Where do I report aggressive/predatory tactics from insurance companies?

Individual/Marketplace Insurance
1

I was recently tricked into a supplement health insurance policy. I was able to cancel a boy was it a hassle! I only made it through because I used to work in a call center handling legal complaints, and I have never been more thankful for the experience that crappy job gave me

Anyways, where would I report aggressive/predatory tactics from a supplemental health insurance policy? It’s specifically with Adroit. They were Comcast level aggressive. I’ve documented everything. Specific tactics I’d like to report:

  1. I asked to cancel dozens of times and they/Adroit repeatedly kept telling me I didn’t understand my policy. It’s a blatant lie. I was asking about specific coverage. They literally could not print out where a service was covered in my paperwork. The number of times I asked to cancel was insane.
  2. the agent who sold me the policy said a payment method was required before I could see the specifics of the policy (red flag I know). He said this was a placeholder of sorts to keep my rate, and that I would not get billed until the policy began. This was a lie. I was billed later that day
  3. Roughly, 24 hrs later and when I finally made it to the cancellation phase, Adroit was adamant that I e-sign a doc stating my cancellation would be effective after the first month of coverage. My plan was not set to start for another 10 days. I refused multiple times because I’m not paying for coverage I don’t want, won’t receive, and hasn’t even begun yet. They insist I agreed to a 30 day commitment. Nowhere in any of my paperwork did I agree to this, and I never agreed verbally. After, significant pushback from Adroit, I demanded to speak with Legal. After a brief hold, my policy was cancelled and all my money refunded.

I am stunned that this is what most Americans have to experience. “Predatory” doesn’t fully describe how criminal these behaviors are. If this was a mortgage, credit card, loan, etc., I’d report them to the CFPB. Is that an option here? What are the options? Where can I file a complaint?

TL;DR I was put through the ringer by Adroit who lied about coverage, all but refused to cancel my policy, collected illegal payments, attempted to collect additional illegal payments, etc., and I need to file a complaint

7 Likes
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Your state’s Department of Insurance.

6 Likes
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They would really want to hear about this

5 Likes
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It’s the agent, the supervisor, and the agency at fault. There’s no excuse for that behavior. They should have their licenses revoked. You can make a good living by selling quality products and giving honest, knowledgeable advice.

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Call your state health insurance program—every state has one. You can also report the issue to your state’s insurance regulation department, usually called the Office of Insurance Regulation or something similar. File a report with the BBB and any other organizations you can think of.

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And also report it federally to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (consumerfinance.gov)

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Supplemental insurance is a lot less regulated. This is not unusual.

1 Like
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Others have mentioned how to report the company, but here’s some advice for anyone shopping for insurance, from someone in the industry.

Always ask the agent to email you their license and then verify it online. Just Google “Verify [STATE] insurance license” and find your state’s website. Some states use the NAIC, but it varies. Verifying their license not only confirms they’re legit, but it also lets you file a complaint with the state insurance department if they do something wrong.

Google the agent too. Any serious agent should have a LinkedIn profile or similar, where you can check their credibility and maybe leave a review.

Never give payment info before you’ve reviewed a full brochure. Take your time and read the fine print. A good agent will want to review it with you, but they should also let you look it over on your own.

Watch out for common pressure tactics: “limited spots on this plan,” “this price is only good during this call,” or “I can’t send details until you give me payment info.”