Kansas Insurance Commissioner

Floods threaten homes from coast to coast - and they can happen anytime, anywhere and without warning, said Sandy Praeger, Kansas Commissioner of Insurance. “The damage from a flood is not covered under a standard homeowners policy,” Commissioner Praeger said.  “We at the Kansas Insurance Department and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) suggest all homeowners and renters review their flood insurance needs.”

What would you do if someone calls saying that he will deposit $300 into your bank account to go toward health insurance premiums, or that you can get a one-time, lifelong Medicare Insurance premium for $295, eliminating your monthly Medicare payments? All the caller needs is a bank account number. In both cases, if warning bells went off in your head, then you would probably avoid the insurance and financial fraud that could ensue if you continued on the line.

Sandy Praeger, Kansas Commissioner of Insurance, and Kathy Greenlee, Secretary of the Kansas Department on Aging, are urging older Kansas consumers to think carefully about purchasing life insurance that could be sold as investments to strangers.

Insurance consumers in the Kansas City, KS, area who were customers of Ronald E. Brown, Deatrice Brown or The Brown Insurance Agency are urged to contact their companies for coverage verification following regulatory and legal action against the Browns and their company.

Recent telephone calls to Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger’s office indicate public insurance adjusters may be operating in the state following last week’s ice storm damage.  Only insurance company adjusters and independent adjusters contracted by insurance companies are permitted to operate in Kansas, according to the Commissioner.

It might be the season of giving, but a new survey shows a majority of Americans are worried about what might be taken from them. According to new research by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, of which the Kansas Insurance Department is a member, 57 percent of U.S. adults say they are concerned about being a victim of identity theft during the holiday season, and 66 percent believe they are more at risk when making purchases online.

Nearly 300 people were injured in 2006 in Kansas vehicle accidents involving deer. In total, 9,197 deer-vehicle accidents occurred last year in the state. And three people died in those accidents. Those are statistics Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger would rather not see.  The Commissioner is asking for caution during the upcoming deer mating and hunting seasons.

Imagine graduating from college with thousands of dollars of unauthorized debt and a wrecked credit rating – the result of identity theft. Kansas college students may be vulnerable to identity theft because of the availability of personal information and the way many students handle it, according to Sandy Praeger, Kansas Commissioner of Insurance.

Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger has issued a cease and desist order against a company engaged in the unauthorized sale of insurance in the state of Kansas.  The Tennessee based non-profit corporation, National Foundation of America (NFOA), was purportedly responsible for the advertising and issuance of tax-deductible annuities without submitting to the examination of the Insurance Commissioner. (View Final Order)

Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger is warning Kansans who are shopping for used cars to take a few extra precautions. With the flooding that recently occurred in Northeast Kansas, there may be hundreds of vehicles that have moderate to severe flood damage, and these vehicles may be finding their way to a car seller near you.

Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger is urging Medicare beneficiaries and their families to be aware that some insurance companies may be using aggressive marketing tactics to sell Medicare Advantage products, which in turn may mislead consumers to make decisions that could negatively affect their insurance coverage.

Even though we may still have snow on the ground in many parts of the state, spring storms are just around the corner and as many of you already know, they can bring costly damage to your property.

With more than half of the winter season still ahead of us, the potential for ice and snow storms still loom on the horizon. Many times, these storms can result in the loss of power to our homes and businesses, as power lines become ice laden trees give way under the burden of the ice. Being prepared is the first step to mitigating damages, and increased insurance claims.

As the fall semester approaches, college students and their parents should think carefully about the students’ ongoing health insurance needs. A serious illness or injury could lead to catastrophic consequences for a college student without health insurance.

Annuity sales to senior citizens have significantly increased in recent years. However, as annuity sales have risen, so has a sense of confusion among consumers. This is due, in part, to questionable or deceptive sales practices employed by companies and agents looking to take advantage of uninformed consumers. It is extremely important, when considering whether or not to buy an annuity, to take the necessary precautions in order to make an informed decision that is best for you.

One of the frightening realities of driving on Kansas roads and highways this time of year is the possibility of an unexpected encounter with a deer. The incidence of deer-vehicle accidents typically rise in the fall and spring and occur mainly around sunset and sunrise.

In this particular scam, the caller claims to be from "Medicare" and then advises an unsuspecting senior they have overpaid Medicare the previous year and are entitled to a refund. The caller says they need to verify personal information and then request bank and checking account information so that an automatic refund deposit can be made directly back into their account.

Northeast Kansas and the KC Metro Area has reported individuals receiving calls and being told Medicare cards are being replaced with a new "Medicare Lifetime Card". The individual calling already has some personal information such as social security number, date of birth, etc., and then proceeds to ask for bank account information.

College students renting an off-campus apartment or house while away at school should consider purchasing renters insurance to protect their personal property, such as a computer, television, stereo, bicycle or furniture, in the event that it is damaged, destroyed or stolen.

Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger wants Kansas seniors to know that the “$299 Ring” scam that she reported on in March recently has escalated into a higher priced scam involving, in some cases, a new Medicare card instead of a prescription drug plan.

Four steps you can take to be prepared for summer storms.

Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger wants Kansans to be aware that the standard homeowners’ insurance policy does not cover flood damage.

Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger wants Kansans to know that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is warning seniors and people with disabilities to be aware of a scheme that asks Medicare beneficiaries for money and checking account information to help them enroll in a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

The federal government enacted a new Medicare Prescription Drug coverage benefit for Medicare beneficiaries. Private insurance companies, whose plans have been approved by Medicare, will sell Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (also called PDPs). Everyone with Medicare is eligible to enroll in a PDP, regardless of income or assets.

At a time when many people are struggling to keep up with rising healthcare costs, another,
more costly concern in the form of fraudulent health insurance plans is thriving by victimizing
small businesses.

With health care premiums on the rise, many Americans are searching for more affordable health
insurance. There has been an increase in discount health plans being marketed. It is important to know the difference between health insurance and discount health cards and to be able to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent discount cards.