California DOI

The California DOI has announced that a settlement has been reached in a recent enforcement action according to the article "Two Insurers Settle California Insurance Code Violations" found on ClaimsJournal.com.

The action is against Civil Service Employees Insurance Company, and CSE Safeguard Insurance Company. This settlement marks the end of a market conduct exam which located many violations of the important Insurance Code and Regulations from back in 2005 and 2006. This code is enforced by the California DOI.

More specifically, Department reviewers studied the companies' claims handling practices in auto, homeowner, as well as commercial liability lines of insurance and found the violations. They randomly selected 596 claim files closed during the specified review timeframe and found 661 total claim handling violations all together.

California DOI: Auto Insurance Changes Coming

The California DOI may need to update their records as a possible major change is coming to California auto insurance. California auto insurance agents are supporting Proposition 17 which is looking to extend a discount to millions of drivers who are currently forced to pay much more each year if they decide to switch auto insurance companies. This is according to the article on sfgate.com by Mike D'Arelli entitled "Insurance Changes Would Help 80% of Drivers".

Prop 17 wants to fix the current issue of rewarding those who keep continuous coverage, but not including those who have continuous coverage but switch insurance companies. By changing insurers, California drivers are no longer eligible for this discount, and supporters of Prop 17 see this as unfair.

With Prop 17 passing it will increase competition among auto insurance companies and provide drivers in California with more choices and more freedom to shop around for better rates. It looks to benefit about 80% of drivers who follow the law and keep continuous coverage.

There are also some other provisions in Prop 17 looking to protect consumers during tough, economic times. The proposition will also help to protect military men and women who have to halt auto insurance coverage because they are deployed. These changes, if implemented, will help keep the playing field fair and save many drivers a lot of money.

California DOI Warns Seniors

According to a press release from December 17th on the California DOI website, a $15,000 fine has been issued against Annuity Services Insurance Center for deceptive practices which targeted senior citizens. This leads the DOI to warn seniors about scam artists.

California Commissioner, Steve Poizner, offers tips to help protect senior citizens from annuity scams. Some tips include watching out for high pressure selling techniques, preying on "time fears", asking for appropriate credentials, and trusting your instincts. They encourage you to contact your state if you suspect you are being scammed. If you think an offer is too good to be true, then there is a good chance it may be a scam.

It's very important that state departments take the initiative to protect those who are easy targets. The Florida DOI gives similar warnings since they have a high number of retirees in the state of Florida. It's very frustrating that there are people out there with the main intention to mislead, confuse and deceive consumers.

Florida DOI Here To Help

According to the article "Florida Department of Insurance: Business Units" on economywatch.com, the Florida Department of Insurance (DOI) is committed to residents of the state of Florida to offer high quality insurance services. They offer user friendly guides for consumers which can be found online to assist residents in finding their insurance needs.

Florida DOI maintains a thorough database of all insurance companies in the state. The database also includes company profiles for more detail. Through the Florida DOI's online resources policies can be compared online which is extremely useful if you are looking for the best deal.

Another important function of the Florida DOI is to respond to customer grievances. If you find yourself being treated unfairly by your insurance company you can file a complaint with Florida DOI and they will do their best to protect consumers from insurance fraud. They research companies to ensure there is no unlawful conduct. Efficient working of the Florida DOI not only ensures the protection of consumers, but it also allows the insurance industry to thrive. California DOI and Colorado DOI have similar responsibilities.