Info on filing a complaint with the La. Dept of Insurance

http://www.ldi.state.la.us/

Complaint Filing Information

The Department of Insurance has made the complaint report available to download straight from our web site with the use of a free viewing program. Or, call our statewide toll-free number, 1-800-259-5300, or, outside Louisiana, call (225) 342-5900 to request a free copy of the complaint form.

Download a Complaint Form

What the Louisiana Department of Insurance Can Do for You...

- Protect you by enforcing Louisiana's insurance laws
- Provide you with consumer information
- Investigate your complaints against companies or Producers

Types of Complaints include:

- Sales/ Policyholder Services
- Premium rates/ Refunds
- Cancellation/ Non-Renewals
- Claim Delays/ Denials/ Unsatisfactory Settlements
- Other Disputes

Types of Insurance involved include:

- Life
- Health
- Disability
- Auto
- Worker's Comp
- Medicare Supplement
- Credit
- Fire/Homeowners
- Annuity
- Business
- Other Types of Insurance

What the Department of Insurance cannot do for you:

- Give you legal advice, act as your lawyer or interfere in a pending lawsuit
- Recommend one insurance company or Producer over another
- Decide disputes based on who is negligent or at fault
- Determine the facts surrounding a claim (that is who might be telling the truth in a matter when accounts of that matter differ)
- Resolve a complaint if the only evidence is your word against the word of others

We must be able to read and photocopy what you provide, so please write legibly using black or blue ink.

What details should I include on my complaint form?

Section I

- Your name, address and daytime telephone number
- The insured person's name
- The name of the claimant, if different from the insured

Section II

- The type of coverage involved
- The name of the employer, if group coverage is involved
- The name & address of the company or Producer your complaint is against
- Your policy number, group number and/or claim number
- If your complaint is against another person's insurance company, that person's name and policy number, as well as your claim number
- The date on which the claim or loss was incurred

Section III

- The reasons for your complaint
- A description of the problem:
  (1) what happened, who was involved, and why you think the company/Producer is wrong
  (2) how you have tried to resolve the problem
  (3) what you consider to be a fair resolution to your problem

What should I send with my complaint form?

Copies, not originals, of...

- Letters you have written to the company or Producer dealing with the problem
- Letters you have received from the company or Producer
- Other letters written about the problem, that is, from your doctor or lawyer
- Your policy or the excerpt from your benefits handbook that covers the situation
- Relevant sales literature or worksheets
- Your insurance i.d. card (copied front and back), if possible
- The claim you filed, if applicable

What happens after the Department receives my complaint?

1st: Within two weeks of filing, you should receive an acknowledgement letter stating:
- your file number
- the name of the compliance examiner in charge of investigating your complaint

2nd: The Department will send a copy of your complaint to the company or other appropriate party and ask for an explanation of their position.

3rd: Your examiner will review all responses received to assure the problem has been properly addressed. This may result in more letters or phone calls between the examiner and the company or other parties.

4th: Your examiner will send you a letter with the investigation results:
- If no evidence of a violation is found, the examiner will so advise and explain why the investigation is being closed.
- If your examiner is not satisfied with the company's response, the investigation will continue if we feel the law has been violated, the Department will pursue administrative action to correct and punish the wrongdoing.

How will I know how the investigation is going?

An investigation usually takes about 60 days, depending on the complexity of the case.

If you have any new information, put it in writing. Include your file number and send it to your examiner.