Kreidler pursues January date for rule to ban use of credit scores

10/19/2021

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler will seek an effective date of Jan. 1, 2022, for a permanent rule to temporarily ban the use of credit scores for insurance policies for three years. 

A public hearing on the proposed rule is scheduled for Nov. 23. Kreidler rejected a recent call from the American Property Casualty Insurance Association and the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies to abandon his commitment.

The lobbying groups made the request after a Thurston County Superior Court on Oct. 8 issued a narrow ruling against an emergency…

‘Lost’ Rolex watch turns up at jewelry shop, owner faces fraud charge

10/15/2021

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Christopher Michalke, of Seattle, was charged in King County Superior Court with one felony count of filing a false insurance claim for a $14,753 Rolex watch after an investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU). Michalke is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 25 for a hearing.

According to the investigation, Michalke bought a “valuable personal property” insurance rider from USAA in August 2019 to cover his Rolex Submariner watch that he bought in 2018 for $14,753. On…

Medicare open enrollment for 2022 starts Oct. 15 and SHIBA can help!

10/13/2021

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period, also called the Annual Election Period, is Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. During this time, people enrolled in Medicare can: 

Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan and vice versa. Join, drop or switch a Part D prescription drug plan, if you’re on original Medicare. Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan.

The Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program — part of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner — is ready to help with all of these decisions. Due to the pandemic, your local SHIBA…

Former insurance agent pleads guilty to $2.8 million theft

10/13/2021

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Edward J. Chadwick, of Yakima, pleaded guilty to first-degree theft in Spokane County Superior Court involving 24 insurance premium finance loans. Chadwick was ordered by the court to report to the Spokane County Jail by Oct. 1 to serve 30 days of confinement. He must also pay $600 in court fees and $847,795 in restitution to a Spokane premium finance company.

Charges against Chadwick were brought after an investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU).  

Chadwick was an insurance producer and owned an…