Oregon Tallies Complaints Against Insurers

Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services, Insurance Division has published its 2008 Complaint Index, which summarizes complaints against insurance companies doing business in Oregon and allows consumers to compare their complaint records.

The report categorizes insurers by type: annuities, personal auto, health, homeowner, life and long-term care.

In the Personal Auto category, Nationwide Assurance Co. had the highest complaint index of 86.46, followed next by Progressive Direct Insurance Co., which had a complaint index of 42.41, according to the report. In the homeowners insurance cateogry, American Modern Select Insurance Co. had the highest complaint index of 48.29, followed by American Security Insurance Co., which had a complaint index of 34.95.

The complaint index average is always measured as 1.00, so a complaint index of 1.00 means the insurer’s share of confirmed complaints is equal to its share of business in Oregon. A complaint index of 2.00 means that the company’s share of confirmed complaints is twice as large as its share of business.

To view the full report, visit http://www.cbs.state.or.us/external/ins/publications/consumer/annual_complaintreports/2008/complaint_stats-2008.pdf.

Source: DCBS