Credit Report Law and insurance is probably a basic part of your life whether you know it or not

The purchase or use of insurance is a basic part of life whether it is insurance for one’s home, car, apartment, income, health or life. A credit report error can affect the amount you pay for insurance.  You should be aware that whenever you apply to purchase insurance, the insurance company may obtain a credit report about you. Insurance companies obtain a credit report about you when you apply for insurance in order to determine your likelihood for filing a claim and the amount of the claim.

Unfair or deceptive conduct can occur in the purchase or use of insurance policies by consumers. Illegal conduct by insurance companies may take many forms. Insurance companies have been found to misrepresent the policies they are selling or to charge excessive amounts of premiums for the insurance coverage they are providing. To understand how insurance companies use credit reports and scores, please read this report: “Understanding How Insurance Companies Use Credit Information” which can be found following this link: http://oci.wi.gov/pub_list/pi-204.pdf

Jim Pietz has assisted in representing consumers who successfully brought a class action that a specialty consumer reporting company was failing to provide when they requested information in their file maintained by that company.

Mr. Pietz also has experience in representing consumers against insurance companies. Jim Pietz was plaintiffs’ counsel in a case claiming that an property insurance company was illegally overcharging persons for “force-placed insurance”. Mortgage companies purchase and charge homeowners for “force placed insurance if it believes that the homeowners have not purchased sufficient property insurance coverage on their home.

Mr. Pietz also has experience in representing consumers who claim that life insurance companies engaged in unfair and deceptive practices in the sale of life insurance policies.