Complaint Index Report - Kansas Insurance Department

Complaint Index Report

Vicki Schmidt

FOR YEAR 2018

Commissioner of Insurance

2018 Consumer Complaint Index Report

Dear Kansas consumer,

One of the most frequent questions we get from hundreds of Kansans each year is how many complaints our office has received concerning a particular insurance company. This report provides a snapshot of the insurance industry in Kansas during 2018 by allowing you to compare the number of complaints various companies received for a particular line of business.

We hope you will use this complaint index report as one tool when shopping for an insurance company or policy. Along with price considerations, coverage availability, service and financial stability, this book can help you make an informed decision when buying insurance.

This report uses complaint information compiled by our Consumer Assistance and Market Regulation divisions. If you have a problem with an insurance company, or have questions about the information contained in this guide, please do not hesitate to contact our office by calling our Consumer Assistance Hotline at 800-432-2484.

Sincerely,

Vicki Schmidt

Commissioner of Insurance

Complaint Index Report

CONTENTS

About this Report

1

Indexes by Line

Automobile

5

Accident & Health

6

Homeowners

7

Individual Annuity

8

Individual Life

9

Long-Term Care

10

Filing a Complaint

11

ABOUT THIS REPORT

? ? What is a complaint

What is a complaint index

The Kansas Insurance Department receives

The complaint index shows how a company

thousands of complaints and inquiries each year compares to other companies in the same line

about insurance companies. Complaints

of business. It is a statistic that considers

and inquiries from the public give us an indication of the kind of service

a company's share of complaints in

A

relation to its market share, or share

companies are providing to their

formal

of business written in Kansas. Since

customers. We can then work with

complaint

the complaint index is measured

companies that need to improve in must be made by market share, companies in all

certain areas.

in writing.

lines of business will be measured

against an index of 1.00.

Complaints can also help us identify

insurance companies or agents that

For example, a complaint index

may need to be investigated for violations

of 1.00 means the insurer's share of all

of Kansas insurance laws or regulations. The

complaints received is equal to its share of all

Department also uses complaints to focus public the business written in Kansas. An index of 2.00

education efforts on the issues that concern

means that the insurer's share of complaints is

Kansas insurance consumers.

twice as large as its share of business written.

An index of 0.00 indicates that no complaints

Each time we receive a complaint, we notify were received for the company.

the insurance company and any involved agents.

We send the company a copy of the complaint The formula is as follows:

and ask that it be reviewed and an explanation

provided. Companies are required by law to

respond to the Department within 15 working

days. Most companies are cooperative in

working with us to resolve consumer complaints.

complaint share

We keep a record of each complaint filed by a consumer for up to three years.

market share

A formal complaint is any written

OR

communication expressing dissatisfaction or

concern with an insurance company or an

company's complaints / all

agent. General written inquiries received from

complaints

consumers are not counted in this report. We also do not include complaints regarding products

company's premium / all

not within the jurisdiction of the Kansas Insurance

written premium

Department, such as self-funded plans and

Medicare prescription drug plans.

1

? ? Which complaints do Which companies are

we use

shown

This report shows complaints for the six major types of insurance: accident and health (including HMOs), annuity, automobile, homeowners, life and longterm care.

We do not include complaints regarding products not within the jurisdiction of the Department, such as self-funded plans and Medicare prescription drug plans. In 2018, the Kansas Insurance Department closed a total of 2,689 complaints. 2,360 involved matters within our jurisdiction.

To ensure fairness, all closed complaints are counted without any attempt to distinguish between "valid" or "invalid" complaints.

Unless otherwise noted, we list the top 20 premium-writing companies for each line, as well as any company with 10 or more closed complaints for that type of insurance during the calendar year.

During 2018, $3,282,519 was recovered for Kansas consumers as a result of the Department's assistance. In 2018, the largest number of complaints concerned automobile insurance (33%) and accident & health insurance (32%). Breakdown as follows:

Automobile

33%

Accident & Health

32%

Homeowners

13%

Life

10%

Other

5%

Long-Term Care

4%

Annuity

2%

*rounded to nearest percent

All Closed Complaints & Inquiries

Recoveries Per Year (In Millions)

2

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