OIC Answers on Insurance

Latest Episodes:

What's the deal with health insurance rates? Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

Individual market health rates are up, on average, 22.2 percent among the 12 insurance companies selling plans on the state health benefit exchange.

It’s the Insurance Commissioner’s responsibility to review these rates and, if they’re actuarially justified, approve them. But what does that mean? Why do the rates keep going up? And what happens if the Commissioner just says “no” to rate change requests?

On this episode of OIC Answers, Washington state Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer welcomes on Todd Lovshin and Rocky Patterson from the agency’s Rates, Forms and Provider Networks team to talk about the rate review process, the drivers behind health insurance rate increases, and what changes need to happen to address the ever-growing cost of health care.

Read the OIC's health insurance decision memos here.

Reproductive healthcare and your coverage rights Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

Health plans in Washington have to provide coverage for over-the-counter contraceptives with no co-pays or deductibles.

On this episode of the OIC Answers podcast, our summer intern Betty sits down with one of our policy analysts to go over what’s covered and how you can make sure your health insurer pays for it.

What we learned at Spokane’s Disaster Assistance Center Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

The Office of the Insurance Commissioner deployed staff to the Disaster Assistance Center at Shadle Park High School immediately after the Spokane Complex Fire started in early August.

On this episode of the OIC Answers podcast, the two OIC staffers who spent the most time in Spokane helping with fire recovery discuss what they saw, what they learned, the benefits of having insurance companies send representatives to the DAC to help with claims, and what people might not realize about their home insurance until it’s too late.

A brief update on the OIC's fire response Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of OIC Answers, hosts Aaron VanTuyl and Matt Baide provide a quick update on the OIC's response to the Spokane Complex Fires.

Staff from the agency's consumer advocacy team will be on hand to answer questions and help fire survivors at the Shadle Park Disaster Assistance Center starting the morning of Thursday, August 6.

Note: The Shadle Park insurance information event, originally scheduled for August 5, has been cancelled.

What’s in your auto policy? Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

Everybody has car insurance, or at least they should. But once you sign up and fork over that first monthly premium, you get a big envelope full of information. What’s it all mean? What’s the difference between comprehensive and collision? Is there really “full coverage?”

On this episode of the OIC Answers podcast, Amy Teshera from our Consumer Protection team walks us through every coverage option for your auto insurance and explains what it covers, when you’d need it, and when it probably isn’t a smart financial decision.

How does the OIC review insurance rates? Jul 13, 2026

Show notes

If an insurance company wants to change the base rate for its home or auto policies in Washington state, it has to file the change with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. But what are those rates, really, and what authority does the OIC have to approve or disapprove them? Why do they change, and what type of analysis is involved in the review process?

On this episode of OIC Answers, hosts Aaron and Matt welcome on the agency’s lead property and casualty actuary to explain the science and standards behind the P&C rate review process.

Jane Beyer on 40 years of Washington health policy May 26, 2026

Show notes

Jane Beyer has had a hand in almost every major piece of health policy legislation in Washington for the last 40 years. The OIC’s Senior Health Policy Advisor retires in June, capping a career that’s included separate stints running Medicaid and the Behavioral Health Administration for DSHS, helping implement the Affordable Care Act and the Health Benefits Exchange, establishing the Washington State Vaccine Association and developing protections against balance billing.

On this episode of the OIC Answers podcast, Beyer sits down with Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer to talk about her career, her most important accomplishments, the future of health policy and what type of challenges await the OIC’s next health policy expert.

How does the Wildfire Prepared Home designation work? May 18, 2026

Show notes

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety is now offering its Wildfire Prepared Home designation in Washington, which will help homeowners in areas with a high wildfire risk make their homes more insurable.

On this episode of OIC Answers, recurring guest David Forte(OIC Senior Policy Analyst) and IBHS’ Senior Director for Wildfire Steve Hawks talk about IBHS’ research facility, how the Wildfire Prepared Home designations work, how it helps homeowners protect their property, the steps involved in earning a designation and the OIC’s work on wildfire mitigation.

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How do you enforce mental health parity? Apr 20, 2026

Show notes

Over the last year or so, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner has fined three large health insurance companies (Regence, Premera and Kaiser) a total of $1.4 million dollars for violations of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. But what exactly are those violations? How does the MHPAEA work? What do health insurers have to do to stay within the law?

On this episode of OIC Answers, Karen Brooks from the OIC’s Company Supervision team and Will Genschow from Legal Affairs dive into the minutia of enforcement orders and data analyses, the difference between quantitative and non-quantitative treatment limitations, how to settle on a fine amount, and what mental health parity means for people seeking treatment.

What's the deal with title insurance? Apr 01, 2026

Show notes

If you’ve bought a house (or a condo), you’ve probably bought title insurance to go with it.

But what does it do? What does it protect you from? How do you file a claim and what type of trouble could really befall a title?

OIC Answers, a podcast from the Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner, is back with regular hosts Aaron VanTuyl and Matt Baide to get to the bottom of it. Joined by Josh Martinsen from the OIC’s Consumer Protection team, on this episode the hosts dive into liens, claims, deeds, tax records, maps and surprise heirs to make sure you can avoid all the issues with a complicated property transaction.

Visit insurance.wa.gov go learn more and get help with any insurance questions.

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