LIFE INSURANCE 2018

There’s a reality show on A&E about people who bid – sight unseen –  on the contents of abandoned storage units. Yep, that's a thing.   Self-storage is a booming business these days, according to Bloomberg . New warehouses are being built at a record pace to store Americans’ extra belongings. Nearly 10 percent of Americans rented a storage unit in 2015, according to Sparefoot.com , a storage unit comparison site. There are even luxury storage units to store your vintage car collection or to give you another space to hang out in. Before you rent a storage unit, luxury or otherwise, you should be thinking about what happens if your belongings are damaged or stolen. Generally, if your homeowner or renter policy covers contents that you store offsite--say, at a storage unit--they limit the coverage to a certain dollar amount, and they do not cover theft from the storage unit. That’s really important information to know before you fill a storage unit full of your belongings. I...

Washington consumers can sign up for health and medical plans through Washington Healthplanfinder until 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 23 for coverage that starts Jan. 1. Online: 24/7 at wahealthplanfinder.org . By phone: 1-855-WAFINDER (1-855-923-4633). Normal hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every weekday. Extended hours: Dec. 15 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 23 from 8 a.m. to midnight. Find help in person with a navigator or a broker . If you don’t qualify for a subsidy, you can purchase a plan on the individual market directly from an agent or broker. The deadline for Jan. 1 coverage varies by plan. Find a licensed agent or broker . Look at 2017 individual and family plans and premiums by county . If you miss the Dec. 23 deadline, you can still get coverage. Open enrollment runs through Jan. 31 for coverage that will likely start March 1.  Learn more about health insurance .

Each year, the OIC reports to the Legislature on the status of direct health care practices in Washington state. In a direct health care practice, a health care provider charges a patient a set monthly fee for all primary care services provided in the office, regardless of the number of visits. No insurance plan is involved, although patients may have separate insurance coverage for more costly medical services. Direct practices are sometimes marketed as “retainer” or “concierge” practices. The December 2016 report contains data from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2016, two fiscal years’ worth of information. Some highlights from this year’s report, as of June 30: There were approximately 11,272 direct-practice patients in Washington, a 3 percent drop from fiscal year 2015. That figure represents .016 percent of the state’s population.  There were 30 practices in the state. Two new practices opened in Battle Ground and Edmonds. Five clinics in Seattle, Richland, Spokane and Colville...

The Office of the Insurance Commissioner's rate decisions have saved auto insurance consumers more than $32 million in premiums since 2010. Personal auto insurers are required to file their proposed rates and rating plans with our office whenever there's a rate change. Our actuaries review the proposed rates, rating plans, and supporting documentation to be sure that the rates are not excessive, inadequate or unfair.  From 2010 through 2015, the rates we approved for the top 20 personal auto insurers in Washington saved consumers more than $32 million in premiums.  2015: $6.2 million 2014: $6.2 million  2013: $8.9 million  2012: $5.6 million  2011: $2.7 million  2010: $2.7 million  Read more about auto insurance in Washington state .