CAVEAT: This is not legal advice; again, I’ve never seen anyone directly helped by the CDI. However, I have seen insurance companies start returning calls and become more attentive when angry clients start complaining, and the insurance company sees they have a bureaucrat asking questions.

If an insurance agent is not acting professionally or is demonstrating unfair insurance practices, you can contact the California Department of Insurance and file a complaint against the insurance company.

Contact the California Department for Unfair Insurance Practices

Many insured people try to contact the consumer complaints department at CDI to resolve their high-dollar-value personal injury cases or any other case against the insurance company. However, that is something the CDI does not do.

CDI has nothing to do with Los Angeles insurance litigation unless it involves criminal or administrative action against an accused insurance company or agent. It is a regulatory body that ensures that an insurance company acts in good faith toward its policyholders.

Individuals who are unfairly treated, acted in bad faith, or faced with unnecessary insurance problems can contact the CDI to pursue regulatory action against the insurance company.

If you want legal help, CDI can help you get a copy of your policy, which you can then give to a private attorney for legal advice. Call their consumer hotline at 1-800-927-HELP, and an agent can help you file a complaint, receive a copy of your policy, or even try to resolve minor to medium issues.

Often, lousy faith manners can complicate things and affect your life. You should file a complaint against the insurance company so that they can pay for their behavior and contact a California injury attorney to help you file a claim lawsuit.

How Does the California Insurance Department Keep Insurance Companies in Check?

After the 1994 natural disasters, it was clear that insurance companies in the United States were violating the law and CDI regulations. They were conducting bad practices to avoid paying out to genuine consumers.

The CDI quickly noticed that and took severe action to ensure that the insurance companies avoid such bad practices in the future. Insurance companies had to:

• Pay hefty fines
• Face court proceedings and legislatures
• Negative publicity.

After taking action against the insurance companies in 1994, the policyholders received fair compensation from the insurance claims department. These days, the CDI does random audits to ensure compliance at insurance companies, just like an external audit done by an audit company for a business.

How do you file a complaint with the California Insurance Department?

Insurance companies are in the industry to do business. Many people might find themselves in an unfortunate situation where the insurance company is not processing consumer payment claims.

One must file a complaint with the CDI to hold these insurance firms accountable. Here are the steps you need to follow to file a complaint against the insurance firm with CDI.

Request for Assistance Form

For example, when you fill out a claims file to file for claims, the same applies here, where individuals can file a complaint by filling out the request for assistance form (RFA). You must complete the RFA form to start the complaints process and report the insurance company’s bad faith practices. You can even ask someone to fill out the form on your behalf and submit it to the CDI.

CDI Contacts the Insurance Company

Upon receiving your complaint, the CDI will start investigating and getting to the bottom of the situation. They will contact your insurance company to learn their story. Remember, the CDI is not a judge but a regulatory body that ensures compliance and punishes bad-faith practices.

It will not take your or the insurance company’s side because CDI does not handle disputes. CDI monitors for trends and flags concerning issues upon which they take proper action to hold the insurance company accountable.

Note: Make sure to document your problems in a complaint. Simply filing a complaint without being descriptive about the nature of your situation won’t warrant any action from CDI. But make sure you don’t give them too much detail in the complaint form, as it can end up hurting your case (for the underinsured) if you file a lawsuit in the future.

Check The Website for Additional Information

CDI’s website contains valuable and up-to-date information that can help insured individuals know their rights and file claims with their insurance company accordingly. Legislation and law change from time to time, and to keep updating yourself on how the change in law affects your insurance policy, you need to visit CDI’s website.

You will find laws on local natural disasters such as wildfires and earthquakes. For example, there was no such thing as “additional living expenses” or ALE, but after the spread of wildfires, the website got updated with a new section featuring this new “law.” ALE requires insurance companies to give their policyholders 24 months of benefits and additional ALE expenses that individuals can claim.

CDI Hosts Public Meetings

Not all individuals file complaints against their insurance company, and to raise awareness of the complaints process and CDI’s mission, the regulatory body holds public meetings. These meetings act as a platform where individuals can learn about CDI and how they operate, while the CDI can learn about insurance firms’ bad behavior.

These meetings are attended by management-level executives at insurance companies, making them an excellent opportunity to convey your concerns directly to them.

Reach out to Us for Insurance Litigation

You can file a complaint against an insurance company, but don’t stop there. An objection might start an inquiry, but the results may not be what you expect. You need to take legal action, and Ehline Law and our attorneys are just the people to reach out to.

Our Los Angeles-based injury attorneys are legal experts who will deal with your insurer on your behalf and get you the insurance coverage you deserve. For more information, contact us at (213) 596-9642 and get a free consultation with an expert lawyer today!