SB 168 New Mexico Senate · 2025 Regular Session

TRAVEL INSURANCE ACT

SB 168, the Travel Insurance Act, creates new rules for travel insurance sold to New Mexico residents or delivered in the state. It directly affects insurance companies, travel agencies, and "eligible groups" like schools, employers, tour operators, and tour operators who sell group travel insurance. The law defines key terms (such as "group travel insurance" and "eligible group"), requires clear disclosure of coverage details, and specifies that the Act overrides conflicting general insurance laws. It explicitly excludes cancellation fee waivers and travel assistance services from its requirements.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Apr 2025

Introduced Jan 28, 2025 Signed Apr 10, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

CT substitute → Final Version · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was reorganized and reformatted from a committee substitute version to a final version, with the substantive policy content remaining largely the same. The changes primarily involve structural formatting, renumbering of sections, and the addition of page headers and footers typical of final legislative text.

Scope change

No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability; the policy content regarding travel insurance definitions and practices remains consistent.

TECHNICAL

The bill was restructured from a committee substitute format to a final version format, including renumbering of sections and removal of committee-specific annotations.

Page headers and footers with tracking numbers and page references were added to the final version.

Committee-specific markings and annotations indicating deleted or new material were removed in the final version.

introduced version → CT substitute · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill substantially rewrites the Travel Insurance Act to modernize regulations for travel insurance sales in New Mexico. It clarifies definitions for key terms, establishes a new licensing framework for travel retailers, and adds consumer protections against deceptive sales practices.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of regulated entities to explicitly include various types of organizations (such as tour operators, colleges, employers, and financial institutions) that may offer travel insurance to eligible groups, while clarifying that certain services like cancellation fee waivers and travel assistance are not insurance.

DEFINITION

Added comprehensive definitions for key terms including 'aggregator site', 'blanket travel insurance', 'eligible group', 'travel administrator', 'travel retailer', and 'travel protection plan' to clarify regulatory boundaries.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded the list of eligible groups that can purchase blanket travel insurance to include colleges, employers, sports teams, religious organizations, financial institutions, and other entities with common interests.

REQUIREMENT

Created a new licensing requirement for 'limited lines travel insurance producers' and established registration obligations for travel retailers to ensure transparency and accountability.

Added consumer protection requirements mandating that travel retailers provide clear disclosures about insurance terms, explain that insurance is optional, and prohibit unlicensed employees from making technical insurance representations.

Added requirements for travel protection plans to clearly disclose whether they include insurance, assistance services, or cancellation fee waivers, and to provide separate information for each component at the time of purchase.

ENFORCEMENT

Modified the unfair claims practices section to explicitly prohibit marketing blanket travel insurance as free and to ban negative option or opt-out practices that require consumers to take affirmative action to deselect coverage.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 10, 2025 · House Mar 20, 2025

How they voted

40–0

Passed

Total votes 40

Mar 10, 2025

D Democratic24

24 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican16

16 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 10, 2025

Signed into law

Signed

executive

Mar 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

passed House

lower

Mar 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Introduced

Sent to House Commerce & Economic Development Committee & House Judiciary Committee

lower

Mar 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

passed Senate

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO NOT PASS, replaced with committee substitute

upper

Jan 28, 2025

Introduced

Sent to Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee & Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors