Rhode Island Insurance Division Issues ‘Professional Courtesies’ Bulletin

The Rhode Island Insurance Division issued a bulletin to inform property/casualty insurers about “professional courtesies” expected from licensed Insurance claims adjusters and licensed P/C insurance companies while interacting with claimants or their legal representatives during the claims process.

The division, which falls under the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, expects the following four types of actions to be taken by all licensed insurers and adjusters:

• Insurers and adjusters must communicate a change in assigned claim adjuster within 10 business days to any claimant or their legal representative.
• Insurers and adjusters must ensure communications about a claim to a claimant provides a response channel that allows for email responses to the communication to be monitored by the insurer or adjuster.
• Adjusters must provide their supervisor’s contact information when requested by a claimant or their legal representative.
• When an insurer or adjuster is appropriately notified of legal representation for a particular claimant in a particular claim, the insurer or adjuster must both acknowledge receipt of that representation and provide all relevant contact information for any assigned adjuster or other relevant employee of the Insurer.

The department warned that a consistent failure to adhere to these professional standards is a violation of Rhode Island insurance laws.