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Useful addresses, phone numbers, and websites
Button image linking to the Corporate Consumer Contacts listed in the FCIC Handbook.
Button image linking to the Car Manufacturers and Dispute Resolution Programs listed in the FCIC Handbook.
Button image linking to State, County, and City Government Consumer Protection Offices listed in the FCIC Handbook.
Button image linking to the State Banking Authorities listed in the FCIC Handbook.
Button image linking to the State Insurance Regulators listed in the FCIC Handbook.
Button image linking to the State Securities Administrators listed in the FCIC Handbook.
Button image linking to the State Utilities Commissions listed in the FCIC Handbook.
Button image linking to the State Weights and Measures Offices listed in the FCIC Handbook.
Button image linking to the Selected Federal Agencies listed in the FCIC Handbook.
Button image linking to the Better Business Bureaus listed in the FCIC Handbook.
Button image linking to the National Consumer Organizations listed in the FCIC Handbook.
Button image linking to the Trade and Professional Associations listed in the FCIC Handbook.
Button image linking to the U.S. Military Consumer Services Programs and Commissary and Exchange Offices listed in the FCIC Handbook.


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Insurance - General Tips

General sources of insurance information include the American Council of Life Insurers, Insurance Information Institute, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and your state insurance department. You can also visit these websites: www.pueblo.gsa.gov, www.insure.com and www.consumerworld.org (click on money).

Whether you’re buying home, life, auto, or disability insurance, you should:

• Check several sources for the best deal. Getting quotes on an Internet site like www.insweb.com can help. www.gomez.com has an Insurance Marketplace Scorecard that will help you identify other sites for quotes. Be aware that many online quote services provide prices for just a few companies. An independent insurance agent in your local area may be able to get you a better deal and always check prices compiled by your state insurance department.

• Make sure the insurance company is licensed and covered by the state’s guaranty fund. The fund pays claims in case the company defaults. Your state insurance department can provide this information.

• Check the financial stability and soundness of the insurance company. Ratings from these sources are available on the Internet and at most public libraries: A.M. Best Ratings (www.ambest.com), Standard & Poor’s (www.standardandpoors.com), Moody’s Investors Services (www.moodys.com), and Weiss Ratings, Inc. (www.weissratings.com).

• Research the complaint record of the company. Contact your state insurance department or visit the website of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners that has a database of complaints filed with state regulators at www.naic.org.

• Find out what others think about the company’s customer service. For a scorecard evaluating insurance companies go to www.gomez.com. How consumers rate homeowner insurance companies is available from J.D. Powers and Associates at www.jdpower.com/homes/insuranceratings.

• Once you pay your first insurance premium, make sure you receive a written policy within 60 days. This tells you the agent forwarded your premium to the insurance company.

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This service is provided by the Federal Citizen Information Center of the U.S. General Services Administration. If you have a comment or question, e-mail