Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Nathan Houdek issued a final decision to impose civil forfeitures of $6,000 after finding that a contractor was acting as a public adjuster under Wisconsin law, which subjected him to the standards of Wis. Stat. ch. 629, and that he violated those standards by engaging in prohibited conduct and fraudulent practices.
The contractor’s business model, which combined home repair services with “claim assistance” through assignments of benefits which violated state law. Wis. Stat. § 629.10(3) prohibits a person acting as a public adjuster from having a financial interest in the subject of a claim beyond the compensation set out in the adjuster’s contract.
“This decision makes clear that if you are acting as a public adjuster in Wisconsin, you must follow the rules that apply to public adjusters,” said Houdek. “Consumers deserve to know that anyone negotiating an insurance claim on their behalf is free from financial conflicts and is truthful in their dealings with insurers and regulators.”
The Wisconsin Office of the Insurance Commissioner cautions consumers to carefully read contracts that assign their insurance benefits to a contractor or third party. Public Adjusters in Wisconsin are prohibited from requesting or accepting an assignment of insurance policy proceeds from an insured.
Source: OIC
Topics Contractors
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.