Publications
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner maintains a comprehensive library of publications to assist insurance consumers.
To order print copies:
- Use our Publication request form or
- Call 1-800-562-6900.
Publications are grouped under the following:
Auto
- Private passenger auto insurance company complaints
A consumer's guide to buying auto insurance (296 KB)- Personal injury protection (75 KB)
- Gap insurance (73 KB)
- Understanding how insurance companies determine auto rates (99 KB)
- Mandatory auto insurance law (93 KB)
- Auto coverage and home health workers (63 KB)
Filing an auto claim?
- Vehicle total loss (109 KB)
- Subrogation and your rights (82 KB)
Health
- A consumers guide to health care coverage (288 KB)
- Shopping for individual health care coverage (1 MB)
- Health savings accounts (HSAs) (92 KB)
- Paying for prescription drugs (441 KB)
- Paying for prescription drugs - Update insert (113 KB)
- What are direct health care practices
- Discount health plans
- What to consider before you buy a discount health plan
- Dental coverage (939 KB)
- Health insurance options for people with disabilities (190 KB)
- Federal poverty level chart (170 KB)
- Health insurance frequently asked questions (130 KB)
- Foreign travel and health insurance (83 KB)
- Retirement and your employer or union-based health insurance (126 KB)
- Protection for you and your insurance policy (111 KB)
- Health carrier complaints
- Basic Health plan publications (www.hca.wa.gov)
- Public Employee Benefits Board retiree monthly rates (www.hca.wa.gov)
Know your rights about health insurance
- Patient bill of rights - your rights as a health insurance consumer
(98 KB)
- Commonly asked questions and answers about the Patients' Bill of Rights (109 KB)
- Losing your employer-sponsored health insurance (170 KB)
- Your rights under COBRA
- A complete list of mandated health benefits (856 KB)
- Contraceptive coverage and insurance (61 KB)
- Women's direct access (76 KB)
- Every Category Law and your health insurance (85 KB)
Home
- Homeowners insurance company complaints
- A consumer's guide to buying homeowner insurance (283 KB)
- Understanding how insurance homeowner rates are determined (79 KB)
- What is renters insurance and do you need it? (77 KB)
- Insurance and home business (69 KB)
- Disaster preparedness (113 KB)
- Home Inventory Checklist (www.insureuonline.org) (1.35 MB)
Title insurance
Natural disasters
- Earthquake insurance (88 KB)
- Homeowner insurance and landslides (68 KB)
- Flood insurance (88 KB)
- Volcano coverage (97 KB)
- Wildfires and insurance (110 KB)
- FEMA disaster assistance contact information (110 KB)
Filing a home claim?
- Household inventory (105 KB)
- Insurance tips for homeowners (90 KB)
- Subrogation and your rights (82 KB)
- Mold and homeowner insurance (87 KB)
- Domestic violence and insurance (114 KB)
Life
- A consumer's guide to buying life insurance (169 KB)
- Life insurance cautions (83 KB)
- Credit life and disability insurance (97 KB)
- Life expectancy table (295 KB)
- Protection for you and your insurance policy (111 KB)
Medicare
- How to identify and report Medicare fraud and abuse
- Your Medicare choices (244 KB)
- 2009 Medicare covered services under Part A and B (26 KB)
- Health insurance options for people with disabilities (190 KB)
Medicare Prescription Drug Program (Part D)
- Tips to protect yourself from fraud (114 KB)
- 7 steps to understanding Medicare's Prescription Drug Program (386 KB)
- What to bring to your Part D counseling session. (151 KB)
- Paying for prescription drugs (441 KB)
- Paying for prescription drugs - Update insert (113 KB)
- 2009 Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plans (61 KB)
- Getting help with Medicare prescription drug plan costs (www.ssa.gov)
Medicare Advantage Plans and other options
- Medicare Advantage Plans and special needs plans by county
2009 Medicare Advantage Plans offered in Washington State (344 KB)- Health insurance options for people with disabilities (190 KB)
- Medicare Advantage enrollment timelines (117 KB)
- Plan comparison worksheet (57 KB)
- Medicare Advantage Plans: What you need to know before you buy (137 KB)
Medigap (Medicare Supplement Plans)
- 12 standardized Medigap plans (211 KB)
- Approved Medigap plans (58 KB)
- Approved Medigap plans for people with disabilities (40 KB)
Other types of insurance
- Long-term care
- Are you properly insured for summer fun? (www.naic.org)
- Crop insurance (www.usda.gov)
- Credit insurance: The safety net you need or a waste of money? (www.naic.org)
- Private mortgage insurance (82 KB)
- Travel insurance (106 KB)
- Commercial general liability insurance (92 KB)
- Warranties, service contracts, maintenance agreements & protection products (121 KB)
- Pet health insurance (100 KB)
Small business and non-profit insurance
- Insure U for small business (www.insureuonline.org)
- Getting started (77 KB)
- Your buying and coverage options (89 KB)
- Common terms and definitions (93 KB)
- Preparing your business or non-profit organization for a potential disaster (82 KB)
- Toxic clean up and insurance (93 KB)
- Subrogation and your rights (82 KB)
Credit scoring
- How credit history affects insurance
- Common questions and answers about credit scoring (157 KB)
- Effect of credit scoring on auto insurance underwriting and pricing (285 KB)
- Implementation of credit scoring law (1.1 MB)
Tips and more helpful information
- Buying insurance on the internet (94 KB)
- Choosing an agent or broker (75 KB)
- Glossary of insurance terms (149 KB)
- What happens if your insurance company becomes financially unhealthy?
- Q&A for AIG policyholders
- Winter weather and insurance coverage (86 KB)
- Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (78 KB)
- Identity theft - A guide for consumers (1.7 MB)
- Small Claims Court
Annuities
- What you need to know before you buy an equity-indexed annuity (258 KB)
- What you should know about annuities (122 KB)
Multilingual publications
Spanish
- Be aware! Don't be a victim of medicare fraud! (3.1 MB)
- What to bring to your Part D counseling session! (122 KB)
- Part D tips to protect yourself from fraud (95 KB)
Chinese
- What to bring to your Part D counseling session! (119 KB)
- Part D tips to protect yourself from fraud (184 KB)
Korean
- What to bring to your Part D counseling session! (200 KB)
- Part D tips to protect yourself from fraud (335 KB)
Vietnamese
- What to bring to your Part D counseling session! (169 KB)
- Part D tips to protect yourself from fraud (88 KB)
Russian
- What to bring to your Part D counseling session! (238 KB)
- Part D tips to protect yourself from fraud (217 KB)
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