Michigan insurance regulators say they are fielding more consumer complaints than ever, with more than 7,400 residents assisted in January alone.
Those numbers come from a Department of Insurance and Financial Services report in which the Office of Consumer Services was said to assist 7,439 consumers across the state. In total, the office helped recover $588,412, including $9,235 for a homeowner’s insurance claim appraisal dispute.
“It is DIFS' duty to sustain an active relationship with Michigan's consumers. This involves keeping consumers informed and helping them adapt to industry developments,” said DIFS Director Patrick McPharlin.
Some notable recoveries that DIFS staff assisted two consumers with were:
DIFS encourages consumers to first attempt to resolve disputes directly with their financial service entity. If a resolution cannot be reached, the department can help try to resolve disputes.
Consumer complaints continued to rise over the past three months. Last month 285 new complaints were opened and 291 complaints were closed. Some complaints can lead to larger consumer protection actions. One complaint resulted in the summary suspension of the insurance licenses of Richard Creed and Evergreen Insurance Agency for issuing fraudulent insurance certificates and not remitting premiums to the insurers.
Anyone with questions or concerns about their insurance coverage is asked to call DIFS toll-free hotline at 877-999-6442.
