The Reasonable Expectations Doctrine in Montana

This article analyzes cases in Montana State and federal courts dealing with the reasonable expectations doctrine. A review of those decisions reveals that the doctrine is frequently invoked by counsel for insurance consumers and is readily applied by state and federal courts either to void a provision altogether or to resolve an ambiguity in a policy. Nevertheless, reasonable expectations in Montana reflect a lack of clarity about the doctrine resulting in conflicting court pronouncements. The article concludes with suggestions on how both counsel and the courts might achieve clarity and equitable results