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Insurance Resources for the state of Washington

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Washington insurance consumer related Publications

• Auto Complaint Guide: An index of complaints filed with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. List of top 50 companies doing business in Washington based on the amount of money collected.
• Auto Insurance (PDF 231 Kb): A consumer's guide to buying auto insurance.
• Vehicle Total Loss fact sheet: What you need to know when an insurance company has totaled your car after an accident.
• GAP Insurance fact sheet
• Insurance Decoded (A Consumer's Insurance Glossary) guide
• Credit Scoring
  • Questions and Answers on Credit Scoring fact sheet:
  • Credit Scoring fact sheet: Questions and answers on credit scoring and how insurers use credit information. Printable Version
  • Credit Scoring Law (PDF): A Report to the Legislature on the Implementation of the Credit Scoring Law and it's Affect on Consumers as of December 31, 2003.
  • Effect of Credit Scoring on Auto Insurance Underwriting and Pricing (PDF 15Kb).
  • Implementation of the Credit Scoring Law (PDF 1096Kb) information: A Report to the Legislature on the Implementation of the Credit Scoring Law and it's Affect on Consumers as of December 31, 2003.
• How Insurance Companies Determine Auto Rates fact sheet
• Mandatory Auto Insurance Law fact sheet
• Auto Insurance Frequently Asked Questions fact sheet
• Auto Insurance Coverage — Home Health Care Workers (PDF 74 Kb):
• Personal Injury Protection Insurance fact sheet: Washington law allows for a no-fault component in auto insurance that covers personal injury and loss of income.
• Subrogation and Your Rights fact sheet: This is the term often used by auto insurers to describe the way a claim may be handled when two different insurance carriers share responsibility of covering an accident.
• CLUE fact sheet: Information for consumers on ChoicePoint's CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) and how insurance companies use your CLUE report.
• Extended Auto Service Warranties/Contracts (PDF 141Kb) (Word 68Kb): Automobile Insurance
• Winter Weather and Insurance Coverage fact sheet: Commissioner Kreidler answers some frequently asked questions that arise in the wake of severe winter weather.

• Individual Health Insurance:
  Options available to consumers shopping in the individual market.
  Companies and plans
• Consumer's Guide to Individual Health Insurance Coverage:
  A comparison guide to individual health insurance
• Choosing Health Insurance for You and Your Family:
  Consumer's Guide to Health Care Coverage (PDF 479KB)
• COBRA Law:
  The federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, also known as COBRA, is a guarantee that working Americans who lose their jobs do not lose their health insurance. Under COBRA, the federal government allows those employees, retirees, their spouses and their dependent children the right to extend job-related coverage for up to 18 months at their own expense.
• Complaint guide:
  An index of complaints filed with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. List of top 50 companies doing business in Washington based on the amount of money collected.
• Contraception Coverage:
  The prescription contraceptive coverage rule signed by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler on Sept. 5, takes effect Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2002, enabling most insured women access to the prescription contraceptive of their choice.
  A fact sheet (PDF 20Kb) was also developed that outlines more details about the rule.
  Final Rule (PDF 27Kb): WAC 284-43 (821-824)
• Paying for Prescription Drugs: (PDF 307Kb)
  A consumer guide that provides guidelines to help cut an individual's prescription drug bill.
• Direct Access:
  Under Washington law, women have the right to self-refer themselves to health-care providers.
• Discount Plans: (PDF 228Kb)
  A fact sheet providing consumers with important facts about discount-type health plans, questions to ask when considering these plans and further resources.
• Every-Category of Provider Law:
  FAQ - Frequently-asked questions and answers about the law requiring health insurance carriers to provide access to every category of health-care providers.
  
  The U.S. Supreme Court and the Every-Category Law:
  A brief explanation of the legal challenges filed against the state's Every-Category Law. The U.S. Supreme Court announced in February 1999 it would not accept the industry's appeal and said the law could go back into effect.
• Frequently Asked Questions About Health Insurance (FAQ)
• Health Insurance Consumer Protections:
  Consumer protections in Washington law that preserve access to health insurance for Washington residents.
• Facts About Health Savings Accounts
• Illegal Health Plans Fact Sheet
• Patient's Bill of Rights
• Personal Injury Protection Insurance:
  A fact sheet outlining PIP coverage, a no-fault health plan that is an option for auto insurance purchasers.
• Statewide Health Insurance Benefit Advisers (SHIBA HelpLine):
  SHIBA HelpLine is a statewide network of more than 300 expertly-trained volunteers who assist and advocate for consumers regarding health insurance, health care access, and prescription access. Individualized and group assistance with rights and options, private insurance, public programs, policies, billings, appeals, and more are offered in Washington communities statewide.
• Travel Insurance:
  Foreign travel can pose more problems than travel within the United States. If you are traveling outside the United States, you may need to purchase additional health insurance coverage.
• Women's Health Benefits Study:
  2001 follow-up study comparing access to women's reproductive health services across the state: Executive Summary (PDF 382Kb) / Carrier Survey (PDF 598Kb) / Consumer Survey (PDF 181Kb).
  1998 Report comparing access to women's reproductive health services across the state:
  Part I, including Executive Summary (PDF 73Kb) / Part II (PDF 210Kb).
• Washington Life and Disability Insurance Guaranty Association
• Washington State Health Insurance Pool

Life Insurance Cautions: Things to beware as consumers weigh the decision to buy life insurance.

Life Insurance: Tips for consumers shopping for life insurance.

• Complaint guide: An index of complaints filed with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. List of top 50 companies doing business in Washington based on the amount of money collected.
• Consumer's Guide to Homeowner Insurance (PDF): A guide that explains how homeowner and tenant insurance coverage works, tips on lowering your premium and cost comparisons for different types of homes and rental units in different cities around Washington state.
• Insurance Decoded (A Consumer's Insurance Glossary) guide
• Credit Scoring
  • Credit Scoring fact sheet
  • Questions and Answers on Credit Scoring fact sheet: Printable Version
  • The Credit Scoring Law (PDF): A Report to the Legislature on the Implementation of the Credit Scoring Law and it's Affect on Consumers as of December 31, 2003.
• How Insurance Companies Determine Homeowner Rates fact sheet
• Insurance and Home Business fact sheet: Tips for business owners who operate out of their homes.
• Insurance Tips for Homeowners fact sheet: Insider tips for homeowners and tenants about the kind of losses that are covered by homeowner/tenant policies.
• Household Inventory fact sheet: A household inventory is the most important thing you can do as a consumer to prevent disagreements with your insurance carrier if you have to file a claim.
• Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) fact sheet: Information you need to know about Private Mortgage Insurance.
• CLUE fact sheet: Information for consumers on ChoicePoint's CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) and how insurance companies use your CLUE report.
• Earthquake Insurance fact sheet: Earthquake coverage is NOT an automatic part of homeowner or tenant insurance.
• Homeowner Insurance and Landslides fact sheet: Landslides, or earth movement, are normally excluded from coverage in homeowner insurance policies, but homeowners may be able to purchase a special rider.
• Flood Insurance fact sheet: Flood coverage is NOT an automatic part of homeowner or tenant insurance, but it is available across Washington as part of the federal Flood Insurance Program (FIP). More consumer tips.
• Mold and Homeowner's Insurance fact sheet: OIC provides tips on protecting your home from mold damage.
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers information on mold: http://www.cdc.gov/mold/. The Environmental Protection Agency also offers information on mold http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/moldresources.html.
• Winter Weather and Insurance Coverage fact sheet: Commissioner Kreidler answers some frequently asked questions that arise in the wake of severe winter weather.
• How Tenant Insurance Works fact sheet: Few landlords provide any coverage for their tenants, but separate insurance is available.
• WildFires and Insurance fact sheet
• Domestic Violence and Insurance (PDF 112Kb) (Word 74Kb): Information on the rights of the innocent co-insured.
• FAQ: Volcano Coverage fact sheet

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