If an insured in Ohio (“Ohioan”) is being mistreated by a delaying, denying, and bad treating insurance company, the Ohioan always has the option of voicing his or her displeasure to the Ohio Department of Insurance (“ODI”) via Complaint. The submission of a Complaint to ODI prompts an investigation by ODI into the insurance carrier’s handling of the Ohioan’s loss.
An Ohioan may file the Complaint either online or by requesting a complaint form and instructions for filing the Complaint by contacting ODI’s Consumer Services at 1-800-686-1526. The Ohioan will need to provide certain information such as the name and address of the insurance company, the policy number, a narrative of the issue, and claim correspondence. ODI provides an instructional document to assist Ohioans in filing their complaints and a link to the document can be found here. Once completed, the Ohioan either submits the online form electronically or mails the Complaint to:
Ohio Department of Insurance
Consumer Services Division
50 West Town Street
Third Floor/Suite 300
Columbus, OH, 43215
After submitting the Complaint, the Ohioan should receive a letter within two weeks confirming that ODI received the Complaint. The letter will provide the analyst’s name, describe the action being taken, and tell the Ohioan how long it may take to conclude the process. ODI will then perform an investigation and obtain an explanation from the carrier in response to the issues raised in the Complaint. Once the investigation is complete, the Ohioan will receive a letter explaining the results of the investigation. ODI advises that the investigation usually takes approximately 30 days.
ODI’s director is Jillian Froment and ODI’s mission is to “provide consumer protection through education and fair but vigilant regulation while promoting a stable and competitive environment for insurers.”1 An Ohioan may contact ODI directly via online form, calling one of their hotlines, or by contacting specific ODI divisions directly. The ODI contact page is provided here.
___________________________
1 http://www.insurance.ohio.gov/Pages/default.aspx