It's National Consumer Protection Week -- we are here to help with insurance

National Consumer Protection Week is March 4-10 and the Office of the Insurance Commissioner is one of many state agencies that help Washington consumers.

This week, we’ll highlight some of the ways our agency helps consumers. Follow along on social media; you can also subscribe to our blog by email or text.

Most people have at least one type of insurance, whether it be health, home, auto, renter, business or another policy. Our consumer advocates are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to answer questions about insurance, help you find information and resources about insurance, or help resolve disputes with your insurance company.

Here are some examples of ways we’ve helped consumers recently:

• An insurance company delayed a total loss claim for a consumer whose vehicle was damaged in a collision.
• A consumer was airlifted to a hospital and the health insurance company denied the bill for the air ambulance. We helped the consumer get the insurance company to pay the claim in full, worth more than $30,000. 
• A consumer reached out to us with concerns about a life insurance policy. We recommended the client file a complaint with our office against the insurer. We worked on their behalf, resulting in the consumer receiving a check for more than $100,000.
• A house fire caused more than $100,000 to a consumer’s home. We helped the consumer work with the insurer to cover the damage and pay to replace the contents that were lost. 

In 2017, we helped recover $18.9 million for consumers related to claims, refunds and billing issues.

If you need help with an insurance question, here’s how you can reach us:

• Call us at 1-800-562-6900 or get help online. 
• File a complaint against an insurance company or agent. 
• Find a list of agencies that participate in Consumer Protection Washington.