December
12/29/2004	New credit scoring rule signed
	Stronger protections take effect July 1

12/22/2004	Washington policyholders to share UnumProvident settlement
	Multi-state settlement opens door for local policyholders

12/17/2004	Kreidler cracks down on credit insurance
	New credit insurance regulation would strengthen disclosure, improve rates

12/10/2004	Kreidler re-elected to post with insurance regulator group
	Washington to continue in leadership role for Western states

12/9/2004	Rule proposed to amend credit scoring regulation
	An amended credit scoring rule that would provide more consumer protection will be given a public hearing in Olympia next week.

12/7/2004	Insurance Commissioner retains national accreditation
	The state Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) has retained national accreditation as a regulator for a second consecutive term following an audit by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

12/3/2004	Hearing scheduled on stock purchase request
	The state Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) has scheduled a Dec. 13 adjudicative hearing to consider a Tennessee financial service company’s application for approval to purchase additional voting shares of Commonwealth Insurance Company of America.
Novmember
11/30/2004	Cascade National Insurance ordered into receivership
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler assumed control of Cascade National Insurance Company of Bellevue today under authority of a Thurston County Superior Court order placing the company in receivership.

11/23/2004	Kreidler readies health reform agenda with key appointments
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler announced two staff appointments today as his office prepares for an ambitious legislative agenda to make health insurance more affordable and more accessible for all Washington residents.
October
10/27/2004	Hearing set for Progressive Northwestern transfer request
	The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) will hold a public hearing on Dec. 6 in Tumwater to consider a request by Progressive Northwestern Insurance Co. to transfer its corporate domicile from Washington to Ohio.

10/21/2004	Kreidler issues warning that insurance abuses and misconduct will not be tolerated in Washington
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler today issued a strongly worded technical advisory to remind Washington’s licensed brokers and insurance companies of their duties and responsibilities to insured parties.

10/14/2004	Kreidler files suit against Ernst & Young
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, acting in his capacity as the court-appointed receiver of Western United Life Assurance Company, has sued the company’s former auditor for damages, claiming negligence, negligent misrepresentation and breach of contract.

10/7/2004	Volcano coverage information for consumers
	Consumers with questions on how the latest activity at Mount St. Helens may affect their insurance coverage for their auto and their home should consult our revised fact sheet on volcano coverage or call our Consumer Hotline at 1-800-562-6900.
September
9/29/2004	Hearing on new consumer protections for credit scoring law
	New consumer protections would be added to Washington state’s credit scoring law under a rule to be heard at a public hearing tomorrow in Olympia.

9/23/2004	Office of the Insurance Commissioner launches revamped consumer hotline
	The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) has consolidated all consumer protection services under one toll-free Consumer Hotline, 1-800-562-6900.
August
8/5/2004	Washington joins $3.2 million race-based pricing settlement - Over 1,155 Washington policyholders may be due refunds
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler signed a consent order yesterday enabling an estimated 1,155 Washington policyholders to join a nationwide settlement of over $3.2 million by Texas-based American National Insurance Company (ANICO) for race-based pricing.
July
7/29/2004	Report released on why not insuring everyone is costing you over $318 million
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, joined by consumer advocates, state labor officials, legislators, and retired public employees, unveiled today a series of reports showing, by county, that the Washington health care system and the insurance-buying public subsidizes over $318 million in uncompensated care per year.

7/21/2004	Kreidler approves sale of Safeco Life
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s office (OIC) has approved the $1.35 billion sale of Safeco’s life insurance and investments business to an investor group that includes Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway.

7/20/2004	Kreidler warns soldiers of life insurance and investment sales on military bases
	Uniformed men and women on Washington military bases are urged to be wary of life insurance sale pitches masked as compulsory briefings on personal finances or veterans’ benefits briefings.

7/15/2004	Kreidler denies Premera’s bid to become for-profit company
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has rejected a bid by Premera Blue Cross to become a for-profit company, ending a nearly two-year application process by the state’s largest health insurer.

7/14/2004	Premera decision scheduled for release tomorrow
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler will publicly release his decision at 10 a.m. tomorrow in Seattle regarding an application by Premera Blue Cross to convert to for-profit status.

7/13/2004	Hearing scheduled for Safeco Life acquisition
	The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) will hold a public hearing 1 p.m., July 19, in Tumwater to consider the acquisition of Safeco Life Insurance Co. and Safeco National Life Insurance Co. by an investor group led by White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd., of Hanover, NH.

7/1/2004	Record Drought Predicted for 2004 – Kreidler Urges Homeowners to Take Wildfire Precautions
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler warns consumers now is the time to protect their homes from what all indicators predict will be an intense wildfire season in the Northwest. It’s also a prime opportunity to ensure homeowners’ property and possessions are adequately protected by insurance.
June
6/3/2004	Auto insurers urged to treat returning armed forces fairly
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler urges all auto insurers in Washington to give members of our armed forces a break when they return from service overseas.
May
5/4/2004	Kreidler unveils new insurance agent and broker information web site
	Licensing details of the 85,000 insurance agents and brokers doing business in Washington State are available for the first time on-line. A new Web page created by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner provides details on individual and business affiliated agents, brokers, general agents and adjusters.
April
4/29/2004	Insurance Commissioner convenes formal hearing in Premera’s request to convert to for-profit company
	The formal adjudicative hearing into Premera Blue Cross’s request to convert to a for-profit company begins Monday, May 3, in Tumwater. It is scheduled to continue through May 18.

4/29/2004	SHIBA HelpLine Offers Advice on New Medicare Rx Discount Drug Cards - More Than 100 Community Forums Set-
	The Statewide Health Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) HelpLine – a consumer advocacy arm of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) – launched a wide reaching outreach campaign today geared to help beneficiaries navigate the complex new Medicare prescription drug discount card program.

4/19/2004	NEW! On-line Agents/Brokers Licensing Program
	Insurance regulators, the insurance industry and the public can now verify license, appointment and affiliation status on-line. This new Web page provides license details on individual and business entity agents, brokers, general agents and adjusters.

4/16/2004	Safeco Life Acquisition
	An application or Form A Filing has been filed for the sale of Safeco Life Ins. Co., Safeco National Life Ins. Co., and certain other subsidiaries of the Safeco Corporation to White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. , White Mountains Re Group, Ltd., and Occum Acquisition Corp. Under Washington's Insurer Holding Company Act, Commissioner Kreidler has 60 days after he finds the application to be complete to conduct a hearing and render a final administrative decision. Notice of the hearing date will be issued at the time the Commissioner finds the application to be complete.

4/1/2004	Beware of Discount Health Care Cards
	Washington consumers need to be vigilant when approached with offers for discounted health care, according to Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler.
March
3/31/2004	Washington Holocaust Survivors Awarded Humanitarian Payments
	At least 52 Washington Holocaust survivors will begin receiving humanitarian payments of $1,000 each this week from the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims' (ICHEIC) humanitarian fund.

3/16/2004	Watching out for consumers, OIC style - Hero pilot's daughter receives help
	The state Office of the Insurance Commissioner watches out for consumers, even when they aren’t aware that the state agency has a program of fully trained advocates who staff the phones and go to bat for consumers every day of the week.

3/8/2004	Hearing scheduled for Pacific Northwest Title Insurance Co. application
	The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) will hold a hearing next month to consider an application for the acquisition of Pacific Northwest Title Insurance Co., a Washington domiciled company, by First American Corp of California.

3/2/2004	Western United of Spokane ordered into receivership
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler assumed control of Western United Life Assurance Company today in a move intended to assist the Spokane insurer deal with financial problems stemming from its parent holding company.
February
2/18/2004	Premera executive compensation plan released
	Premera Blue Cross has complied with an order by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler to release a complete version of the Mercer Human Resource Consulting Report, which is now available on the OIC Web site.

2/18/2004	Warning sounded on bogus “Medicare-approved” drug discount cards
	The Office of the Insurance Commissioner warns Washington residents to be on the lookout for prescription drug scams that purport to offer "Medicare-approved" discount cards as part of the Medicare law signed by the President last year.

2/11/2004	Commissioner orders disclosure of Premera compensation plan
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has ordered that Premera's entire executive compensation plan be made public as part of his consideration of the health insurer's request to convert to for-profit status.

2/10/2004	Premera submits amended Form A application
	Premera Blue Cross has submitted an amended version of its Form “A” application to convert to for-profit status.

2/9/2004	Hearing scheduled for Family Life and Investors Life application
	The Office of the Insurance Commissioner will hold a hearing March 1 to consider the application of Family Life Insurance Company and Investors Life Insurance Company of North America for redomestication to transfer their corporate domicle from Washington State to the state of Texas.
January
1/15/2004	Hearing scheduled for disclosure of Premera's executive compensation report
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler will hold a hearing next week on Premera Blue Cross’ objections to the full disclosure of an executive compensation report that is part of the insurer’s request to convert to for-profit status.

1/13/2004	Watch out for season ski pass insurance coverage
	Washington skiers should be aware of and wary about specialized insurance coverage that promises to refund the pro-rated cost of season ski passes if skiers suffer serious injury or illness that keeps them off the slopes.

1/9/2004	Kreidler grants four-week extension in Premera case
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has approved a four-week extension in the schedule for Premera’s application to convert to for-profit status.

1/8/2004	Kreidler to consider Premera request for four-week extension
	Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has scheduled a 2:00 pm hearing tomorrow, Jan. 9, to consider a motion asking for a deadline extension in Premera’s application to convert to a for-profit company.

1/6/2004	The second of two credit scoring reports delivered to the Legislature
	The second of two credit scoring reports was delivered to the Legislature on Dec. 31, 2003. This report, required by the new law, details the implementation of the credit scoring law and provides a status report on it's impact on consumers as of Dec. 31, 2003.

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