Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler disciplined and issued fines in February totaling $79,400 against insurance companies, agents, brokers and others who violated state insurance regulations.
Insurance companies
Asuris Northwest Health, Seattle; fined $20,000
The company retroactively denied coverage for a consumer who had received prior authorization for medical treatment. Kreidler asked Asuris to conduct a review, which found 11 consumers and 15 claims that were similarly affected. The company reprocessed and paid the affected claims. It stated the reason for the denials was confusion with its third-party administrator about which providers were in network.
Kreidler fined the following insurance companies for violating state laws:
- Homesite Insurance Co. of the Midwest, Madison, Wisc.; fined $15,000
- Aetna Life Insurance Co., Hartford, Conn.; fined $5,000
- Praetorian Insurance Co., Harrisburg, Penn.; fined $3,000
Agents and brokers
Kreidler revoked the licenses of the following insurance producers:
- Ira Paul Green, Plano, Texas
- Sarah Miller, Denver
- Christopher Lee Porter, Omaha, Neb.
- Barton Kinney Herndon, Pavo, Ga.
- Rainwater Insurance Inc., Tacoma, Wash.
- Edward J. Chadwick and Kelt LLC, Yakima, Wash.
- Ernest Claude Roberts, Seymour, Texas
- Samantha Jo Owens, Omaha, Neb.
The following insurance producers relinquished their licenses:
- Ana Belly Garcia Salazar, Tukwila, Wash.
- Ian A. Davis, Vancouver, Wash.
Kreidler fined the following insurance producers:
- John A. Hunter Jr. and Hunter Insurance Agency, Bothell, Wash.; fined $2,000 and licenses placed on probation
- Thomas Anthony Velickoff, Cashmere, Wash.; fined $500,
- Alfred Interwest Insurance Inc., and Kimberly D. Punt, Port Orchard, Wash.; fined $500
- John Carles Lynch, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; fined $6,000
- Rebecca Burroughs Adams, Arlington, Texas; fined $1,000
- DJM Inc. and Darrin J. Mroz, El Cajon, Calif.; fined $1,000
- Mark D. Derrenberger, Garden City, NY; fined $400
Other organizations
Kreidler disciplined the following organizations for operating in Washington without being registered:
- Southeast Missouri University Foundation, Cape Girardeau, Mo. Fined $10,000
- Tire Shield, Florida, fined $15,000 and assessed $1,107
Topics Texas Washington
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