New Missouri Statutes May Substantially Impact How Insurance Carriers Approach Liability Claims

Missouri’s handling of liability claims has grown increasingly complex, largely due to Revised Statute § 537.065, which has historically allowed claimants to collect judgments from insurers rather than tort-feasors’ personal assets. In 2017, the legislature replaced § 537.065 with House Bill 339, creating a new § 537.058 and a modified § 537.065, which impose strict requirements on time-limited settlement demands and provide insurers a procedural right to intervene in pending suits. These changes could significantly alter how claimants, tort-feasors, and carriers approach personal injury and wrongful death claims in Missouri, though their full impact remains to be seen.