Date: April 23, 2009
For more information contact: Jim Guidry, (608) 264-6239 or jim.guidry@wisconsin.gov

Insurance Commissioner Releases Annual Above Average Complaint Listing

Madison, WI—The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) released the 2008 Insurance Complaints and Administrative Actions report. The annual report provides a summary of the complaints received by OCI across all lines of insurance covering insurer activities such as underwriting, marketing and claims processing. During 2008, over 8,800 consumers contacted OCI to file a complaint. OCI also assisted consumers in recovering over $5 million from insurers.

"Consumer protection is the primary focus of OCI," said Sean Dilweg, Commissioner of Insurance. "A complaint from a consumer provides us with valuable insight into activities in the marketplace."

A complaint is defined as any written communication that expresses dissatisfaction with an insurance company or agent. The report lists those insurance companies who have had at least five complaints and a complaint ratio that exceeds the statewide average for a specific type of insurance.

The report is available in both English and Spanish, categorizes complaints by the type of coverage - auto, property and casualty, accident and health, life, and annuities, and also by the reason for the complaint - underwriting, marketing and sales, claim handling, policyholder service or "other."

Not every complaint means a company violated state statutes, but a complaint could be indicative of a developing problem in the marketplace requiring regulatory attention or that an insurer may have issues, for example, in communicating with its policyholders or with training its agents.

"Every complaint that the office receives is closely examined to ensure that consumers have received proper treatment under the law," said Dilweg. "Consumer complaints are an important tool to assist us in monitoring the industry."

Although the number of complaints about a company can be used as one factor in choosing an insurance company, it should not be the only factor and consumers should consider other factors such as cost, the company's reputation for claims payment and customer service and the competence of the agents before making a selection.

Consumers interested in obtaining a copy of the 2008 Insurance Complaints and Administrative Actions report or other free publications from OCI can visit the OCI Web site at oci.wi.gov, write to OCI Publications, P.O. Box 7873, Madison, WI 53707-7873, or call 800-236-8517.

Created by the Legislature in 1871, Wisconsin's Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) was vested with broad powers to ensure that the insurance industry responsibly and adequately met the insurance needs of Wisconsin citizens. Today, OCI's mission is to lead the way in informing and protecting the public and responding to its insurance needs.