The Consumer Federation of America (CFA), in a letter to the Washington State House Consumer Protection & Business Committee, urged them to support HB 1199, which would enable consumers who have been cheated to get their money back.

This bill would give the Insurance Commissioner the power to order restitution from insurance companies to policyholders who have been unfairly treated or overcharged. Currently cases have to go through the courts–and there is no way to require companies to give people refunds. For example, the $1.86 million in fines stemming from OIC actions in 2024 was paid to the state general fund, but the actions led to no return of money to the consumers victimized by the insurers’ improprieties and illegalities.

Accountability for insurers is critically important for a fair and functioning insurance marketplace. If policymakers want insurers to abide by the laws and consumer protections passed by the Legislature, they need to face meaningful consequences for abuses, and HB 1199 will help ensure that.