Publications
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner maintains a comprehensive library of publications to assist insurance consumers. These publications are listed below and available for viewing online. Files marked with (PDF) require Adobe Reader to view.
To order print copies:
- Use our Publication Request form or
- Call 1-800-562-6900.
Publications are grouped under the following:
- Auto
- Health
- Home
- Life
- Medicare
- Other types of insurance
- Credit scoring
- Tips and more helpful information
- Multilingual publications
- Archives
Auto
Shopping for auto insurance? What you need to know to be a smart consumer
- A consumer's guide to buying auto insurance (PDF 296KB)
- Annual Consumer Complaint Guide
- Fraud Information
- Personal Injury Protection (PDF 75KB)
- Gap insurance (covers the difference between vehicle's value and loan amount) (PDF 73KB)
- Understanding how insurance companies determine auto rates (PDF 99KB)
- Mandatory auto insurance law (PDF 93KB)
- Auto coverage and home health workers (PDF 63KB)
- Tips and more helpful information
- Credit Scoring (how credit history affects insurance)
Filing a claim? Information to help you through the process
- Vehicle total loss (advice for when your car is totaled) (PDF 109KB)
- Subrogation and your rights (what happens if someone else is at fault) (PDF 82KB)
Health
Shopping for health insurance? What you need to know to be a smart consumer
- A consumers guide to health care coverage (PDF 288KB)
- Shopping for individual health care coverage (PDF 597KB)
- Individual health care - company plans and rates (PDF 378KB)
- Annual consumer complaint comparison guide
- Considering Discount Plans (PDF 228KB)
- Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) (PDF 92KB)
- Questions about health care access or insurance? (PDF 605KB)
- Paying for prescription drugs (PDF 441KB)
- Dental coverage (PDF 939KB)
- Tips and more helpful information
- Health insurance options for people with disabilities (PDF 190KB)
- Basic Health plan publications (HCA)
- Public Employee Benefits Board (PEBB) Retiree Montly Rates (HCA)
- Federal poverty level chart (PDF 147KB)
- Multilingual publications
- Health Insurance Frequently Asked Questions (PDF 129KB)
- Illegal Health Plans site
- Foreign Travel and Health Insurance (PDF 75KB)
- Retirement and Your Employer or Union-Based Health Insurance (PDF 126KB)
- Protection for You and Your Insurance Policy: Washington State Life and Disability Insurance Guaranty Association (PDF 111KB)
Help for consumers losing their insurance
- Losing your employer-sponsored health insurance (PDF 170KB)
- Your rights under COBRA (PDF 75KB) Federal law that allows employees and their dependents to continue their health plans if they leave their job.
Coverage information: know your consumer rights
- Contraceptive coverage and insurance (PDF 61KB)
- Women's direct access (PDF 76KB) Information on the right of women to self-refer to health care providers.
- Every Category Law and your health insurance (PDF 85KB) Washington state must provide access to every category of health care providers.
- Patient bill of rights
- How health insurance regulation works
Need help with your coverage or finding coverage?
Call the Insurance Consumer Hotline at 1-800-562-6900.
Home
Shopping for homeowner insurance? What you need to know to be a smart consumer
- A consumer's guide to buying homeowner insurance (PDF 283KB)
- Annual consumer complaint comparison guide
- Understanding how insurance companies determine homeowner rates (PDF 79KB)
- What is renters insurance and do you need it? (PDF 77KB)
- Insurance and home business (PDF 69KB)
- Tips and more helpful information
- Credit Scoring - How credit history affects insurance.
- Title Insurance (PDF 69KB)
- Disaster preparedness (PDF 113KB)
Natural disasters and insurance
- Earthquake insurance (PDF 88KB)
- Homeowner insurance and landslides (PDF 68KB)
- Flood insurance (PDF 77KB)
- Volcano coverage (PDF 97KB)
- Wildfires (PDF 104KB)
Filing a claim? Information to help you through the process
- Creating a household inventory (PDF 70KB)
- Insurance tips for homeowners (PDF 74KB)
- Subrogation and your rights (PDF 82KB)
- Mold and homeowner insurance (PDF 87KB)
- Domestic violence and insurance (PDF 114KB)
- Credit scoring How credit history affects insurance.
Life
Shopping for life insurance? What you need to know to be a smart consumer
- A consumer's guide to buying life insurance (PDF 169KB)
- Life insurance cautions (PDF 83KB) Do's and dont's.
- Tips and more helpful information
- Credit life and disability insurance (PDF 97KB)
- Life expectancy table (PDF 295KB)
- Protection for you and your insurance policy (PDF 111KB)
Medicare
- How to Identify and Report Medicare Fraud and Abuse
- Your Medicare choices (PDF 244KB)
- 2008 Medicare covered services under Part A and B (PDF 107KB)
- Medicare fraud reporting process and resources
- Health insurance options for people with disabilities (PDF 190KB)
- Beware of Discount Health Care Cards - April 1, 2004 news release.
Medicare Prescription Drug Program (Part D)
- Tips to protect yourself from fraud (PDF 114KB)
- 7 steps to understanding Medicare's Prescription Drug Program (PDF 386KB)
- 7 Steps Insert: Cost Changes for 2008 (PDF 145KB)
- What to bring to your Medicare Drug Program (Part D) counseling session. (PDF 151KB) Includes SHIBA HelpLine's prescription medication tracker.
- Paying for prescription drugs (PDF 441KB)
- Medicare Prescription Drug Program (Part D) Penalties (PDF 63KB)
- 2008 Medicare Part D Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Plans: Washington state (PDF 26KB)
- Getting Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs - Income and Resource Limits (PDF) (SSA)
Medicare Advantage Plans and Other Options
- Health insurance options for people with disabilities (PDF 190KB)
- 2008 Medicare Advantage Plans Offered in Washington state (Excel 190KB)
- Medicare Advantage enrollment timelines (PDF 29KB)
- Plan comparison worksheet (PDF 57KB)
- Medicare Advantage Plans - What You Need to Know Before You Buy (PDF 137KB)
Medigap (Medicare Supplement Plans)
- 12 standardized Medigap plans (PDF 207KB)
- Approved Medigap plans (PDF 137KB)
- Approved Medigap plans for people with disabilities (PDF 130KB)
Other types of insurance
- Crop insurance (USDA)
- Consumer's Guide to Title Insurance and Excrow Services (PDF 1.2MB)
- Title insurance
- Private mortgage insurance (PDF 82KB)
- Travel insurance (PDF 75KB)
- Commercial general liability insurance (PDF 92KB)
- Extended service warranties and contracts (PDF 110KB)
- Pet health insurance (PDF 100KB)
- Long-term care
Small business insurance
- Getting started (PDF 77KB)
- Your buying and coverage options (PDF 89KB)
- Common terms and definitions (PDF 93KB)
- Preparing your business for a potential disaster (PDF 82KB)
- Toxic clean up and insurance (PDF 79KB)
- Subrogation and your rights (PDF 82KB)
- Insure U for Small Business (NAIC)
Credit scoring
- How credit history affects insurance (PDF 89KB)
- Common questions and answers about credit scoring (PDF 157KB)
- Effect of credit scoring on auto insurance underwriting and pricing (PDF 285KB)
- Implementation of credit scoring law (PDF 1.1MB)
Tips and more helpful information
- Buying insurance on the internet (PDF 75KB)
- Choosing an agent or broker (PDF 71KB)
- Glossary of insurance terms (PDF 149KB)
- What happens if your insurance company goes belly up (PDF 194KB)
- Winter weather and insurance coverage (PDF 86KB) Auto and homeowner.
- CLUE (PDF 78KB) How auto and home insurers use claims history.
- Small Claims Court (PDF 74KB)
- What you need to know before you buy an Equity-Indexed Annuity (PDF 258 KB)
Multilingual Publications
Spanish
- Be Aware! Don't be a Victim of Medicare Fraud! (PDF 3175KB)
- A Consumer's Guide to: Health Care Coverage (PDF 185 KB)
- Questions about health care access or insurance? (PDF 185KB)
- Paying for prescription drugs (PDF 364KB)
- What to bring to your Part D counseling session! (PDF 122KB)
- Part D tips to protect yourself from fraud (PDF 95KB)
Chinese
- A Consumer's Guide to: Health Care Coverage (PDF 657KB)
- Anti-Fraud Bookmark (PDF 650KB)
- Questions about health care access or insurance? (PDF 152KB)
- Paying for prescription drugs (PDF 752KB)
- What to bring to your Part D counseling session! (PDF 119KB)
- Part D tips to protect yourself from fraud (PDF 184KB)
Korean
- A Consumer's Guide to: Health Care Coverage? (PDF 1.5MB)
- Questions about health care access or insurance? (PDF 342KB)
- Paying for prescription drugs (PDF 1.3MB)
- What to bring to your Part D counseling session! (PDF 200KB)
- Part D tips to protect yourself from fraud (PDF 335KB)
Vietnamese
- A Consumer's Guide to: Health Care Coverage (PDF 138KB)
- Questions about health care access or insurance? (PDF 136KB)
- Paying for prescription drugs (PDF 405KB)
- What to bring to your Part D counseling session! (PDF 169KB)
- Part D tips to protect yourself from fraud (PDF 88KB)
Russian
- A Consumer's Guide to: Health Care Coverage (PDF 257KB)
- Questions about health care access or insurance? (PDF 257KB)
- Paying for prescription drugs (PDF 383KB)
- What to bring to your Part D counseling session! (PDF 238KB)
- Part D tips to protect yourself from fraud (PDF 217KB)
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