Commissioner's Corner

Commissioner Praeger's monthly newsletter

All documents are in pdf format unless otherwise indicated.

For Additional Information, contact Bob Hanson - Public Information Officer, 785-296-7807 or contact him by email at commissioner@ksinsurance.org.

2013 Commissioner's Corners
May	Commissioner's Corner for May 2013 In five months, the world of health insurance in Kansas will change. On Oct. 1 the federal health exchange marketplace will begin enrolling Kansans (up to age 64) online for health insurance, either through private insurance companies or Medicaid public assistance.
April	Know the signs of storm-damages vehicles A photo in an insurance magazine recently caught my eye. It showed a small portion of vehicles, damaged by Superstorm Sandy, that were being temporarily stored on the runway at an airpark on Long Island, NY.
March	How Kansas severe weather can affect insurance premiums Three or four times a year the Kansas Insurance Department (KID) will get a call froma news reporter asking how the latest severe weather outbreak is going to affect premiums for homeowners and auto insurance. This happens most frequently following a hail event that covers a larger metropolitan area.
February	Statistics show department help for Kansans The Kansas Insurance Department is putting the finishing touches on our 2012 Annual Report. We also have an update to our “ABCs of Insurance” booklet at the printer. In both of them, you can find much information about what we do and how we can help Kansans.
January	What to know, do when faced with an insurance claim At the Kansas Insurance Department (KID), approximately 65 percent of the complaints about insurance we get from consumers are related to claims handling. Delays in processing an insurance claim have been the No. 1 complaint of insurance consumers across the nation for many years, unfortunately.

2012 Commissioner's Corners
December	Check insurance coverage before winter storm problems The prospect of winter storm problems began early this year on the eastern coast of the United States, and I’m urging Kansans to check their homeowners’ and vehicle insurance policies to be sure they are protected as Old Man Winter begins to awaken in the Midwest.
November	Unsuitable insurance sales to veterans are not the way to honor their service We pause to honor United States military veterans this month for their service and sacrifice to their country. Our good wishes always go with them throughout their military careers and into civilian life.
October	Staff designations, leadership roles part of department's consumer outreach Performing the day-to-day work of the Kansas Insurance Department requires diligence, intelligence and persistence. I’m proud of our staff members and the work they do for Kansans. They fulfill a critical mission to regulate, educate and advocate for our citizens who have insurance products.
September	Consider life insurance as part of your basic financial priority list In making a list of exciting things, you probably won’t write down “life insurance” as one of them. It just doesn’t normally register as something that affects our everyday lives. Until, that is, you or your loved ones are without protection for a financially secure future.
August	Department has answers to series of questions about health reform We have put together questions (and answers) that we often hear about the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the national health reform law passed in 2010. KID staff members have intensely studied the law, with help from Kansas consumers, small business owners, insurance companies, insurance agents and federal officials. Our goal is to provide useful, objective information.
July	Boomers in the sandwich generation face complex insurance decisions Today’s 75 million baby boomers in the United States lead hectic lives. Many are part of what’s called the “sandwich” generation, simultaneously preparing kids to leave the nest, caring for elderly parents and planning for their own retirement. These varied roles often present complex insurance decisions for consumers and their families.
June	What you should know when faced with an insurance claim Filing an insurance claim can be an added stressful process following an accident or natural disaster. In fact, according to the new 2011 Kansas Consumer Complaint Ratio booklet from the Kansas Insurance Department (KID), of the complaints registered for all lines of insurance in 2011, almost two-thirds — 65 percent — of complaints concerned problems related to claims handling.
May	Publications - online or hard copy - offer consumers hands-on information The three parts of the Kansas Insurance Department’s mission are to regulate insurance companies, to educate consumers and to advocate for them when needed. One of the best ways we have to fulfill the second objective, educating consumers, is through our constantly updated publications.
April	Know your insurance needs for spring trips With the spring weather blooming, Kansans are moving out of their houses and into their cars for more trips. Holidays, graduations, weddings and other family gatherings will take us away from our homes more this spring.
March	Consider your insurance policies as we enter the spring storm season During 2011, Kansans suffered a record $1.095 billion in estimated property damage because of severe weather. Most of that storm damage occurred during April, May and June of last year, according to Kansas Insurance Department (KID) reports. With spring almost upon us, Kansans should begin taking precautions for bad weather, especially since storms Feb. 28 in the central and eastern parts of the state began the season earlier than usual. Part of that preparation involves reviewing homeowners and auto insurance.
February	Increased fraud activity happens this time of year Kansans stay indoors more during the winter, and we rely on phone service to communicate with others when we can’t get out. Unfortunately, the phone service that lets many of us stay in touch sometimes lets strangers engage us in fraudulent insurance activity.
January	Military families should consider a life insurance policy review Military families throughout Kansas and the Midwest are relishing the thought of being together more now that troops and reservists have returned from the Middle East. As many settle back into more routine family life, family financial considerations will again become topics of conversation.