News Archive

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Former attorney Patrick Kim was charged in King County Superior Court with three counts of first-degree theft and 10 counts of second-degree theft, all felonies, involving clients’ insurance settlements. Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU) investigated the case after a referral by the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA). 

Kim was the managing partner at United Law Firm in Bellevue, Wash., until he resigned from the state bar in September 2017 after its investigation into his conduct. According to the WSBA, United Law…

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler extended his emergency order directing all state-regulated health insurers to make additional coverage changes to aid consumers during the coronavirus pandemic. His order is in effect until April 4 and requires health insurers to:

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 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 March 21, 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…

OLYMPIA, Wash. – A bill to ban insurers (Senate Bill 5010) from using consumers’ credit scores to determine auto and homeowner insurance premiums was gutted by an insurance industry amendment in the Senate Business, Financial Services & Trade Committee on Feb. 15. 

Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler for two decades has called out the unfairness of insurers’ use of credit scoring and has requested a ban twice, first in 2001 and later in 2010 during the economic recession. Now, as consumers struggle with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic…