Insurance shoppers get tool to check complaints

Consumers shopping for health, auto or homeowners insurance have a new tool to compare insurance firms before they buy policies.

The Complaint Comparison Guide, unveiled Wednesday by the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, shows the number of complaints filed against individual insurers, and compares those numbers based on market share and premium volumes.

The data — covering 2003-05 — can be searched online at https://fortress.wa.gov/oic/complaints/.

The guide does not disclose the nature of the complaints, or whether they were substantiated by an investigation. Rather, it provides a rough indication of how satisfied customers are.

The guide's complaint index shows whether a company has more complaints than average.

Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, in a news release announcing the guide, said his office receives more than 2,000 inquiries a week from consumers.

For more information or to file a complaint, call 800-562-6900. Complaints also can be filed through the Web site.

Susan Kelleher: 206-464-2508 or skelleher@seattletimes.com