California’s Senate Bill 2401 is making its way through the legislature and will hopefully bring some important changes to the way insurance companies train their out of state adjusters who handle California based policyholder’s claims. The bill, also known as the Insurance Adjuster Act of 2019, was created by Senator Bill Dodd to eliminate confusion … Continue Reading
Every state has laws that prohibit unfair, discriminatory, or deceptive insurance practices. These regulations are normally encompassed as statutes or regulations enacted to protect insurance consumers. Pennsylvania has a statute enacted called the “Unfair Insurance Practices Act,”1 This law gives the consumer the right to file complaints against their insurance company to be investigated by … Continue Reading
Insurance companies are supposed to have insurance adjusters that are empathetic, professional and ethical when dealing with policyholders and claimants. The first chapter in the insurance treatise, Claims Handling Principles and Practices, has multiple lessons about these obligations. Claims adjusters should not make policyholders scream out of frustration about the service you receive.… Continue Reading
North Carolina was battered by Hurricane Florence last year and reports show very concerning issues of claims handling and low claim payments after the storm. Perhaps Hurricane Michael losses pulled adjusters out of North Carolina and for some insureds caused additional delays to their claims. North Carolina does have an option where you can advise … Continue Reading
Maine policyholders at loggerheads with their delaying, denying and recalcitrant insurers may seek help in the claims process by filing a complaint with the Maine Bureau of Insurance.… Continue Reading
New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment and home of the world’s largest international hot air balloon festival, is the fifth largest state and has the lowest water to land ratio of all the states. It also experiences an average of seven to ten tornados a year. Most cause little property damage because they occur over … Continue Reading
The California Fair Claims Settlement Practices Act outlines specific insurer conduct prohibited and considered unfair to insureds. Identifying prohibited insurer conduct and effectively communicating to a carrier it committed prohibited acts will lead to better claim results.… Continue Reading
When Alaskans are mistreated by their insurance companies, they can turn to the state government for help. Alaska’s Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development’s Division of Insurance has the authority to accept and investigate complaints by consumers.… Continue Reading
Since the New York Department of Insurance was abolished in October 2011, the New York State Department of Financial Services has supervised and regulated all insurance companies that do business in New York. The Department of Financial Services attempts to ensure fair and equitable dealings between insurers, agents, and policyholders regarding all insurance transactions. The … Continue Reading
Rhode Island policyholders at loggerheads with their delaying, denying and recalcitrant insurers may seek help in the claims process by filing a complaint with the Rhode Island Insurance Division.… Continue Reading
When Oreganians are mistreated by their insurance companies, they can turn to the state government for help. Oregon’s Division of Financial Regulation has the authority to accept and investigate complaints by consumers.… Continue Reading
Maryland suffers from a wide breadth of property damage claims. Most notably, floods, fires, and storm surges. Maryland residents should always be mindful of their property insurance policy and the coverage it affords and the potential perils that are excluded. If you believe you have suffered a covered loss that your insurance company is denying, … Continue Reading
The California Fair Claims Settlement Practices Act imposes multiple deadlines to respond and report to insureds during a claim adjustment. Knowing and understanding an insurer’s reporting duties and deadlines can speed up the adjustment and payment of a claim. Although a failure to meet a deadline by a day or two may not, in and … Continue Reading
The Utah Insurance Department has one of the easiest and friendliest websites encountered. If you, as a policyholder, have a grievance against your insurance company and are thinking of calling to complain or actually filing a complaint, the Utah Insurance Department’s opening statement online will immediately put you at ease:… Continue Reading
Tasked with safeguarding those affected by the business of insurance through the fulfillment of statutory obligations and promoting the fair and just treatment of all parties to insurance transactions, Bruce R. Ramage was appointed as Nebraska’s Director of Insurance by Governor Dave Heineman in November 2010.… Continue Reading
Director of Missouri’s Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration (“DIFP”), Chlora Lindley-Myers, oversees the regulating and monitoring of insurance activities, companies, and agents in Missouri. She was appointed on April 13, 2017. Within the DIFP, the Division of Consumer Affairs (“DCA”) serves as a resource to Missouri consumers by providing consumers with insurance … Continue Reading
The Office of the Lieutenant Governor Division of Banking, Insurance and Financial Regulation has a dual responsibility of regulating the insurance industry and protecting consumer interest in the U.S. Virgin Islands. As of January 30, 2018, the most recent data on insurance claims provided by the Division of Banking, Insurance and Financial Regulation (“Division”) indicated … Continue Reading
The last thing an insured should do with regards to a homeowners insurance claim is to sit back and wait for the insurance company to do the right thing. There are many ways in which an insured can combat a delaying, denying, and bad treating insurance company with the most obvious being retaining a public … Continue Reading
The Director of Idaho’s Department of Insurance, Dean Cameron, oversees the regulating and monitoring of insurance activities, companies, and agents in Idaho. Appointed by Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, Mr. Cameron has been serving Idaho residents since June 15, 2015. Within the Department of Insurance, the Consumer Affairs Section (“CAS”) serves as a free resource to … Continue Reading
The Illinois Department of Insurance’s mission is “[t]o protect consumers by providing assistance and information, by efficiently regulating the insurance industry’s market behavior and financial solvency, and by fostering a competitive insurance marketplace.”… Continue Reading
The New Hampshire Insurance Department was established in 1851, the first insurance regulatory agency in the United States.1 The Consumer Services Division (“CSD”) of the New Hampshire Insurance Department enforces the insurance laws and rules of New Hampshire. The CSD acts as an intermediary to help resolve problems between consumers and department licensees, which include … Continue Reading
“Protecting Delawareans through regulation and education while providing oversight of the insurance industry to best serve the public” is the motto of the Delaware Department of Insurance. Trinidad Navarro has been Delaware’s Insurance Commissioner since 2016.… Continue Reading
Appointed by Governor John Hickenlooper, Michael Conway serves as Colorado’s Insurance Commissioner where he is tasked with regulating and monitoring insurance companies and insurance agents in Colorado. With the mission of Consumer Protection, Michael Conway and the Colorado Division of Insurance have streamlined a simple process for insurance consumers to file complaints against insurance companies … Continue Reading
The Georgia Office of Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner has a simple online process for filing your complaint. How the office responds to this Complaint may not be satisfying but it is important that a record is made of the insurance claims that are not properly handled.… Continue Reading
