the House of Representatives for further consideration. The bill had previously received unanimous, bipartisan support in the Insurance and Real Estate Committee.

Sen. Slap introduced the bill after hearing from a constituent whose family vacation was cancelled after a family member died by suicide before the trip; they had travel insurance, but their claim was denied by the insurance company because the insurance company did not consider that family death a coverable event.

“I’m grateful to my colleagues for recognizing the seriousness and the tragedy of such situations, and of working to close a loophole in state law so families can move on from their heartache,” Sen. Slap said. “These incidents may not occur often, but when they do, it’s important that we treat families with fairness and compassion.”

“I would like to thank the members of the Connecticut General Assembly and the Insurance Committee chairs for supporting this bill in honor of my son Sean. I miss him every second of every day, but it gives me some solace to know that another family will not have to endure additional heartache because their loved one suffered from a mental illness,” said Robin Brennan, who asked Sen. Slap to raise the bill.

Sen. Slap’s bill, Senate Bill 89, “AN ACT CONCERNING TRAVEL INSURANCE AND SUICIDE,” seeks to amend Title 38a of the Connecticut General Statutes, which pertains to insurance policies offered and sold in Connecticut.