Insurance policy readability laws by state
Some states require insurance policy forms to reach a minimum Flesch Reading Ease score, usually 40 to 50. This page lists the ones we have checked at the official source.
General information, not legal advice. Laws change and differ by place. Check the official source linked in each row and ask your own lawyer or compliance team. Sources last checked November 10, 2026.
How these laws work
Several states set a minimum Flesch Reading Ease score for insurance policy forms. They cover only the policy types they list, and many exempt large group policies.
These laws also set their own counting rules. For example, Florida's statute leaves out headings, tables, defined terms and medical terms, and says how to sample long policies. Our calculator scores every word you paste, so its result can differ from the statutory score. Use it to find hard sentences, then score the filing the way the statute says.
The table lists only the states we read at the official source. Other states may have similar rules; we add them only after reading the statute.
Requirements and sources
| Requirement | Formula or metric | Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida: policy forms and endorsements | Flesch Reading Ease | 45 or more | Fla. Stat. 627.4145 |
| Maine: policy forms delivered in Maine | Flesch Reading Ease | 50 or more | 24-A M.R.S. § 2441 |
| Massachusetts: forms delivered to more than 50 policyholders | Flesch Reading Ease | 50 or more | M.G.L. c. 175 § 2B |
| New York: life, health, homeowners and private auto forms (as listed) | Flesch Reading Ease | 45 or more | N.Y. Ins. Law § 3102 |
| Connecticut: policies under the Insurance Plain Language Act | Flesch Reading Ease | 45 or more (the commissioner may allow lower) | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 38a-297 |
| North Carolina: auto, residential property, life and health policies (as listed) | Flesch Reading Ease | 50 or more | N.C.G.S. 58-38-30 |
| Oregon: life and health insurance policies | Flesch Reading Ease | 40 or more (the director may allow lower) | ORS 743.106 |
| North Dakota: accident and health policy forms | Flesch Reading Ease | 40 or more (the commissioner may allow lower) | N.D.C.C. 26.1-36-14 |
| Minnesota: policies filed under chapter 72C | None named: “easily readable and understandable” | No number set | Minn. Stat. 72C.06 |
Check your document
Open the free checker with the Legal / compliance (FRE 45 or more) target already set. Scores are estimates: the laws below may set their own counting rules, so the calculator is a first check, not the official score.
Check a document (Legal / compliance (FRE 45 or more))
How to make an evidence sheet for this document
- Open the calculator with the right target. Use the button above. It opens the free checker with the target reader set for this kind of document.
- Add your document. Paste the text, or open a Word, PDF or text file. Everything is scored in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
- Fix the hardest sentences. Sentences are marked easy, borderline or hard. Rewrite the hard ones, then check the scores again.
- Print the evidence sheet. Choose Evidence sheet, add the document name, and print or save it as a PDF. It records the date, the six scores, the target and a SHA-256 fingerprint of the text.
- File it with your records. Keep the sheet with the document version you scored. If the text changes, the fingerprint will not match, so score the new version too.
The sheet records a measurement on the date shown; it does not certify compliance with any law, regulation or standard.
Frequently asked questions
Which states require a Flesch score for insurance policies?
We have checked Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, Oregon and North Dakota. Each sets a minimum Flesch Reading Ease score for the policy types it lists. Minnesota requires readable policies but sets no number.
What Flesch score do insurance policies need?
Between 40 and 50 in the states we checked: 40 in Oregon and North Dakota, 45 in Florida, New York and Connecticut, and 50 in Maine, Massachusetts and North Carolina. Several let the regulator approve a lower score or another test.
Will this calculator give the same score as the statute?
Not always. These laws set their own counting rules, such as leaving out headings, tables and defined terms. Our calculator scores all the text you paste, so treat its result as an estimate.
Does a passing score make a policy compliant?
No. The score is one part of these laws. Most also set rules on layout, type size and content, and the regulator decides. An evidence sheet records a measurement only.
Which formula do these states use?
The Flesch Reading Ease formula: 206.835 − 1.015 × (words per sentence) − 84.6 × (syllables per word). Higher scores are easier to read.