News Archive

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued a cease-and-desist order and fined Fred Meyer Stores, Inc., $100,000 for selling insurance without state authorization.

Fred Meyer stores sold the GUARD Protection Plan, issued by Mack Camera & Video Service, to a consumer in Washington. That consumer filed a complaint with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner about the service contract, alleging claim delay and misrepresentation. 

The OIC determined that the GUARD plan, which Fred Meyer sold from June 2016 to November 2022,…

OLYMPIA — Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has issued a technical assistance advisory (TAA) (PDF, 345.79 KB) (PDF 345.79KB) to insurers on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their insurance practices. It draws from the guidance the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) adopted on AI for insurers in 2023 (PDF, 272.42 KB).

The TAA reminds insurers that decisions or actions impacting consumers made or supported by advanced analytical and computational technologies, including AI, must comply with all applicable insurance laws and…

OLYMPIA — Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s office has issued a Technical Assistance Advisory (TAA) (PDF, 326.04 KB) to all state health insurers as part of its ongoing response to the recent Change Healthcare cybersecurity event.

The TAA advises health insurers and health care benefit managers that any health care benefit managers they use must be registered with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) to conduct business in Washington state. The legislature passed a law in 2020 requiring health care benefit managers to be registered with the…

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has launched a podcast to provide consumers and listeners in the Evergreen State with additional information about the insurance industry and the OIC’s work. 

The podcast, “OIC Answers,” poses a question about an aspect of insurance in each episode, from how to get signed up for Medicare to why your car insurance rates change.  

“Our Consumer Advocacy division fields hundreds of calls from Washingtonians with questions about their insurance,”…