Mo. Rev. Stat. § 375.271: Plaintiff entitled to default judgment, when.

No plaintiff shall be entitled to a judgment against the defendant by default under this section until after the expiration of forty-five days from the date of service of summons with copy of plaintiff's petition thereto attached upon the director of the department of commerce and insurance, his deputy or chief clerk as provided in section 375.261, or upon either of the persons referred to in section 375.266.