OIC Answers on Insurance

Washington State OIC
  • 5.0 (4)
  • GOVERNMENT
  • UPDATED MONTHLY
OIC Answers on Insurance

Insurance is confusing, but we’re here to help. This podcast from the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) answers all kinds of questions about insurance in the Evergreen State, from Medicare to homeowners insurance claims to car insurance premiums. Hosts Aaron and Matt interview OIC staffers with expertise in different types of insurance to help make a complicated subject a little more easy to understand.

  1. OCT 21

    How does flood insurance work?

    Flood Awareness Week just wrapped up, but you should never stop being prepared for a flood. Most of the flood insurance in Washington comes through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Plan and more than 90% of Washington’s communities participate in the NFIP, meaning homes in those areas are eligible for coverage. On this episode, Scott Van Hoff, a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard Specialist with FEMA, discusses how the program works, why it exists, and FEMA’s role in helping people after a natural disaster. More info on flood insurance (OIC

    24 min

  2. OCT 14

    What to expect when you’re open(ly) enrolling in Medicare

    Medicare open enrollment starts on October 15 and runs through December 7. What’s new with Medicare this year? What should you do to get ready? What questions do you need to ask and who can you call if you don’t have all the answers? Tim Smolen from the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors Program returns to the podcast for an open enrollment preview. About SHIBA: Washington’s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) volunteers provide free, unbiased and confidential help with Medicare. Call 1-800-562-6900 or visit www.insurance.wa.gov/how-we-can-help-you-medicare.

    19 min

  3. SEP 30

    The pros and cons of getting a life (insurance policy)

    The basic concept of a life insurance policy is simple, but the details can be complicated. On this episode of OIC Answers, insurance analyst Sharon Daniel joins the hosts to explain the different types of life insurance and answer hypothetical questions about dangerous hobbies, beneficiaries, and the combination of failed marriages and suspicious deaths.

    22 min

  4. SEP 2

    What’s going on with home insurance?

    Opening the mailbox and finding a letter from your home insurance company can be a scary moment. There might be higher premiums waiting in that envelope or, even worse, the insurance version of a “Dear John” letter — a non-renewal notice. On this episode of OIC Answers, policy analyst David Forte discusses why rates have gone up recently, how rating factors like location and construction type impact premiums, the availability of home insurance in Washington, what impact wildfires are having on the market, and whether or not your insurance company can use drones to check out your roof.

    26 min

  5. AUG 12

    OIC Answers: How can I spot an insurance red flag?

    A big part of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner’s work is consumer protection. A lot of that work is done by our investigations team, which evaluates consumer complaints to see if there’s been a violation of the state insurance code. On this episode of OIC Answers, two of our lead investigators explain how the investigations process works and gives advice on how to spot red flags from insurance professionals.

    25 min

  6. JUL 29

    OIC Answers: Why is MY car insurance getting more expensive?

    Auto insurance rates took a jump in 2023, which meant an increase in monthly costs for people almost everywhere. What happened? Was it a Washington-specific issue? Why doesn’t the Insurance Commissioner just say “no” to rate increases? And why did MY costs go up when I haven’t even wrecked a car or gotten a ticket in years? On this episode of OIC Answers, Senior Policy Advisor David Forte helps the hosts address all the questions and theories they’ve heard about auto rates over the last year.

    21 min

  7. JUL 15

    OIC Answers: Is pet insurance worth the money?

    More than 5 million pets in the United States were covered by insurance plans in 2023, but the coverages and costs vary quite a bit between pets and plans. Accidents, surgeries, prescriptions, illnesses and emergencies are usually covered, while dental care and behavioral problems usually aren’t — and pre-existing conditions remain a point of confusion. Washington has about 4% of the country’s covered pets, and in this episode of OIC Answers, our hosts ask a consumer protection expert if the policies are worth the money.

    19 min

  8. JUL 1

    OIC Answers: Is this health care sharing ministry too good to be true?

    Health care sharing ministries offer what may look like affordable health coverage, but there’s often a few details in the fine print that leave members short of funds when big medical bills come due. On this episode of OIC Answers, Deputy Commissioner Michael Marchand helps answer questions about what, exactly, a health care sharing ministry is, what they might not cover, and how the OIC works to prevent them from selling insurance illegally.

    21 min
See All (13)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Insurance is confusing, but we’re here to help. This podcast from the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) answers all kinds of questions about insurance in the Evergreen State, from Medicare to homeowners insurance claims to car insurance premiums. Hosts Aaron and Matt interview OIC staffers with expertise in different types of insurance to help make a complicated subject a little more easy to understand.

Information

  • Creator
    Washington State OIC
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2024
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Washington State OIC
  • Show Website
    OIC Answers on Insurance

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada