State RegulationsMA specificDifficulty 1/5
After what period of time from issue does a Massachusetts life policy become incontestable under M.G.L. c. 175, § 132(2)?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why C is correct
M.G.L. c. 175, § 132(2) provides that a Massachusetts life policy is incontestable after it has been in force during the lifetime of the insured for two years from its issue, except for nonpayment of premiums and the statute's other enumerated exceptions. After the two-year mark, the insurer can no longer contest the policy on grounds of misstatement in the application, subject to those exceptions. The two-year incontestability period is one of the standard-provision numbers Massachusetts exam candidates are expected to know exactly.
Why the other options are wrong
- A) One year is shorter than the statutory period; M.G.L. c. 175, § 132(2) fixes two years from issue.
- B) Three years is the reinstatement window sometimes associated with lapsed policies, not the incontestability period.
- D) Five years far exceeds the statutory mark; the policy is incontestable after two years under M.G.L. c. 175, § 132(2).
Memory hook
Two years and the misstatement door closes in Massachusetts.