State Law Attorneys Lansing IL

Because state insurance departments are merely taxpayer-funded bodyguards for the insurance industry, you need to contact your state attorney general with insurer-related complaints.

By John Shortell
10/1/2005

II f you're ever bored and want something useless to do - you know, just to pass the time - and you want to hasten your turn in line at the pearly gates via a high-blood-pressure-induced stroke, try to get your state's insurance department to discipline an insurance company. It's a Kevorkian's dream.

I've had my share of problems getting Connecticut's Insurance Department to act in the past. You would think I'd learned my lesson. And that's exactly what the insurance department and the insurance companies bet on. But they don't usually run across someone like me with so much time and so little to do.

It started when AIG sent one of their finest to inspect a Saab with some minor tree damage to the roof. Normally, the guy I deal with from AIG is outstanding. We never have problems. But AIG recently made some internal changes, moved some people around and I ended up having to deal with someone I'd never met before. I'd heard many wonderful things about him from other shops, but I'd never had the pleasure myself of being graced with his charming personality and generosity. I could write a whole story just on his visit, but let me just say this: The guy was miserable. And he didn't want to pay for anything. He also didn't want to pay my labor rate. He then...