Our office has ordered a Federal Way, Wash.-based company to stop selling unauthorized vehicle service contracts in Washington state.
The order names Distinct Advantage Administrative Services, LLC, company principal Michael Phelps and former insurance agent Thomas L. Ross. Ross is a former Washington insurance agent whose license was revoked in March 2003. Nonetheless, he began marketing Distinct Advantage service contracts around October 2009 as an "agent" for the company.
None of the three are registered with Washington as a service contract provider.
Distinct Advantage sold at least 37 vehicle service contracts, totalling $26,468, through 6 car dealers. The contracts were not approved for sale in Washington. The forms state that Distinct Advantage is insured by Colonial American Casualty and Surety Co., but Colonial American has no record of any affiliation with Phelps or his company.
Here's a link to the full order.
Kamis, 09 Desember 2010
Rabu, 08 Desember 2010
Des Moines insurance agent charged with multiple counts of first-degree theft
Brenda MacLaren-Beattie, a longtime insurance agent in Des Moines, Wash., has been charged with first-degree theft for allegedly selling fake insurance to oral surgeons in Washington and Oregon.
An investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s office found that MacLaren-Beattie, 67, sold thousands of dollars in fake business-insurance policies, often issuing counterfeit certificates of insurance to doctors and clinics.
She was arraigned last week in King County Superior Court. She faces 14 counts of first-degree theft, totaling $41,729 in payments from 11 clinics for non-existent coverage.
The fictitious policies were for business owners’ general liability insurance, rather than professional liability/medical malpractice. General liability insurance typically covers things like slip-and-fall accidents, employee theft, and damage to rented property.
An investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s office found that MacLaren-Beattie, 67, sold thousands of dollars in fake business-insurance policies, often issuing counterfeit certificates of insurance to doctors and clinics.
She was arraigned last week in King County Superior Court. She faces 14 counts of first-degree theft, totaling $41,729 in payments from 11 clinics for non-existent coverage.
The fictitious policies were for business owners’ general liability insurance, rather than professional liability/medical malpractice. General liability insurance typically covers things like slip-and-fall accidents, employee theft, and damage to rented property.
Selasa, 07 Desember 2010
Health insurance rates, by state
Update: (6/20/2013): Here's information on the latest state-by-state breakdown of health insurance premiums and deductibles. And here's information on the rate filings we're getting for 2014.
Here's the original post:
The Commonwealth Fund has put together an interesting state-by-state breakdown of private-employer health insurance premiums and deductibles over the past 6 years.
The upshot: premiums for businesses and their employees rose 41 percent, while per-person deductibles jumped 77 percent. (Continue those trends out to 2020, and an average premium for family coverage will be more than $23,000.) The report also looks at the potential for federal health reform to reduce that cost growth.
This chart shows employer premiums as a percentage of median household income for people under age 65:
In Washington state, the cost of premiums rose 38 percent between 2003 and 2009, with family coverage costing an average of $12,758 here last year.
How's that compare to everyone else? About in the middle. In a list of the 50 states plus Washington, D.C., from highest family premiums to lowest, we come in 28th. (The U.S. average premium for family coverage: $13,027.) Arkansas ($10,969) came in with the lowest rates; Massachusetts ($14,723) with the highest. Oregon's ($12,783) are slightly higher than Washington's.
Here's the original post:
The Commonwealth Fund has put together an interesting state-by-state breakdown of private-employer health insurance premiums and deductibles over the past 6 years.
The upshot: premiums for businesses and their employees rose 41 percent, while per-person deductibles jumped 77 percent. (Continue those trends out to 2020, and an average premium for family coverage will be more than $23,000.) The report also looks at the potential for federal health reform to reduce that cost growth.
This chart shows employer premiums as a percentage of median household income for people under age 65:
In Washington state, the cost of premiums rose 38 percent between 2003 and 2009, with family coverage costing an average of $12,758 here last year.
How's that compare to everyone else? About in the middle. In a list of the 50 states plus Washington, D.C., from highest family premiums to lowest, we come in 28th. (The U.S. average premium for family coverage: $13,027.) Arkansas ($10,969) came in with the lowest rates; Massachusetts ($14,723) with the highest. Oregon's ($12,783) are slightly higher than Washington's.
WA insurance commissioner rejects new Regence rate increase
From a news release our office issued this morning:
After several requests for additional information, Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has formally rejected requests to change the rates of individual health plans offered by Regence BlueShield, Regence BlueShield of Oregon and Asuris NW Health (Regence).
The proposed rates were scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2011. Regence has the right to appeal the decision.
Regence BlueShield and Asuris requested 3.7 percent and Regence BlueShield of Oregon requested 4.9 percent.
“I’m disappointed and frustrated that I’ve had to take this step, but Regence’s policyholders are my top priority, said Kreidler. “They’re counting on me to review the rates and make sure they’re justified. Regence failed to make its case.”
See the link above for more information, including links to Regence's rates.
After several requests for additional information, Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has formally rejected requests to change the rates of individual health plans offered by Regence BlueShield, Regence BlueShield of Oregon and Asuris NW Health (Regence).
The proposed rates were scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2011. Regence has the right to appeal the decision.
Regence BlueShield and Asuris requested 3.7 percent and Regence BlueShield of Oregon requested 4.9 percent.
“I’m disappointed and frustrated that I’ve had to take this step, but Regence’s policyholders are my top priority, said Kreidler. “They’re counting on me to review the rates and make sure they’re justified. Regence failed to make its case.”
See the link above for more information, including links to Regence's rates.
Our North American Dealer Co-Op order -- and what it means if you're a customer
In October, many consumers across Washington received notices from the North American Dealer Co-op (NADC). Our office ordered NADC to send out those notices.
Here’s the background: Washington car dealers would sell people vehicle service contracts, offering a money back guarantee as an incentive to buy them. If you didn’t use the vehicle service contract after a certain period of time and met other conditions, you were promised your money back.
NADC, in essence, insured that money-back guarantee. (The service contracts themselves are a separate product, and are NOT affected by our order. More on that below.) In 2007, Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler told the company that they were acting as an unauthorized insurer in Washington state. The company disputed that; a hearing was held and the commissioner’s decision was upheld.
In October 2010, Thurston County Superior Court Judge Thomas McPhee affirmed the order, which requires NADC to do the following things:
-Stop offering the program to any Washington auto dealers.
-Send a copy of the order to all member dealers.
-Send a copy to all Washington consumers who’d bought an NADC auto dealer extended service contract reimbursement guarantee.
-Tell consumers that should they file a valid claim against that guarantee when their extended service contract expires, it will be honored.
Here’s the critical thing to know: The underlying vehicle service contract should still be in effect. Those service contracts are a different product, covering repairs to the car. Those contracts are not affected by this order.
Our order does, however, require NADC to honor all valid money-back guarantee claims made for unused service contracts under NADC’s money-back guarantee offer.
If you’re a Washingtonian and have questions or concerns that NADC’s improperly denying your money-back claim, contact us at 1-800-562-6900.
Consumers can also contact:
North American Dealer Co-Op
1-800-637-2277
ATTN: Claims Department
1661 Wadsworth Blvd.
Lakewood, CO 80214
Here’s the background: Washington car dealers would sell people vehicle service contracts, offering a money back guarantee as an incentive to buy them. If you didn’t use the vehicle service contract after a certain period of time and met other conditions, you were promised your money back.
NADC, in essence, insured that money-back guarantee. (The service contracts themselves are a separate product, and are NOT affected by our order. More on that below.) In 2007, Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler told the company that they were acting as an unauthorized insurer in Washington state. The company disputed that; a hearing was held and the commissioner’s decision was upheld.
In October 2010, Thurston County Superior Court Judge Thomas McPhee affirmed the order, which requires NADC to do the following things:
-Stop offering the program to any Washington auto dealers.
-Send a copy of the order to all member dealers.
-Send a copy to all Washington consumers who’d bought an NADC auto dealer extended service contract reimbursement guarantee.
-Tell consumers that should they file a valid claim against that guarantee when their extended service contract expires, it will be honored.
Here’s the critical thing to know: The underlying vehicle service contract should still be in effect. Those service contracts are a different product, covering repairs to the car. Those contracts are not affected by this order.
Our order does, however, require NADC to honor all valid money-back guarantee claims made for unused service contracts under NADC’s money-back guarantee offer.
If you’re a Washingtonian and have questions or concerns that NADC’s improperly denying your money-back claim, contact us at 1-800-562-6900.
Consumers can also contact:
North American Dealer Co-Op
1-800-637-2277
ATTN: Claims Department
1661 Wadsworth Blvd.
Lakewood, CO 80214
Senin, 06 Desember 2010
Tacoma woman pleads guilty to first-degree theft charges in insurance scam
A Tacoma woman whom repeatedly claimed to have slipped and fallen in grocery stores has pleaded guilty to first-degree theft.
Brenda J. Johnson, 50, claimed to have fallen in two different stores within about 15 minutes. She said she was near a check stand at a Tacoma Safeway store on Sept. 18, 2009 when she slipped on some liquid and fell, injuring her wrist and ribs.
On the same day at about noon, she said, the same thing happened to her in the frozen food aisle of a Tacoma Fred Meyer store. She filed claims with both stores, showing medical care and prescription drug receipts totalling more than $5,500.
A subsequent investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler's Special Investigations Unit found that she had submitted virtually identical medical receipts to each store, including an emergency room report missing some pages. Documents obtained through a search warrant indicated that the treatment was unrelated to a fall at either store.
The investigation also found that Johnson had filed at least five auto-accident medical claims and at least half a dozen slip-and-fall injury claims.
On Nov. 22, Johnson pleaded guilty in Pierce County Superior Court to: $6,017 in restitution, 40 hours community service, and $1,000 in court fees and costs.
Brenda J. Johnson, 50, claimed to have fallen in two different stores within about 15 minutes. She said she was near a check stand at a Tacoma Safeway store on Sept. 18, 2009 when she slipped on some liquid and fell, injuring her wrist and ribs.
On the same day at about noon, she said, the same thing happened to her in the frozen food aisle of a Tacoma Fred Meyer store. She filed claims with both stores, showing medical care and prescription drug receipts totalling more than $5,500.
A subsequent investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler's Special Investigations Unit found that she had submitted virtually identical medical receipts to each store, including an emergency room report missing some pages. Documents obtained through a search warrant indicated that the treatment was unrelated to a fall at either store.
The investigation also found that Johnson had filed at least five auto-accident medical claims and at least half a dozen slip-and-fall injury claims.
On Nov. 22, Johnson pleaded guilty in Pierce County Superior Court to: $6,017 in restitution, 40 hours community service, and $1,000 in court fees and costs.
Kamis, 02 Desember 2010
Give us your opinion on our website...
We're looking for feedback on our official website, http://www.insurance.wa.gov/. We're trying to make the site easier to understand and easier to use.
If you can spare a couple of minutes to give us your input, we'd much appreciate it. Just click on the link above and look for the "feedback" tab on the left. It's orange, and hard to miss.
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