Department Insurance California

Source(google.com.pk)
Department Insurance California Information

More insurers in the state and country will be required to participate in a climate change survey that helps state insurance departments identify trends and vulnerabilities.

California Department of Insurance 

Commissioner Dave Jones announced that he has doubled the survey scope in the Golden State by requiring all insurance companies writing more than $100 million in direct written premium to respond to the survey.

Jones also announced that the insurance departments in Connecticut and Minnesota have joined California, Washington and New York in requiring insurers to participate in the Climate Risk Survey, which the National Association of Insurance Commissioners adopted in 2009.

With more insurers participating, insurance regulators, investors and policyholders can get “a better picture of how insurers are responding to climate change,” Jones said in a news release.

Past surveys have indicated that Fireman’s Fund is a leader in California in responding to climate change, the release said. The insurer offers “green” insurance products designed for LEED-certified commercial properties. Fireman’s Fund policies and products also recognize homeowners who replace their homes with energy-efficient materials and appliances.

The survey asks insurers about such things as carbon footprint reduction plans and risk management for a changing environment, the release said.

Project Summary: 

The California Department of Insurance (CDI) regulates indemnity health plans in California, as well as many PPOs and other insurance plans. CDI also regulates auto, homeowners, and other insurance lines, as well as brokers and agents.

HRA worked with CDI to rewrite, update, and redesign five informational booklets. HRA used health literacy best practices to improve readability and usability. The booklets covered the topics of health insurance, auto insurance, earthquake insurance, safer driving for seniors, and annuities for seniors.

HRA worked with CDI to reduce and explain insurance jargon and address common consumer questions and concerns, such as annuity scams aimed at seniors. Each booklet includes resources; for example, the booklet on health insurance includes information on health care reform and phone numbers to call to file a grievance or appeal.

Consumers Guide to Health Insurance

Auto Insurance

Earthquake Insurance

Safer Driving for Seniors

Annuities: What Seniors Need to Know

Why is this important?

For years, transgender Californians have been denied access to health coverage due to discriminatory exclusions in health plans. Even after passage of the Insurance Gender Nondiscrimination Act in 2005, insurance companies persisted in limiting care based on an individual’s transgender status. Regulators are finally saying this is no longer permissible.

The DMHC letter directs health plans to remove benefit and coverage exclusions related to gender transition as well as limitations based on gender identity or gender expression. This development should ensure parity in coverage, and significantly increase medically necessary services available to transgender people.

The new Director’s Letter also allows transgender people to access DMHC’s Independent Medical Review (IMR) process if a health plan denies a specific medical service or treatment. Before the Director’s Letter, transition-related care was classified as a coverage exclusion and was ineligible for the independent medical review.

Who will this impact?

22.5 million Californians are enrolled in health plans regulated by DMHC. Until the Director’s letter was released on April 9, 2013, the majority of individual, small group, and large employer health care insurance plans regulated by DMHC had blanket exclusions restricting coverage for transgender people. Those exclusions will no longer be permitted and must be removed. Effective immediately, transgender patients have access to the Independent Medical Review (IMR) process if a medically necessary claim is denied by their carrier.