Wayne Goodwin for NC Insurance Commissioner

Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin today announced that the Department of Insurance saved or recovered more than $42.2 million for North Carolinians in 2011.

"I am very proud of the dedicated work of the Department of Insurance. Having recovered or saved more than $42 million in the last year alone shows that we are fighting fraud, holding our licensees to high standards, and helping people with their insurance questions or complaints," Goodwin said. "We are committed to building on this success as we continue protecting consumers in 2012."

Several divisions of the Department of Insurance contributed to the total recoveries and savings:

• The Consumer Services Division, which receives consumer inquiries and complaints about homeowners, auto, life and other insurance-related issues, handled approximately 76,000 calls and 8,100 written complaints from the public. Through these calls and complaints, the Department was able to help citizens recover more than $16.4 million in benefits from insurance companies.
• Health Insurance Smart NC and the former stand-alone external review program together returned $1,130,035 to consumers as a result of services provided. Health Insurance Smart NC, the department's newest consumer assistance program, assists people with questions about health insurance, and helps consumers file complaints or appeals with their health insurance companies, identify enrollment opportunities and request external reviews for denied claims. Since its launch in April 2011, Smart NC specialists have responded to 1,159 consumer complaints, 254 health insurance enrollment inquiries and 199 medical appeal cases. The department handled 322 external review requests in the calendar year.
• SHIIP, the Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program, assisted more than 100,700 consumers with general Medicare questions and helped more than 6,200 Medicare recipients apply for the Low-Income Subsidy program that provides savings for prescription drug costs. The estimated cost savings for Medicare beneficiaries was $12,053,064. SHIIP offers free, unbiased information about Medicare, Medicare prescription drug coverage, Medicare Advantage, long-term care insurance and other health insurance information. SHIIP's trained volunteers provide one-on-one counseling in all 100 counties.
• The Criminal Investigations Division employs 20 sworn law enforcement officers dedicated to investigating claims of insurance fraud and criminal concerns associated with bail bonding, motor clubs, collection agencies and premium finance companies. In 2011, the work of these criminal investigators led to 144 arrests, 83 criminal convictions and more than $10.4 million in restitution and recoveries. Another 109 cases are currently pending in court.
• The Agent Services Division regulates all licensed agents, brokers, limited representatives, appraisers, adjusters, premium finance companies, collection agencies, motor clubs, bail bondsmen, surety bondsmen and bail bond runners authorized to do business in North Carolina. Oversight includes licensure qualification, pre-licensing education, continuing education, telephone inquiries, complaint investigations and agency examinations. The Division investigated more than 1,040 complaints and recovered $50,958.28 in premium funds for consumers.
• The Market Regulation Division conducts both routine and targeted market conduct examinations on foreign and domestic licensed companies (insurance companies, premium finance companies, HMOs, PPOs and more) to ensure compliance with state laws and regulations. Through these exams, the Division ordered $2,187,748.65 returned to policyholders.

Counting all activities by Insurance Commissioner Goodwin, he has saved NC individuals, families and businesses more than $1 BILLION since taking office in 2009.  Clearly, based on that statistic and all of his other work over the years, he is working for the best interests of North Carolina.

Starting days before Hurricane Irene made landfall in eastern and coastal North Carolina and for four months thereafter, Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin has been personally and very directly involved with fighting for the rebuilding and recovery of of the Tar Heel state.

For examples of his work on Hurricane Irene matters from August through December 2011, go to here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

As you can see at the above links, Insurance Commissioner Goodwin - who also serves as the State Fire Marshal - first deployed his team into the field before the storm, helping fire departments and communities in advance of the storm.  He sent out his investigators to go after scam artists, and activated the propery mediation program and prescription drug assistance program.  Goodwin flew by helicopter over 15 stricken counties, touching down and touring three of them, all within 14 hours of Hurricane Irene departing the state.

Commissioner Goodwin has made no fewer than eleven personal trips to eastern and coastal North Carolina to view damage or to assist consumers and local governments with post-Irene issues.

During those visits, he has met with homeowners, business leaders, and locally-elected officials.

The Department and the Insurance Commissioner have also been dismayed - angered - by the acts of commission or omission perpetrated by private and public insurance adjusters, and third parties post-Irene.  The Commissioner pledges further action in the near future on this topic once all investigations and analyses are completed.

Among the additional issues tackled by the Department of Insurance and Goodwin:  Successfully encouraging FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to improve its services and be on the ground with homeowners at special Insurance Assistance Centers and to extend the period of time for proof of losses -- and addressing various, significant vacation travel insurance matters.

As noted on previous posts here and elsewhere, Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin and his dedicated team of law enforcement officers continue to clean up the streets of North Carolina. Go to here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. 

Easily you will note that no fraud is too small for the Commissioner and his team to go after.

Since North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin took office in 2008, criminal investigators have received more than 11,500 complaints, resulting in 550 arrests, 300 criminal convictions, and more than 115 cases currently pending a court appearance. These arrests have resulted in more than $47.6 million in restitution and recoveries for victims.

Insurance scam artists, embezzlers and bamboozlers beware -- the Capeless Crusader will be on to you before you know it! 

"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do ..." (with a nod to JFK and Ted Sorensen) - NC Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin speaking on 17 Nov 2011 to ASU students, faculty, and NC business leaders at Appalachian State University in beautiful Boone, North Carolina. College students from ASU, UNC-Charlotte, and East Carolina University were preparing for their annual "Insurance Jeopardy" competition.

Educating the public about fire prevention is a priority goal for North Carolina's elected Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin.

In his dual role as State Fire Marshal, Goodwin has traveled all across the state meeting with school children, first responders, civic and political leaders, and business owners.

For example, in early October Goodwin visited with fire department members in Lenoir.  Then a few days later Commissioner Goodwin attended the 9th annual Cumberland County Fire Prevention Day in Fayetteville.  Joining him were his toddler son, Jackson, a great fan of anything to do with the fire and rescue services, and Jan Parker, formerly with the Raleigh Fire Department and now with the Office of State Fire Marshal.

Later, in partnership with the NC Department of Cultural Resources, he led off a press conference and observed the chimney sweeping at the historic Tryon Palace in New Bern. "If there'd been a State Fire Marshal back then, the palace wouldn't have burned down in 1798," Goodwin quipped.

"My family and I will be practicing our family fire drill at home this Wednesday, and I encourage all North Carolinians to do the same with their families," said Goodwin. "Fire Prevention Week is a great time for everyone in the family to learn skills that will help them prevent fires all year long and escape a fire safely."

According to a National Fire Protection Association survey, less than 25 percent of Americans have both developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. And only 8 percent of Americans said their first thought on hearing a smoke alarm would be to get out of the house.

To learn more about this topic, go to this link for the official public press release from the Department of Insurance.