If you’re recently divorced or managing a on a tight budget due to divorce it’s wise to assess all of your insurance needs at least yearly. I know it sounds like a chore, but it’s all for your family’s own overall protection. So, get out the post-it notes and go forth! Our editorial staff has research the must-dos for purchasing new insurance (auto, life, home, health) or adjusting and improving upon the insurance you may already have.
1. Price shop Insurance policies and prices vary greatly from one to another. Get at least three price quotes, and write them down “apples for apples.” In other words, keep all of the variables as you price shop consistent (i.e. deductibles, how much is covered, etc.) You can’t get a real comparison, unless you make sure all of your elements are equal.
2. Financially Solid Choose a company that’s financially sound. Research using ratings from independent rating agencies such as Insure.com.
3. State Licensed Overall, it’s best to buy from an insurance company that is licensed in your state, this way can you rely on your state insurance department to help if there’s a problem. To find out which insurance companies are licensed by your state visit:
National Association of Insurance Commissioners listed by State
National Insurance Producer Registry for Products and Services
4. Service Will your insurance company’s staff answer your questions, call you back, and handle your claims quickly and fairly? “Google” the specific company to seek if there are any complaints. Also, your state insurance department will also have information regarding fraudulent companies, infractions or complaints. For all states, scroll list below
Statewide Department of Insurance Listings
Alabama
Department of Insurance
PO Box 303351
Montgomery, AL 36130-3351
334-241-4141 (Consumer Services)
334-269-3550
E-mail: ConsumerServices@insurance.alabama.gov
www.aldoi.gov
Alaska
Division of Insurance
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
Robert B. Atwood Building
550 W. 7th Ave., Suite 1560
Anchorage, AK 99501-3567
907-269-7900
TTY: 907-465-5437
E-mail: insurance@alaska.gov
Division of Insurance
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
PO Box 110805
Juneau, AK 99811-0805
907-465-2515
TTY: 907-465-5437
E-mail: insurance@alaska.gov
www.commerce.state.ak.us/insurance/
Arizona
Department of Insurance
Consumer Affairs Division
2910 North 44th St., Suite 210
Phoenix, AZ 85018-7269
602-364-2499
602-364-3100
Toll free: 1-800-325-2548 (AZ)
E-mail: consumers@azinsurance.gov
www.id.state.az.us
Arkansas
Insurance Department
Consumer Services Division
1200 W. Third St.
Little Rock, AR 72201-1904
501-371-2640 (Consumer Services)
501-371-2600
Toll free: 1-800-282-9134 (AR)
Toll free: 1-800-852-5494 (Consumer Services)
Toll free: 1-866-660-0888 (Criminal Investigations – Insurance Fraud)
E-mail: insurance.consumers@arkansas.gov
www.insurance.arkansas.gov
California
California Department of Insurance
Consumer Services Division
300 S. Spring St., South Tower
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213-897-8921
Toll free: 1-800-927-4357 (CA)
TTY: 1-800-482-4833
www.insurance.ca.gov
Dept. of Managed Health Care, California HMO Help Center
980 Ninth St., Suite 500
Sacramento, CA 95814-2725
Toll free: 1-888-466-2219
TTY: 1-877-688-9891(Toll free)
E-mail: GenInfo@dmhc.ca.gov
www.hmohelp.ca.gov
Colorado
Division of Insurance
1560 Broadway, Suite 850
Denver, CO 80202
303-894-7499 (Consumer Information)
303-894-7490
Toll free: 1-800-930-3745 (CO)
TTY: 711
E-mail: insurance@dora.state.co.us
www.dora.state.co.us/Insurance
Connecticut
Insurance Department
Consumer Affairs Division
PO Box 816
Hartford, CT 06142-0816
860-297-3800
Toll free: 1-800-203-3447 (CT)
E-mail: cid.ca@ct.gov
www.ct.gov/cid
Delaware
Delaware Insurance Department
841 Silver Lake Blvd.
Dover, DE 19904
302-674-7310
Toll free: 1-800-282-8611
E-mail: consumer@state.de.us
www.delawareinsurance.gov
District of Columbia
Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking
810 First St., NE, Suite 701
ATTN: Consumer Protection Advocate
Washington, DC 20002
202-727-8000
202-442-7843
E-mail: disb@dc.gov
www.disb.dc.gov
Florida
Office of Insurance Regulation
Department of Financial Services
200 East Gaines St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0305
850-413-3140
Toll free: 1-877-693-5236
TTY: 1-800-640-0886 (Toll free)
www.floir.com
Georgia
Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner
Two Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr.
West Tower, Suite 716
Atlanta, GA 30334
404-656-2070
Toll free: 1-800-656-2298 (GA)
TTY: 711
www.gainsurance.org
Hawaii
Insurance Division
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
PO Box 3614
Honolulu, HI 96811
808-586-2790
808-586-2799
E-mail: insurance@dcca.hawaii.gov
www.hawaii.gov/dcca/areas/ins
Idaho
Department of Insurance
Consumer Affairs Bureau
700 W. State St.
PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0043
208-334-4250
Toll free: 1-800-721-3272 (ID)
www.doi.idaho.gov
Illinois
Division of Insurance- Chicago
Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
100 W. Randolph St., Suite 9-301
Chicago, IL 60601-3395
312-814-2427
TTY: 312-814-2603
E-mail: director@ins.state.il.us
www.insurance.illinois.gov
Division of Insurance- Springfield
Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
320 W. Washington St.
Springfield, IL 62767-0001
217-782-4515
Toll free: 1-877-527-9431 (Office of Consumer Health Insurance)
Toll free: 1-866-445-5364 (Consumer Assistance Hotline)
TTY: 217-524-4872
E-mail: director@ins.state.il.us
www.insurance.illinois.gov
Indiana
Department of Insurance
Consumer Services Division
311 W. Washington St., Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-232-2395
Toll free: 1-800-622-4461 (IN)
E-mail: idoi@IN.gov
www.in.gov/idoi
Iowa
Division of Insurance
330 Maple St.
Des Moines, IA 50319-0065
515-281-5705
Toll free: 1-877-955-1212 (IA)
www.iid.state.ia.us
Kansas
Kansas Insurance Department
Consumer Assistance Division
420 SW 9th St.
Topeka, KS 66612
785-296-3071
Toll free: 1-800-432-2484 (Kansas Only)
TTY: 1-877-235-3151 (Toll-Free)
E-mail: www.ksinsurance.org
Kentucky
Department of Insurance
Consumer Protection and Education Division
PO Box 517
Frankfort, KY 40602-0517
502-564-6034
Toll free: 1-800-595-6053
TTY: 1-800-462-2081
Louisiana
Department of Insurance
PO Box 94214
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
225-342-0895
225-342-5900
Toll free: 1-800-259-5300
Toll free: 1-800-259-5301
E-mail: public@ldi.state.la.us
www.ldi.state.la.us
Maine
Bureau of Insurance
34 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0034
207-624-8475
Toll free: 1-800-300-5000 (ME)
TTY: 1-888-577-6690 (Toll free)
E-mail: Insurance.PFR@maine.gov
www.maine.gov/insurance
Maryland
Insurance Administration
Consumer Division
525 St. Paul Pl.
Suite 2700
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-468-2000
Toll free: 1-800-492-6116
TTY: 1-800-735-2258 (Toll free)
www.mdinsurance.state.md.us
Massachusetts
Division of Insurance
Consumer Service Section
Ten Park Plaza
Suite 5170
Boston, MA 02110
617-973-8700
617-973-8787 (Consumer Hotline)
www.state.ma.us/doi
Michigan
Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation
PO Box 30220
Lansing, MI 48909
517-373-0220
Toll free: 1-877-999-6442
E-mail: ofir-ins-info@michigan.gov
www.michigan.gov/ofir
Minnesota
Department of Commerce
Market Assurance Division
85 Seventh Place E.
Suite 500
St. Paul, MN 55101
651-296-2488
Toll free: 1-800-657-3602 (MN)
TTY: 651-296-2860
E-mail: market.assurance@state.mn.us
www.insurance.mn.gov
Mississippi
Department of Insurance
PO Box 79
Jackson, MS 39205
601-359-3569
Toll free: 1-800-562-2957 (MS)
E-mail: consumer@mid.state.ms.us
www.mid.state.ms.us
Missouri
Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial, and Professional Registration
Consumer Affairs Division
PO Box 690
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0690
573-751-2640
573-751-4126
Toll free: 1-800-726-7390 (MO)
TTY: 573-526-4536
www.insurance.mo.gov
Montana
Montana State Auditor’s Office
Insurance Division
840 Helena Ave.
Helena, MT 59601
406-444-2040
Toll free: 1-800-332-6148 (MT)
TTY: 406-444-3246
E-mail: stateauditor@mt.gov
www.sao.mt.gov
Nebraska
Department of Insurance
Terminal Building
941 O St., Suite 400
Lincoln, NE 68508-3690
402-471-0888 (In Lincoln)
402-471-2201
Toll free: 1-877-564-7323 (NE)
TTY: 1-800-833-7352
E-mail: DOI.ConsumerAffairs@nebraska.gov
www.doi.ne.gov
Nevada
Division of Insurance
Department of Business & Industry
788 Fairview Dr., Suite 300
Carson City, NV 89701
775-687-4270
E-mail: insinfo@doi.state.nv.us
www.doi.state.nv.us/
Division of Insurance
Department of Business & Industry
2501 E. Sahara Ave., #302
Las Vegas, NV 89104
702-486-4009
www.doi.state.nv.us/
New Hampshire
Department of Insurance
21 South Fruit St., Suite 14
Concord, NH 03301
603-271-2261
Toll free: 1-800-852-3416 (NH)
TTY: 1-800-735-2964 (NH)
E-mail: consumerservices@ins.nh.gov
www.nh.gov/insurance
New Jersey
Department of Banking and Insurance
Consumer Inquiry and Case Preparation Unit
PO Box 4325
Trenton, NJ 08625-0471
609-292-7272
Toll free: 1-800-446-7467
www.njdobi.org
New Mexico
Department of Insurance
PO Box 1269
Santa Fe, NM 87504-1269
505-827-4601
Toll free: 1-888-427-5772 (NM)
www.nmprc.state.nm.us
New York
Consumer Services Bureau
NYS Insurance Department
One Commerce Plaza
Albany, NY 12257
518-474-6600
Toll free: 1-800-342-3736 (NY)
E-mail: consumers@ins.state.ny.us
www.ins.state.ny.us
Consumer Services Bureau
Insurance Department
25 Beaver St.
New York, NY 10004
212-480-6400
Toll free: 1-800-342-3736 (NY)
E-mail: consumers@ins.state.ny.us
www.ins.state.ny.us
North Carolina
Department of Insurance
Dobbs Bldg., 430 North Salisbury St. (Zip: 27603)
1201 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1201
919-807-6750 (Consumer Services) (outside of NC)
919-733-3058
Toll free: 1-800-546-5664 (NC) (Consumer Services)
E-mail: consumer@ncdoi.net
www.ncdoi.com
North Dakota
Insurance Department
600 East Blvd. Ave.
State Capitol, 5th Floor
Bismarck, ND 58505-0320
701-328-2440
Toll free: 1-800-247-0560 (ND)
TTY: 1-800-366-6888 (Toll free)
E-mail: insurance@nd.gov
www.nd.gov/ndins
Ohio
Department of Insurance
Office of Consumer Services
50 West Town St., 3rd Floor
Suite 300
Columbus, OH 43215
614-644-2673
Toll free: 1-800-686-1526 (Consumer Hotline)
Toll free: 1-800-686-1527 (Fraud Hotline)
Toll free: 1-800-686-1578 (Senior Hotline)
TTY: 614-644-3745
www.ohioinsurance.gov
Oklahoma
Insurance Department
2401 NW 23rd St., Suite 28
PO Box 53408
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3408
405-521-2991
Toll free: 1-800-522-0071 (OK)
E-mail: feedback@insurance.state.ok.us
www.ok.gov/oid
Oregon
Insurance Division
PO Box 14480
Salem, OR 97309-0405
503-947-7984
Toll free: 1-888-877-4894 (OR)
E-mail: dcbs.insmail@state.or.us
insurance.oregon.gov
Pennsylvania
Bureau of Consumer Service
Insurance Department
1209 Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120
717-787-2317
Toll free: 1-877-881-6388
TTY: 717-783-3898
E-mail: ra-in-consumer@state.pa.us
www.insurance.state.pa.us
Puerto Rico
Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
B5 Tabonuco St., Suite 216 PMB 356
Guaynabo, PR 00968-3029
787-722-8686
787-304-8686
Toll free: 1-888-722-8686
www.ocs.gobierno.pr
Rhode Island
Insurance Division
Department of Business Regulation
1511 Pontiac Ave.
Cranston, RI 02920
401-462-9520
E-mail: InsuranceInquiry@dbr.state.ri.us
www.dbr.state.ri.us
South Carolina
Consumer Services
Department of Insurance
PO Box 100105
Columbia, SC 29202-3105
803-737-6180
Toll free: 1-800-768-3467 (SC)
E-mail: consumers@doi.sc.gov
www.doi.sc.gov
South Dakota
Division of Insurance
Department of Revenue and Regulation
445 East Capital Ave.
Pierre, SD 57501
605-773-3563
E-mail: insurance@state.sd.us
www.state.sd.us/drr
Tennessee
Department of Commerce and Insurance
Consumer Affairs Division
500 James Robertson Pkwy.
Davy Crockett Tower
Nashville, TN 37243-0565
615-741-4737
615-741-2241
Toll free: 1-800-342-8385 (TN)
www.tn.gov/commerce
Texas
Department of Insurance
Consumer Protection (111-1A)
PO Box 149091
Austin, TX 78714-9091
512-463-6515
Toll free: 1-800-252-3439
E-mail: consumerprotection@tdi.state.tx.us
www.tdi.state.tx.us
Utah
Department of Insurance
State Office Bldg., Room 3110
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6901
801-538-3800
Toll free: 1-800-439-3805 (UT)
TTY: 801-538-3826
www.insurance.utah.gov
Vermont
Insurance Division- Consumer Services
Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration
89 Main St.
Montpelier, VT 05620-3101
802-828-3301
802-828-2900 (Health Insurance)
Toll free: 1-800-964-1784
Toll free: 1-800-631-7788 (Health Insurance)
www.bishca.state.vt.us
www.vthealthinsurance.info, Virginia health insurance
Virgin Islands
Division of Banking and Insurance
No. 5049 Kongens Gade
St. Thomas, VI 00802
340-774-7166
www.ltg.gov.vi
Virginia
Bureau of Insurance
State Corporation Commission
PO Box 1157
Richmond, VA 23218
804-371-9741
804-371-9967
Toll free: 1-800-552-7945 (VA)
TTY: 804-371-9206
E-mail: bureauofinsurance@scc.virginia.gov
www.scc.virginia.gov
Washington
Office of the Insurance Commissioner
PO Box 40256
Olympia, WA 98504-0256
360-725-7080
Toll free: 1-800-562-6900 (WA)
TTY: 360-586-0241
E-mail: cad@oic.wa.gov
www.insurance.wa.gov
West Virginia
Offices of the Insurance Commissioner
1124 Smith St.
PO Box 50540
Charleston, WV 25305-0540
304-558-3386
Toll free: 1-888-879-9842 (WV)
TTY: 1-800-435-7381
E-mail: consumer.service@wvinsurance.gov
www.wvinsurance.gov
Wisconsin
Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
125 S Webster St.
PO Box 7873
Madison, WI 53707-7873
608-266-0103
Toll free: 1-800-236-8517 (WI)
TTY: Dial 711 and ask for 608-266-3586
E-mail: ocicomplaints@wisconsin.gov
oci.wi.gov
Wyoming
Department of Insurance
Consumer Affairs Section
106 E. Sixth Ave.
Cheyenne, WY 82002
307-777-7402
Toll free: 1-800-438-5768 (WY)
insurance.state.wy.us