United States National Association of Insurance Commissioners promotes state insurance departments as the primary channel for consumer assistance and complaints

The United States National Association of Insurance Commissioners published a consumer advisory positioning state and territorial Departments of Insurance as free public resources for help understanding insurance, resolving disputes with insurers, and reporting suspected misconduct, while noting that regulators’ powers and services vary by jurisdiction. The advisory outlines typical services provided by insurance departments, including explaining policy terms and coverage options, handling complaints about delayed or denied claims and taking enforcement action when rules are broken, offering consumer education tools, licensing insurers and insurance professionals and providing credential checks, monitoring insurers’ financial condition, and investigating or coordinating investigations into suspected insurance fraud where authorised by state law. It also highlights support after natural catastrophes through consumer bulletins and claims-handling expectations, and points beneficiaries to tools to help locate potential life insurance benefits, including the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator for participating companies. The NAIC also clarifies that insurance departments do not set insurance prices, do not act as personal legal counsel in court, and cannot force an insurer to sell a policy, although they can investigate unfair practices and explain available options.