LIFE INSURANCE 2018

Consumers can buy warranties on any number of products these days, ranging from a new vehicle to a small gadget or appliance. Before you lay down more money for a warranty, here are a few things you should know: Be sure you fully read any warranties before you buy them and don't be afraid to ask questions if something you read needs clarification. Warranties do not cover all damage. For example: Vehicle warranties may exclude damage related to after-market modifications to engines, power trains or suspension systems. If you buy a used vehicle that comes with these types of modifications, the warranty may not cover damage to or in the event that those modifications fail. Be sure you understand the limitations of any warranty you are thinking about buying. Some warranties require you to pay a fee or copayment if you need to use the warranty. For example, smartphone warranties often require you to pay a fee each time you use them. Do the math. Weigh the cost of the warranty over...

If you receive your homeowner or automobile insurance renewal and think the premium doesn’t seem right, it’s a good idea to check in with your insurance agent to make sure the company is using accurate information in the rating of your policy. Insurers use many factors to determine the amount you pay for insurance, some of which include where you live, the type and value of the property you are insuring, your driving record, marital status and your driving habits. You should confirm all of that information is accurate, including your social security number, which insurers collect to get your credit score. Most insurance companies use information in your credit history and other factors to calculate your rate. Each company weighs these factors differently, so your credit score’s effect on your insurance rates will vary from company to company. Additionally, the credit history of the first person named as the insured on a policy might be used in rating. Be sure to ask your agent about ho...

We’ve received reports that a scammer is targeting people who recently lost a spouse in the Spokane area. The scammer has called several women who recently lost their husbands. The caller says there’s a life insurance policy on the spouse, but the policy hasn’t been paid on in recent months. The caller instructed the surviving spouse to send cash or gift cards in order to get the life insurance benefit. In all cases, no policy existed. If you get an inquiry from someone who says they have an insurance policy you’ve never heard of, document as much information as you can in case you need to report it to the police. Then, call the insurer and determine whether there is in fact a policy. You can look up insurance companies and their phone numbers on our website. If you find out someone is attempting to scam you, report it to your local law enforcement agency. You can find a list of law enforcement agencies on the state's 211 website. An insurance company will never call you and ask ...

A big part of what we do is helping consumers resolve complaints they have against insurance companies. In 2014, we received and processed 6,135 complaints from consumers and helped them recover more than $9.5 million in insurance billings, refunds and claims issues. Here are the top five categories of complaints we fielded from consumers in 2014 for both property and casualty (P&C) insurance, and life and disability (L&D) insurance.    Property insurance covers losses of physical property, including homes, rental residences, anything you own, vehicles, boats, and essentially anything you own. Casualty insurance pays for negligence and liability. Collectively, property and casualty insurance is referred to as P&C insurance. Not surprisingly, three of the top five complaint types we got for P&C insurance involve auto insurance and claims. Auto insurance liability claims . Frequent complaints we heard from consumers involved disputes of liability in auto claims...

Insurance giant Anthem today announced that up to 80 million consumers nationwide may be affected by a data breach of current and former customers’ names, social security numbers, contact information and birthdates. It does not appear that any health information was obtained. Anthem has told the Insurance Commissioner that affected Washington consumers are largely enrolled in Apple Health , the state’s Medicaid program. Anthem does not have any indications at this time that Washington consumers who are enrolled in private, individual health insurance are affected by the breach. Insurers are required to notify the Insurance Commissioner of security breaches that involve Washington consumers’ information. The Insurance Commissioner will remain in close contact with Anthem as more information is available. The Insurance Commissioner is also working with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners on this increasingly common occurrence. Anthem has created a webpage at www.anthe...

Two men pleaded guilty to attempted theft in an insurance fraud case that was investigated by Insurance Commisisoner Mike Kreidler’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU). In January 2014, Emad Mohammed, 26, crashed a 2003 Corolla while merging onto I-5 from SR 516, totaling the car and injuring himself. That day, his cousin Imran Nsaif, 30, called his insurer, Progressive, to make a claim on his commercial auto policy. Nsaif operated a truck that transported autos on a trailer and claimed the Corolla was struck by a hit-and-run driver while Mohammed was loading it onto the truck. Nsaif told the insurance company he was transporting the car for an auto dealership and they were loading the car onto the truck on the side of the road. Progressive obtained a copy of the Washington State Patrol collision report, which contradicted what Nsaif and Mohammed told the insurance company. Additionally, the collision scene photos did not show Mohammed’s rig at the scene of the accident. Progressive de...

The last day to enroll in a health plan for 2015 is Feb. 15. Coverage takes effect March 1 if you enroll before 11:59 p.m. If you qualify for a subsidy or Medicaid, you should obtain health insurance through the Washington Healthplanfinder , our state’s health benefit exchange. If you do not qualify for a subsidy, you can buy a health plan directly from an insurance company. Here’s a list of the plans that are available in Washington. There are ways to qualify for a special enrollment after Feb. 15, including losing health coverage provided by an employer, adding dependents and consumers who had trouble enrolling through Washington Healthplanfinder. Read more about special enrollments . Need more information? Read about understanding health insurance . Get application quick tips from Washington Healthplanfinder.