April 12, 2023
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Have you had an insurance claim denied or received an offer that was less than you felt you deserved? Our team of highly trained insurance experts recovered more than $10 million for Washington insurance consumers since Jan. 1, 2023. They may be able to help you, too!
Thousands of consumers contact our office every year with questions or complaints about all types of insurance coverage. Our Consumer Advocacy team can look at your insurance policy, explain your rights, and in many cases, contact your insurance company on your behalf.
“As the insurance regulator, companies and insurance agents are required to respond to us and explain their actions or decisions,” said Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. “Our services are free, impartial, and available to everyone in Washington state. You might not need them today, but we’re always here to help when you do.”
We understand how insurance policies work and the laws that protect you. We can’t help in every situation and our authority has its limits, but in the last three months, we investigated more than 2,600 complaints and recovered $10,276,845 for Washington insurance consumers.
Here are a few consumers we have helped so far this year:
- A Bremerton man thought he was automatically enrolled in his health plan, but instead had lost his vision coverage and had his claims denied. After our investigation, the company agreed to cover his charges. We also made the company check similar claim denials, resulting in 5,000 policyholders regaining coverage.
- A consumer from Snohomish filed a complaint with us when their company failed to settle their auto claim after their vehicle was totaled. We helped them recover $32,687 for the value of their vehicle.
- An elderly man from Brier waited five months after a fire to get help from his insurance company, confined to only a single room while he tried to make repairs. Two days after they received his complaint from our office, the insurer paid him $20,000. And within a month, they reimbursed him $140,000 for his expenses.
- We helped a woman from Hoquiam appeal an air ambulance claim denial and get her $41,992 claim settled — plus interest.
- We also helped a Sumner man get a $145,750 life insurance claim paid after many delays.
We can help you understand your rights, answer your questions, explain how to appeal a decision from your insurer, and, sometimes, advocate on your behalf. File a complaint online 24/7, send us a message, chat with us or call our Insurance Consumer Hotline at 800-562-6900.
In most cases, insurance is regulated by state governments and overseen by their state Insurance Departments. Each department has a division specializing in helping consumers understand their rights and investigating their complaints. You can find your state's insurance department (naic.org) by searching the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) website. Washington’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner employs 265 people, with 27 staff dedicated to consumer advocacy and education.