Need Insurance? Beware Of Too-Good-To-Be-True Offers

SEATTLE - Health insurance premiums keep going up, so consumers looking for coverage are eager to find a bargain. But be careful, or you could wind up in worse shape, buying a bogus health insurance plan that's totally worthless. Companies around the country are doing this. Washington State's Deputy Insurance Commissioner, Scott Jarvis says, "They're marketing an illegal health plan and they're leaving consumers with thousands of dollars in unpaid medical bills."

You need to beware of anyone selling a policy that just seems too good to be true. "If you're paying a certain amount of money for coverage and someone comes to you and says they can beat that coverage by a dramatically different amount," Jarvis says, "that should be a warning sign and you need to check that company out."

To make sure you're dealing with a reputable company, contact the State Insurance Commissioner's office at 1-800-562-6900 or online at www.insurance.wa.gov. They'll be glad to answer your questions and tell you if that company is licensed to sell insurance in our state.

The bottom line: any health insurance plan sold to someone who is self-employed must be licensed by the state, no matter what the salesperson tells you.

For More Information:

www.insurance.wa.gov/factsheets/illegalhealthins_s.asp