The Consumer Services Division is an invaluable service to the citizens of Georgia. Just recently the department was recognized for helping Georgians receive over 22 million in insurance benefits they were owed. These are funds that were legally due to policyholders. Funds they may not have received without the assistance of the department.
Now, most law abiding folk know that recently insurance premiums have doubled, tripled in some cases due to the passing of SB-276 passed October 2008. This bill essentially allows for the adding of coverage and increasing of premium rates without prior approval from you the consumer or the Insurance Department. Mr. Oxendine was opposed to this bill. Unfortunately it was passed by General Assembly and went into effect January 2009. We are all affected. If you were in the opinion that company heads of insurance company were being allowed to run rampant on the public you haven’t seen anything yet.
To replace the existing public service as it is now, one with professionals with many years experience and results for individuals who lack the working knowledge would be in essence replacing it with an answering service. Shifting the funds away from the Insurance department’s consumer services division could not only potentially cost Georgian residence millions in insurance benefits but also could cost jobs that support local Georgian families. Much more than the cost of funding the division yearly.
Let’s hope. Let’s pray that lawmakers follow in the tone of this new term by putting aside politics for the sake of just doing what in all honesty is just right.
The Consumer Services Division is an invaluable service to the citizens of Georgia. Just recently the department was recognized for helping Georgians receive over 22 million in insurance benefits they were owed. These are funds that were legally due to policyholders. Funds they may not have received without the assistance of the department.
Now, most law abiding folk know that recently insurance premiums have doubled, tripled in some cases due to the passing of SB-276 passed October 2008. This bill essentially allows for the adding of coverage and increasing of premium rates without prior approval from you the consumer or the Insurance Department. Mr. Oxendine was opposed to this bill. Unfortunately it was passed by General Assembly and went into effect January 2009. We are all affected. If you were in the opinion that company heads of insurance company were being allowed to run rampant on the public you haven’t seen anything yet.
To replace the existing public service as it is now, one with professionals with many years experience and results for individuals who lack the working knowledge would be in essence replacing it with an answering service. Shifting the funds away from the Insurance department’s consumer services division could not only potentially cost Georgian residence millions in insurance benefits but also could cost jobs that support local Georgian families. Much more than the cost of funding the division yearly.
Let’s hope. Let’s pray that lawmakers follow in the tone of this new term by putting aside politics for the sake of just doing what in all honesty is just right.
Don’t hold your breath waiting for the legislature to NOT play politics.