OIC Answers on Insurance

On this episode of OIC Answers, Commissioner Patty Kuderer kicks off her 2025 Climate Education Series by chatting with Senior Climate Policy Advisor Jay Bruns about his work on climate change, what role the office plays in climate work on the international stage, and how studying climate data is important for effective regulation of the insurance market. The 2025 Climate Education Series is a set...

It’s May, which means it’s Mental Health Awareness Month. But what rights to do you have when it comes to your health insurance covering mental health treatment? This episode of the OIC Answers podcast includes a member of the OIC’s Consumer Advocacy team to discuss how your treatment has to be covered, what the most common questions are about mental health coverage, and what mental health parity...

The podcast is back at the Capitol to meet with two lawmakers about their role in two pieces of action from the 2025 legislative session and how each one helps insurance consumers in Washington state. First, Sen. John Lovick from the 44th district chats with Commissioner Patty Kuderer about SB 5419 , which changes how insurance companies report data from fire claims. Then, Sen. Vandana Slatter (48...

The OIC Answers podcast is back at the Capitol to talk shop with a lawmaker. This week, Senator Bob Hasegawa — Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus from District 11 — joins Commissioner Kuderer to talk about Senate Bill 5589, which the OIC requested and Hasegawa sponsored. SB 5589 asks the OIC to conduct a study on how insurance companies use credit history, credit-based insurance scores and othe...

OIC Answers has moved to the Capitol for the time being, setting up the mics and mixing board in the Insurance Building for a few legislative session-inspired episodes. In this episode, Senator Adrian Cortes (D-Battle Ground) joins Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer to discuss Senate Bill 5331 (“Strengthening consumer protection through increased insurer accountability for violations of the insu...

“Most people have done their own homework and are just looking for validation that they’re not crazy.” The OIC Answers podcast sits down with SHIBA volunteer Charlie Sheldon to talk about how he got involved, how people react to getting free Medicare counseling, and the time commitment that comes with training. Last year, the 200-some advisors in our SHIBA program helped about 40,000 people with o...

Over 120 people in Washington state have filed complaints with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner about Quick Health, alleging the sham health insurance company owes them a total of nearly $800,000 in restitution for unpaid claims and premium refunds. Two members of the OIC’s Investigations team — Jessica Bullington and Ed Steiner — join the podcast to discuss how Quick Health showed up on t...

“It’s our job to protect the consumer and to be their advocate, and this bill is part of doing that.” Washington state Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer returns to OIC Answers to discuss House Bill 1199 & Senate Bill 5331, which grants the Insurance Commissioner the authority to require insurance entities in violation of the law to pay restitution to their victims. Learn more about the bill...

Patty Kuderer was sworn in to office on Wednesday, Jan. 15, to become Washington state’s ninth Insurance Commissioner. In this episode of OIC Answers, Commissioner Kuderer discusses her vision for the next four years, the goal of providing access to quality healthcare to everyone at a price they can afford, changes in the home and auto insurance markets, the insurance commissioner’s role as a cons...

Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler took office in 2024 and is currently the longest-tenured state-level elected official in Washington state. But what does the commissioner actually do? With his term coming to an end, Commissioner Kreidler stops by the podcast studio to talk about what’s changed over the last 24 years, his accomplishments while in office, what he’s learned on the job and what ad...

One of the most basic questions around insurance is just how to use it. What do you do when it’s time to file a claim? How do you know if filing a claim is the right move? What’s the time limit to file a claim, and how quickly does your insurance company have to respond? In this episode of OIC Answers, the hosts and a guest from our Consumer Protection team discuss how to file a claim. Part 2 of t...

One of the most basic questions around insurance is just how to use it. What do you do when it’s time to file a claim? How do you know if filing a claim is the right move? What’s the time limit to file a claim, and how quickly does your insurance company have to respond? In this episode of OIC Answers, the hosts and a guest from our Consumer Protection team discuss how to file a claim. Part 1 of t...

Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is stepping down from public office in January after a long and storied tenure. In this episode of OIC Answers, Kreidler sits down with OIC Senior Climate Policy Advisor Jay Bruns to discuss his work on climate change, how the insurance industry and regulators have adapted climate change, and his legacy after 24 years in office.

Whether your mortgage demands it or you’re just proactive, having insurance is a good thing — but what if it’s not enough? In this episode of OIC Answers we ask, what does it mean if I’m underinsured? Recurring guest David Forte joins the hosts to dive into the claims data from last year’s Gray and Oregon Road fires, discuss wildfire mitigation efforts, and review how to make sure your home has en...

Flood Awareness Week just wrapped up, but you should never stop being prepared for a flood. Most of the flood insurance in Washington comes through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Plan and more than 90% of Washington’s communities participate in the NFIP, meaning homes in those areas are eligible for coverage. On this episode, Scott Van Hoff, a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard Specialist wit...

Medicare open enrollment starts on October 15 and runs through December 7. What’s new with Medicare this year? What should you do to get ready? What questions do you need to ask and who can you call if you don’t have all the answers? Tim Smolen from the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors Program returns to the podcast for an open enrollment preview. About SHIBA: Washington’s Statewide He...

The basic concept of a life insurance policy is simple, but the details can be complicated. On this episode of OIC Answers, insurance analyst Sharon Daniel joins the hosts to explain the different types of life insurance and answer hypothetical questions about dangerous hobbies, beneficiaries, and the combination of failed marriages and suspicious deaths.

Opening the mailbox and finding a letter from your home insurance company can be a scary moment. There might be higher premiums waiting in that envelope or, even worse, the insurance version of a “Dear John” letter — a non-renewal notice. On this episode of OIC Answers, policy analyst David Forte discusses why rates have gone up recently, how rating factors like location and construction type impa...

A big part of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner’s work is consumer protection. A lot of that work is done by our investigations team, which evaluates consumer complaints to see if there’s been a violation of the state insurance code. On this episode of OIC Answers, two of our lead investigators explain how the investigations process works and gives advice on how to spot red flags from insur...

Auto insurance rates took a jump in 2023, which meant an increase in monthly costs for people almost everywhere. What happened? Was it a Washington-specific issue? Why doesn’t the Insurance Commissioner just say “no” to rate increases? And why did MY costs go up when I haven’t even wrecked a car or gotten a ticket in years? On this episode of OIC Answers, Senior Policy Advisor David Forte helps th...

More than 5 million pets in the United States were covered by insurance plans in 2023, but the coverages and costs vary quite a bit between pets and plans. Accidents, surgeries, prescriptions, illnesses and emergencies are usually covered, while dental care and behavioral problems usually aren’t — and pre-existing conditions remain a point of confusion. Washington has about 4% of the country’s cov...

Health care sharing ministries offer what may look like affordable health coverage, but there’s often a few details in the fine print that leave members short of funds when big medical bills come due. On this episode of OIC Answers, Deputy Commissioner Michael Marchand helps answer questions about what, exactly, a health care sharing ministry is, what they might not cover, and how the OIC works to...

On this Medicare Fraud Prevention Month episode of OIC Answers, Kim McKenna — our Senior Medicare Patrol program coordinator — discusses the most common Medicare-related scams, how to keep yourself safe from fraud, what to do when you think you’re being targeted in a scheme, and how the Senior Medicare Patrol works. For questions about reporting a concern to Washington State Senior Medicare Patrol...

Each episode of OIC Answers addresses a question about insurance in Washington state or the OIC’s work. On this episode, Andrew Davis from the OIC's Policy team discusses the state's new premium change transparency rule and what your insurance company is now required to do if you ask (in writing) about your premium increase upon renewal.

Each episode of OIC Answers addresses a question about insurance in Washington state or the OIC’s work. On this episode, Amy Teshera from the OIC's Consumer Advocacy Program talks about what happens (from an insurance standpoint) after a natural disaster damages or destroys your home, and how the OIC helps people navigate the claims process after a large-scale event.