Illinois e-News Release

Chicago – The Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI) rolled out the new IDOI Help Center this week to replace the current consumer complaints system, which was in use for decades.

The completely revamped and renamed system will help IDOI better serve the nearly 15,000 Illinois insurance consumers annually that file complaints against insurance companies, including life insurance companies, property and casualty insurers for home and auto, health insurers, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), insurance agents and other entities regulated by IDOI.

IDOI Director Dana Popish Severinghaus said the new IDOI Help Center is an important tool in the Department’s ongoing efforts to increase transparency, ensure companies’ compliance with the law, and help Illinois insurance consumers understand their rights under the law. “Consumer complaints are sometimes an early indicator of issues that need our attention and intervention, so we are committed to providing a seamless user experience to further encourage insurance consumers to tell us how we can help,” she explained.

Popish Severinghaus said that enhancing mobile access was a top priority. “User-friendly mobile access is critical because many insurance consumers access our website and the complaints system from their phones, rather than laptops or desktops. Now, consumers can more easily navigate the system to submit and monitor complaints using their cell phones and tablets, allowing for more convenient tracking of any complaint they file with the Department.”

IDOI Help Center improvements include:

• A cleaner design and more intuitive interface to help consumers navigate the complaint process

• Instructions and FAQs on the login page to explain the steps of the complaint process

• Increased transparency enabling consumers to login to track where they are in the process

• An option allowing consumers to submit general questions before creating an account

• Increased data protection for consumers’ private information, including multi-factor authentication

Health care providers will also benefit from the new system. Some health care providers file complaints when they believe health coverage claims are delayed, denied, or unsatisfactorily settled by insurance companies and HMOs. In such circumstances, the Department’s consumer complaints staff can assist providers to the extent allowed under Illinois law and regulations.

The new IDOI Help Center can be accessed here, and consumers learn more about “Understanding the Consumer Complaint Process” here.