Insurance Commissioner Houdek Announces Nearly $5 Million Recovered for Consumers in 2021
Madison, Wis. — Today, Insurance Commissioner Nathan Houdek announced that the Consumer Affairs section, in conjunction with the legal liaisons and the legal department, at the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) recovered $4,716,458 last year for Wisconsin consumers that filed complaints with OCI.
“Every year thousands of Wisconsinites file complaints with our office and a dedicated team of examiners and attorneys work to resolve these complaints to the best of our ability," said Commissioner Houdek. “Protecting consumers is central to everything we do at OCI."
Consumer complaints filed with OCI may be related to claims handling, marketing and sales, underwriting, or policyholder service. OCI processes complaints related to every line of insurance such as health, life, and auto or homeowners.
In one 2021 case, an examiner helped a consumer obtain a refund of $43,000 in benefits for claims that had been denied. In another case, an examiner helped a consumer obtain a refund of two-years-worth of premium payments totaling nearly $3,000.
“Our Consumer Affairs team works to ensure that policyholders and claimants have somewhere to turn if they feel that their insurance concerns have not been addressed appropriately," said Rebecca Rebholz, Administrator for the Division of Market Regulation and Enforcement. “We diligently review every complaint we receive to identify any potential violations of insurance law."
Consumers are encouraged to file a complaint with us if they are unable to resolve a dispute with an insurance company or agent, have a problem with a pharmacy benefit manager service, or receive a surprise medical bill.
Learn more about filing a complaint with us here. Our Consumer Affairs team can be reached toll-free at 1-800-236-8517 (within Wisconsin) or 1-608-266-0103 (outside of Wisconsin). Consumers can also ask us a general insurance question here.