The following column was submitted by State Representative Dorothy Pelanda.
As an active consumer protection agency, the Department of Insurance has saved or recovered $48 million for consumers over the last two years. The Department also monitors the financial solvency of insurance companies to ensure consumer claims are paid, reviews the rates for insurance products, and handles consumers complaints made against insurance companies and agents. In addition, the agency investigates allegations of professional misconduct and consumer insurance fraud.
The Department recently announced that is helped Ohio consumers save or recover $23.5 million in 2013 while assisting nearly 200,000 Ohioans mainly through its toll-free hotlines, community outreach efforts and counseling sessions.
Ohio insurance consumers can utilize the Department’s free auto, homeowners, health, life, long-term care insurance, Medicare and other consumer publications, toolkits, and tip sheets at www.insurance.ohio.gov. Ohioans can file a complaint or have insurance questions addressed by calling the Department’s consumer hotline at 1-800-686-1526. If your inquiry is Medicare related, call the Department’s Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) at 1-800-686-1578. To report insurance fraud or agent misconduct, call the Department’s fraud hotline at 1-800-686-1576. You can follow the Department on twitter @OHInsurance and on Facebook.
According to a recent Insure.com report, Ohio has the least expensive auto insurance rates in the country. The 2014 average annual premium for an auto policy for a new vehicle in Ohio is $926 compared to the national average of $1,503.
“Competition drives down the cost of any insurance product, whether it is auto, health, homeowners or life insurance,” Ohio Lieutenant Governor and Insurance Director Mary Taylor said. “This report demonstrates choice, competition and a free market are better for consumers and their bottom line. While I am proud of the fact Ohio has the lowest auto insurance rates in the country, we will work to promote competition to ensure consumers continue to have affordable choices.”
Ohio government, including the Ohio Department of Insurance, insurance company and higher education leaders launched the Insuring Ohio Futures initiative in March 2013 to fill more than 17,000 insurance-related jobs over the next five years. With the combination of growth and expansion, and the retirement of baby boomers, fulfilling job opportunities are available to many different professionals. Ohio’s jobs website, OhioMeansJobs.com, provides a glimpse of the options for accountants, actuaries, attorneys, IT specialists, and those with training in communications, marketing, social media and web design. For more information about the initiative, visit www.insuringohiofutures.com.
State Representative Dorothy Pelanda represents the 86th House District in the Ohio House of Representatives, which includes Union and Logan counties, as well as most of Marion County. You can find more information about and contact Pelanda by clicking here.
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