Mary Jo Hudson Director

It's never too early to plan for the future. That's why we are urging Ohioans to review their homeowners insurance coverage to ensure they are adequately protected for the spring storm season.
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News Briefs

• The Department is providing tips to educate Ohio consumers about the use of credit information as a factor in setting rates for certain insurance coverage.
  
  
• Click here to read the Department's new tip sheet on equity indexed annuities.
  
  
• A podcast about the minimum requirements for auto insurance is available on the Department's web site.
  

Tips: Insurance Director Advises Homeowners to Look for Ice/Snow Damage

OSHIIP News

Archives

Top Stories - March 2009

Ohioans Advised to Prepare for Flooding, Understand the National Flood Insurance Program
The Department is urging Ohioans to prepare for the spring rain flood damage by ensuring they have adequate insurance. Typical homeowners coverage does not include flood insurance, which is sold as separate coverage by licensed insurance agents.
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Insurance Department Offers Severe Spring Weather Insurance Tips
With the potential of regular severe spring winds and rain on the horizon, the Department is providing important insurance tips to assist in the claims filing process. Ohioans are also encouraged to watch for unscrupulous contractors who may be trying to defraud homeowners.
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Department Fighting Insurance Fraud, Helping Ohioans Address Insurance Issues
Director Mary Jo Hudson used the recent National Consumer Protection Week to remind Ohioans of the Department's commitment to advocate on their behalf and encourage them to utilize the many services the agency provides.
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Department Issues Bulletins Regarding Certain Minimum Reserve Liability and Financial Reporting Changes
The Department has issued bulletins permitting Ohio domiciled life insurance companies to request making changes to their minimum reserve liabilities for certain life and annuity products. Another bulletin addresses the instructions for permitting financial reporting changes for certain insurers.
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Licking County Resident Agrees to Plea Bargain in Fraud Case
Darla Balka of Licking County has pled guilty to money laundering as the result of her involvement in a 2006 fraud case. As part of the plea agreement, Ms. Balka will spend an additional year in jail.
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Mary Jo Hudson Director

The Department's committed and hard working staff hit the ground running the first of the year. One of our larger initiatives that began in late January is an educational outreach effort to help more Ohioans understand how the health coverage claim denial appeal process works.
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News Briefs

• The Department has adopted the changes to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Annual Financial Reporting Model Rule.
  
  
• The Department, in coordination with different stakeholders, held an "Etch-N-Catch" catalytic converter event on January 10.
  
  
• The Department's Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) assisted more than 27,000 Ohioans during the recent Medicare open enrollment period. The Medicare Advantage open enrollment period is underway and ends March 31.
  

Tips: Insurance Director Warns Against Dropping Auto Coverage to Save Money

OSHIIP News

Archives

Top Stories - February 2009

Toolkit Introduced to Help Ohioans Understand Health Coverage Claim Denial Appeal Process
The Department has launched a toolkit to help Ohioans understand the process by which they can appeal a health coverage claim denial made by their insurer. In addition, stakeholders have been meeting to discuss provider prompt pay and health coverage claim denial appeal issues.
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Companies Offer Coverage to Nearly 90 Ohioans Left Uncovered When Insurer Left Market
Four of the state's largest insurance companies - Aetna, United Healthcare, Anthem and Medical Mutual of Ohio - have stepped in to offer continuous health insurance to nearly 90 people after their insurer, Nationwide Health Insurance, transitioned out of Ohio's health insurance market effective January 1.
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Health Insurers to Report Significant Medical Provider Network Changes, Policyholder Communications Plans to Department
To ensure that policyholders are properly informed and treated fairly when a health care provider leaves an insurance company's network, health insurers will now report significant changes to their medical provider networks to the Department. They will also share with the Department how they will communicate with their policyholders when such instances occur.
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HB 125 Advisory Committee on Eligibility and Real Time Claim Adjudication Issues Final Report
The Advisory Committee on Eligibility and Real Time Claim Adjudication, as created by the Ohio General Assembly in 2008, has issued a final report of its findings to the Ohio General Assembly. The Director Hudson appointed group was charged with standardizing communication between doctors and insurers.
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Department Adopts Emergency Rule Regarding Calculation of Policy Reserve Limits for Life Insurance Products
The Department has adopted an emergency rule to change the portion of Ohio law regarding the method by which life insurance policy reserves are calculated.
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Department Issues Third Annual Ohio Medical Professional Liability Closed Claim Report
The Department has issued its third annual Ohio Medical Professional Liability Closed Claim Report, which shows a total of 3,451 medical professional liability claims were closed in 2007. Claims that generated an indemnity payment, which is the amount of compensation paid on behalf of each defendant to a claimant, averaged $315,635 per closed claim.
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