State of Iowa Insurance Division - Market Regulation Bureau Failed in Their Duty to Fully Investigate My Complaint Against and Insurance Agency - A Classic Example of Government Protecting the Insurance Industry and Not the Public Des Moines Iowa
It has long been my experience that most State Agencies, often fail to protect the citizens of their states. They take consumer complaints, and then dismiss them out of hand - basically denying justice and resolution to the citizens who pay their salaries. In fact, the biggest Rip Off of all times, are such state agencies - who do nothing to resolve complaints, and cause never ending fustration for the citizens they are supposed to protect.
Such is true with the State of Iowa Insurance Division, Market Regulations Bureau. In my experience, they are nothing but a RUBBER STAMP for the Insurance Companies and Insurance Agencies.
My husband and I made the mistake of trusting our home and auto insurance needs to an insurance broker called Onward Insurance in Maquoketa, Iowa. Unknown to me, at the time, the agent was a "newer" employee who did not have the experience and knowledge needed to find us a good company that was reliable and trustworthy. Also, he did not provide us with correct information, which caused a whole host of problems ranging from policy premium increases, lack of communication and correspondence, policy cancellation letters, incorrect policy coverages, loss of auto/home insurance bundle discounts, and a sneaky way of trying to get us to cancel the homeowner policy and not caring if we had insurance or not. In addition, the company this novice agent set us up with, Heritage Insurance Company has dozens of complaints against them, and negative reviews on various websites.
Instead of Onward Insurance Agency and Heritage resolving our problems, they chose to HOLD HANDS and bind together against us.
We had to scamble for auto and homeowner coverage with another agency. This all happened between April 4, 2023 and June 6, 2023.
Against, my better judgement, and from past experience with State Insurance Commissions not helping me, and just being on the side of the insurance companies, I made the effort to file a detailed complaint with the Iowa Insurance Division of the State of Iowa.
To make a long story shorter, I filed a very detailed and complete complaint against Onward Insurance and Heritage Insurance. At first, the person I spoke with seemed to sympathize with our problem caused by these 2 companies, but things began to change when our complaint was handed over to someone named Cristen - an insurance complaint analyst. At first I was told that the process would take several weeks to complete.
Well, it never took that long. A bit over 1 week later, I get an emailed letter from this Cristin basically saying that it is a HE SAYS, SHE SAYS MATTER. In short, she chose to believe every single word (or shall I say lie) told by Onward and Heritage. This is exactly what I mean, dear readers, the public NEVER gets the Benefit of any Doubt.
I was very angry, and found another person to transfer my complaint to, a Consumer Resolution Specialist named Sonya. She also works for the Iowa Insurance Division. At first, this Sonya seemed to understand and sympathize with us - 2 senior citizens scorned, but she also proved to be another Rubber Stamp for both Cristin and the Insurance agencies.
I get a phone call from her today trying to explain why our valid complaint was being dismissed out of hand, and all she could come up with is another HE SAYS, SHE SAYS MATTER. She also had the nerve to say that I received and agreed to things that I explained in my complaint that I did not receive nor agree to such things. SO, WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE? ANOTHER COP OUT REPLY WITH THE IOWA DIVISION OF INSURANCE BELIEVING ONLY THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND AGENCY AND NOT US!!!
I must further add, that Sonya, also told me that handling the complaint would take several weeks. Well, she dismissed my complaint in 1 weeks time. This is why I say, the public will NEVER get a fair shake from State Insurance Commissions, - unless one is lucky to live in California or Oregon, where the State Agencies are more on the side of the Public.
All this Sonya could say, is that I should take this matter up in a court of law. Our problem is NOT a matter for a court of law, BUT FULLY WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE STATE INSURANCE COMMISSION, which does nothing but cause more fustration for the citizen.
Oh yes, she is going to keep my valid complaint on file in case more, similar complaints come in. Wow, look what I have to look forward to!
I would like to advise, all Iowa citizens reading this review and report, that it is simply a pure waste of time and effort to try to convince the Iowa Division of Insurance to take your valid complaints against insurance companies and agencies in any serious manner.
This is why insurance companies get away with everything they do! Raising rates when you have no claims, Threatening to cancel your policy if you do not sign documents the way they want you to. Threatening to take away any discounts if you make a claim. The list goes on.
Insurance Companies, as a whole, never lose a penny. For every claim they do pay, they file for a rate increase with the Glad Handing Insurance Commissions. In short, they make everyone pay for any monies they pay out. What a racket! And most State Insurance Commission are on their side as most of the time, insurance commissioners and other positions in State Insurance Divisions are elected positions. Their biggest donors are Insurance Companies.
This is why the PUBLIC OFTEN GETS THE SHORT STICK. How sad this all is, and the facts are based upon this and other experiences of my own with State Insurance Departments.
Make sure you totally investigate your insurance company and agent BEFORE buying insurance and wasting your hard earned money.
Signed,
Been there, and done that and now $ 275.32 poorer and alot more fustrated.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Barbara
Iowa,United States
THIRD AND FINAL CHAPTER ON THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE AND REPRESENTATIVE SONYA
#3Author of original report
Sat, November 11, 2023
I am the author of 1 report and 1 update on the problems my husband and I have with the State of Iowa Dept of Insurance.
In my report, I have told of the serious problems we have with the State of Iowa Dept of Insurance and how they FAILED to fully and carefully investigate a major complaint against Onward Insurance Agency of Maquoketa, Iowa and Heritage Insurance Company back in April through June, 2023.
I described how this Consumer Protection Specialist, SONYA, who proported herself to be an ADVOCATE FOR THE CONSUMER, was instead
JUST A RUBBER STAMP FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANY. Instead of protecting US, THE CONSUMER, SHE DELIBERATELY CHOSE TO PROTECT ONWARD INSURANCE AGENCY AND HERITAGE INSURANCE.
In my first UPDATE, I described how she chose to believe every single word uttered by BOTH COMPANIES.
This SONYA, had the nerve to tell me that she had PROOF, SIGNED BY ME, THAT I KNEW AND AGREED TO AN ONLINE ACCOUNT AND EVERYTHING BOTH LYING INSURANCE COMPANIES SAID.
She claimed she was enclosing such PROOF by postal mail and e-mail. I reported that she never sent such proof to me.
NOW AN UPDATE - SHOCKING AS IT SEEMS:
This, so called, Consumer Advocate, SONYA, finally - sent me some paperwork. However, what she sent was just an APPLICATION FOR INSURANCE THAT WE SIGNED BACK IN EARLY APRIL, 2023. just a 5 page Application.
Nothing on anything else signed by me for setting up and agreeing to an online account and other terms of the Heritage Insurance. The paperwork for the online account agreement was just 1 page that was just a form that I never saw nor signed.
I guess Sonya does not know the difference between an Application for Insurance and an Agreement for Other Matters.
This proves that this Sonya is either
1.) Unable to Read Nor tell the difference between an Insurance Application and any other paperwork
2.) She is only there to PROTECT THE INSURANCE COMPANY.
Both, I now believe to be true.
I wrote back to her, but she never answered.
FOLKS, THIS IS SADLY, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DARE TO FILE A LEGITIMATE COMPLAINT AGAINST AN INSURANCE COMPANY.
YOU NEVER WIN - UNLESS YOU HAVE A GOOD LAWYER.
In my years of experience with Home Insurance Companies, and dealing with several Depts of Insurance, in other states, THESE STATE AGENCES ARE RARELY ON THE SIDE OF THE CITIZEN.
Filing a complaint, is a waste of time and will only cause you much fustration.
Many of these State Depts of Insurance have Elected Positions and it is the Insurance Companies who largely contribute to their re-election.
THEREFORE, THEY ARE NOT ON THE SIDE OF THE CITIZEN AND ONLY GO WHERE THEIR BREAD IS BUTTERED.
Signed,
More Words of Wisdom - If you cannot find a good lawyer, to fight your complaint, try taking the insurance company or agency to court if you feel you have been wronged.
Never know, you might just meet a Fair Judge.
Barbara
Iowa,United States
More Information on the Iowa Department of Insurance Commission, their Incompetence and Lack of Attention to Citizen Complaints
#3Author of original report
Sat, July 08, 2023
I am the author of the report # 1527262 on the Iowa Department of Insurance Commission. Yesterday, I receive a letter from SONYA, the Officer of Consumer Advocacy in the Iowa Dept of Insurance. She basically said the same thing she told me on the phone last week, which is just to TAKE THE SIDE of the Onward Insurance Agency and Heritage Insurance. Again, her point is THAT MY VERSION OF WHAT HAPPENED IS DIFFERENT FROM THE VERSION TOLD BY THE AGENT WHO SOLD US THE POLICY. As I said in my original report, this agent has been with Onward a short time and even the agent's manager admitted fault upon the agent. But of course, when it comes to answering a citizen complaint, the agency does a 180 degree turn and blames this all on us. TWO SENIOR CITIZENS WHO ENTRUSTED THEM WITH INSURANCE POLICYS.
What causes me to write an UPDATE and to add more Information, is the letter content itself. SONYA, says, WITH REGARD TO YOUR AUTO PAYMENT ON THE HOMEOWERS INSURANCE. YOU SIGNED A DOCUMENT ON 3/29/23 (ATTACHED) WHICH PROVIDES INFORMATION ON HOW TO SET UP THE AUTO PAYMENT.
First of all, this ALLEGED, ATTACHED DOCUMENT, was NOT included with this letter. This clearly shows the lack of attention to our valid complaint and the incompetance of the Iowa Dept of Insurance in NOT attaching this document, as Sonya said in the letter.
Secondly, as I told Cristen and Sonya, several times in our complaint, e-mails and phone conversations, the Onward Agent, never told me anything about setting up an automatic online payment. The agent said HE would take care of the auto payment monthly by an automatic deduction using the credit card I provided and paid the first 2 months of this worthless home policy. He told me he would set it all up for us.
WE NEVER RECEIVED NOR SIGNED ANYTHING ABOUT AN AUTOMATIC PAYMENT SET UP ONLINE. ON 3/29/23. Also, we only had the quote from the agent and we were NOT moved into the State of Iowa on March 29, 2023.
Yet, the Iowa Dept of Insurance Chooses to believe the Insurance Agency and NOT US.
If anyone out there, reading the complaint and this update, has any supportive help for us, please respond via this website.
Again, we say, to all out there, DO NOT BOTHER FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE IOWA DEPT OF INSURANCE OR ANY STATE INSURANCE COMMISSION. Your valid complaint will, most likely, fall onto deaf ears and you will be further fustrated then you were when you filed the complaint.
We filed the complaint in good faith and expected to be treated fairly, but we got the short end of the stick, and I fully expect YOU will too if you file a complaint against an insurance company or agency.
Finally, SONYA has the nerve to write I UNDERSTAND YOUR FUSTRATION. If she truly understood our fustration, she would have not taken sides and given us a fair shake. However, she failed to do so and caused more FUSTRATION for us in this POOR EXCUSE of as so called INVESTIGATION.
Signed,
Never Believe a Government Agency When They Say They Are Here To Help You.