Kreidler orders two pet insurers to repay $4.7 million to consumers

01/21/2020

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued a fine of $950,000 against ACE American Insurance Co. and Indemnity Insurance Co. of North America for overcharging 18,000 Washington consumers for nearly five years. He ordered the companies to repay $4.7 million – including interest – to policyholders no later than April 15. 

Reimbursements to policyholders will range from less than $1 to over $2,500. 

“We found tens of thousands of law violations among the two companies,” said Kreidler. “The most egregious violations were overcharging consumers…

Father, stepmom serving jail time for life insurance fraud involving son

01/03/2020

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Charles and Genia Boyles are serving time in jail after pleading guilty to committing life insurance fraud involving the death of their 12-year-old son after an investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU).

Charles Boyles pleaded guilty in Island County Superior Court to first-degree perjury, conspiracy to commit theft--both felonies--and a misdemeanor charge of conspiracy to commit a fraudulent insurance claim. He was ordered to pay $1,217 in court fees and to report to Island County Jail on Dec. 27, where he will…

Health Insurance Innovations pays $1.5 million fine to Washington state

01/02/2020

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Health Plan Intermediaries Holdings, LLC, doing business in Washington state as Health Insurance Innovations (HII), has paid a $1.5 million fine for more than 50,000 violations of Washington state insurance laws and rules. It’s the largest single penalty against an insurance producer in the state’s history. 

The record fine follows a lengthy investigation by Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. 

“This was an egregious case of flouting state laws around what types of companies are allowed to sell insurance and what products are legal to…

New law now protects patients from surprise medical bills in Washington

01/02/2020

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Effective Jan. 1, 2020, certain medical providers are prohibited from sending surprise bills to consumers in Washington state under a new law that Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler championed. 

Patients in Washington who receive emergency services or certain services at an in-network hospital or surgical facility cannot be surprise or ‘balance’ billed from an out-of-network provider. 

“For more than a decade, we’ve heard from many people hit with a balance or surprise medical bill,” said Kreidler. “They shared their stories (www.columbian.com)…