NCJ Number
232857
Date Published
2010
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This report presents an overview of the activities of the People's Insurance Counsel Division in the Office of the Attorney General for fiscal year 2009 in the area of consumer advocacy as it relates to matters of homeowner insurance and medical professional liability insurance.
Abstract
The People's Insurance Counsel Division in the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Maryland submits an annual report as required by the Maryland General Assembly on the annual activities of the Division. This report covers the time period from July 2008 through June 2009. The Division concentrates efforts in four areas: (1) review of consumer complaints filed with the MIA relating to homeowners insurance and medical professional liability insurance; (2) review of rate, rule, and form filings in those two areas; (3) review of proposed legislation and participation in the legislative process to represent consumer interests; and (4) review of "lack of good faith complaints." The division continues its efforts to advocate on behalf of consumers regarding homeowners' insurance and medical professional liability insurance matters pending before the Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA). During this reporting period, the Division found that there are significantly more homeowners' insurance complaints than medical professional liability insurance related complaints. Most homeowners' insurance complaints involve either consumer dissatisfaction with the handling or payment of a claim or with the action taken by an insurer to cancel insurance coverage or decline to renew coverage. In May 2009, the Division commenced a review of a group of Allstate Insurance Company and Allstate Indemnity Company filings increasing rates in excess of 13 percent. An analysis by the Division found that the large increases were not supported by the data and were excessive. The Division continues to review all rate filings and analyze the changes made for their affect on consumers. In 2009, the Division investigated 71 new matters. The Division closed FY 2009 with several goals for FY 2010. Appendixes A-C