News Archive

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has extended two emergency orders. His order requiring health insurers to waive copays and deductibles for any consumer requiring testing for the coronavirus (COVID-19) and his order protecting consumers from receiving surprise bills for lab fees related to medically necessary diagnostic testing for COVID-19 are both extended until July 11, 2021. 

Kreidler's order waiving cost-sharing applies to all state-regulated health insurance plans and short-term, limited-duration medical plans. The order on surprise billing applies…

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Consumers in Washington state have the best opportunity in two decades to shop for insurance coverage for their automobiles and homes after June 20, when companies are no longer permitted to rely on the outdated and unfair practice of credit scoring.

Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler says companies selling auto, homeowner and renter policies should compete vigorously for business. Over 160 insurers, or 97% of those licensed in Washington to sell property and casualty insurance, met the May 6 deadline to file new rating plans to comply with the emergency rule to…

OLYMPIA, Wash./LOS ANGELES – Insurance Commissioners Mike Kreidler of Washington and Ricardo Lara of California formally asked all insurers (PDF, 38MB) that are currently required to report to them annually on climate change to start reporting their climate risks in alignment with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). TCFD is rapidly becoming the global standard for such reporting for all industries worldwide. 

Commissioners Kreidler and Lara are among the state insurance regulators who have required insurers to disclose their climate risk…

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Fifteen health insurers filed an average proposed rate increase of 5.47% for Washington's individual health insurance market. The plans and proposed rates are currently under review and final decisions will come this fall. 

"Access to meaningful and affordable health coverage has always been critical to our lives and our economy, but no more so than this year," said Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. "I'm incredibly proud of the efforts our state made to help people find coverage, through outreach and opening special enrollment periods. We took regulatory action…