Connecticut Collected $6M in Recovered Claims and Fines Last Year

Connecticut regulators say they recovered approximately $3.4 million last year for consumers who complained that their insurers mishandled their claims — and then handed out another $2.35 million in fines against insurers.

The Connecticut Insurance Department’s consumer affairs unit fielded 7,125 inquiries and complaints from January 1 through December 31, and closed 6,692 of them by the end last year. In the final quarter of 2010, regulators processed 2,036 inquiries and complaints and recovered $1.03 million for consumers from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31.

The majority of the funds recovered for consumers stemmed from complaints over health, accident and auto policies. Accident and health claim recoveries accounted for $1.62 million, while auto claim recoveries accounted for about $970,000. Homeowners and farmers’ claims accounted for $330,000; general liability claims were $116,000; fire and commercial, $44,000; and life and annuities were $264,000.

In addition to the recoveries, the department’s market conduct division collected $2.35 million in fines.

The most frequent violations cited by the market conduct examiners last year were unlicensed agents, claims and underwriting practices.