South Dakota Insurance

Insurance Services of State across the country are facing increasing demands of public information for consumers. Public opinion on issues relating to the financial health of companies whose prices are increasingly important, given that more and more consumers recognize the need to shop for insurance intelligent.

The request comes amid increasing interest and concern on insurance after the recent failures and very publicly by several large insurance companies. With rising insurance rates, find buyers are more than ever a need for policies and compare prices on the market.

“It’s a huge increase in consumer prices demand for this type of information,” said Stephen Brobeck, Executive Director of the Consumer Federation of America, a representation of interests in Washington. “Some countries have done a good job him, help others, a little, and some are not available on all help. ”

Sometimes the problems start with the attempt to reach the Insurance Division of the State over the phone. During the implementation of a study in the last month, the staff of Weiss Research, Inc., West Palm Beach, Florida insurance company that prices Carrier, found that in six departments US - Arizona, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota - could not achieve without the other: the lines were busy, there was no rings or, if they answered, the caller has not spent a recorded message to speak with a person.

Worse still, the researchers found that insurance services in several countries, false or incomplete information on a vehicle insurance, Presidential Life Insurance Company, which was in the press because of concerns about their health Financial.

Most public insurance officials say they are doing a good job of providing information on insurance, which are all ok, it is often a thorny issue for most consumers.

But responding to the growing annoyance of the public, some services are reaching, consumer associations or extension of its services. In California, for example, a state the first elected insurance commissioner, John Garamendi, is developing a system in which the purchaser of self-assurance of the situation, a “900″ number to learn more about fares are more down to their particular needs.

Mr. Brobeck and other consumer advocates say that public services insurance tend to fall into two categories. Some, like New York, are actively involved in supplying consumers with information they can use to assess business and politics.

But the insurance department philosophies are different, and some services are less consumers and focuses instead on his role as a mediator between the public and the insurance industry. “The problem with this viewpoint is that people only a few regulatory authorities have never heard of the insurance management company forces,” said J. Robert Hunter, chairman of the National-Versicherungs-consumer organization, the interest of representation in Washington.

Insurance Division officials are beginning to respond to these criticisms. For the first time, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners travel granted to allow representatives of consumer groups to participate in the meetings. The association also help countries exchange information on business problem to the public, “said Steven T. Foster, Vice President, VA is also commissioner of insurance. Changes in Georgia

While California and 11 other countries to choose their insurance commissioners, the electoral process so far little impact on services more on the public, “said Hunter of the National-Versicherungs-consumer organization. But as the example of Mr. Garamendi and others show that perhaps changed.

In 1990, Tim Ryles, former director of the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs, Georgia was elected the Commissioner of insurance business after campaigns on a platform stressed that the representation of consumer interests. Since then, he has a list of automobile insurance rates for consumers and eliminates the mistakes of non-coverage for owners of cars are, like many games of 12 percent to the state.