Individual health insurance market open enrollment starts November 1

10/29/2024

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Open enrollment for Washington’s 2025 individual health insurance market starts Friday, Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 15, 2025.

If you need a health plan for yourself or your family or want to change coverage, your chance to compare plans starts this week. To have coverage in place on Jan. 1, you must enroll by Dec. 15. 

“I encourage everyone to go to Washington Healthplanfinder and compare plans now,” said Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. “We have good competition in our state and options to consider, so be sure to shop around…

Most Gray and Oregon Road fire survivors were under-insured

10/28/2024

OLYMPIA, Wash. — An analysis of the insurance claims paid out after the Gray and Oregon Road fires shows that most of the homes destroyed were under-insured.

The fires burned more than 20,000 acres, and destroyed 366 homes, outside of Spokane in August of 2023.

Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s office initiated a data call in June of 2024 to collect information from insurance companies that had a loss associated with the fires. 

The results showed 355 significant dwelling claims — consisting of $10,000 in dwelling loss and $10,000 in…

Washington expands essential health benefits, adding human donor milk, hearing aids, and artificial insemination

10/24/2024

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has announced that expanded coverage for human donor milk, hearing aids and artificial insemination will be included in the state’s essential health benefits plan. 

Some benefits were also revised to ensure plans do not discriminate based on disabilities or health conditions. The changes take effect in plan years starting on or after January 1, 2026.

The benefits include:

Coverage for human milk for inpatient use, when an infant is unable to receive maternal milk or when the parent is…

Kreidler issues fines totaling $302,500 in July, August and September

10/22/2024

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued fines totaling $302,500 against insurance companies, agents, brokers and unlicensed entities in July, August and September of 2024 for violations of state insurance laws and regulations. 

Among those actions was a $40,000 fine issued to Allstate Fire & Casualty Insurance Company. After an internal referral, Kreidler’s office randomly selected 95 Allstate auto insurance claims from April to September 2022 for review. On four separate claims, Office of the Insurance Commissioner staff found that…