The Disability Nightmare

The phone rings... after I introduce myself, the caller, lets call her Mary in this case, asks me a few questions about how I help people in her situation.

I ask Mary a few questions to get some idea of what her actual situation really is- and whether she yet to receive any notices from her mortgage lender.

Mary pauses for a moment lets out a (sigh) and then begins to go into the details of how she wound up facing a possible foreclosure sale and eviction from her home...

"I was working and paying all of my bills pretty much on time. "I don't make much money but I've been making it pretty much up until last May."

I had to go into the hospital after I had been feeling some chest pains for awhile.

It turned out that I had to get (heart surgery).

That's when I started to get behind on bills, I went through what little vacation time and unused sick time I had. The bills have been piling up!

My kids send me a few hundred dollars each month, to help my with my utilities and my medicine.

How Lifes Unexpected Events Can Send You Off Of A "Financial cliff".

You can exchange Mary's problem with any number of illnesses or injuries such as cancer treatment, broken bones, diabetic complications...

The common thread among them is that usually many wind up facing foreclosure, bankruptcy and eviction.

The number 2 cause for many people faced with this situation; after of course number 1, which is the original injury or illness itself, is the amount of time people are (STUCK) waiting for Short and Long term Disability or Workers Comp to kick in.

And I mean Stuck!.

Waiting... and waiting...

Ever heard the saying the "Squeaky Wheel Gets The Grease". Well I'm going to provide you with some (powerful) information to get those wheels turning.

You see; insurance companies are regulated by each State. If you ever have a problem getting answers regarding cases that may be pending or unresolved.

Contact your States Department of Insurance to file a complaint!.

If your financial health and well being is on the line- you need to be proactive and not just depend on others to do everything that they are supposed to do or even paid to do for that matter.

I get so many people that just sit there and take their lumps.

"You've taken your lumps, and there's no reason you need to put up with it anymore!

Okay that's it for my rant, but seriously...

Below you will find links for the State Department of insurance for all 50 States. Forgive me if any of the links are broken I will try to update any broken links as quickly as possible.

Alabama

Department of Insurance 201 Monroe St., Suite 1700 PO Box 303351(Zip 36130-3351) Montgomery, AL 36104 334-269-3550 Fax: 334-241-4192 E-mail: insdept@insurance.state.al.us WEBSITE: Go to aldoi.org

Alaska

Division of Insurance Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development Robert B. Atwood Building 550 W. 7th Avenue, Suite 1560 Anchorage, AK 99501-3567 907-269-7900 TTY: 907-465-5437 Fax: 907-269-7910 E-mail: insurance@commerce.state.ak.us WEBSITE: Go to commerce.state.ak.us

Arizona

Department of Insurance Consumer Affairs Division 2910 North 44th St., Suite 210 Phoenix, AZ 85018-7256 602-364-2499 602-364-3100 Toll free: 1-800-325-2548 (AZ) Fax: 602-364-2505 (Complaints) E-mail: consumers@id.state.az.us WEBSITE: Go to id.state.az.us

Arkansas

Department of Insurance 1200 W. Third St. Little Rock, AR 72201-1904 501-371-2600 501-371-2640 (Consumer Services) Toll free: 1-800-282-9134 (AR) Toll free: 1-800-852-5494 (Consumer Services) Toll free: 1-866-660-0888 (Criminal Investigations - Insurance Fraud) Fax: 501-371-2749 E-mail: insurance.consumers@arkansas.gov WEBSITE: Go to insurance.arkansas.gov

California

California Department of Insurance 300 Capitol Mall, Suite 1700 Sacramento, CA 95814 916-492-3500 415-538-4010 (San Francisco} 213-346-6464 (Los Angeles) Toll free: 1-800-927-4357 (CA) Fax: 916-445-5280 WEBSITE: Go to insurance.ca.gov

Colorado

Division of Insurance 1560 Broadway, Suite 850 Denver, CO 80202 303-894-7490 or 7499 Toll free: 1-800-930-3745 (CO) TTY: 303-894-7880 Fax: 303-894-7455 WEBSITE: Go to dora.state.co.us

Delaware

Department of Insurance 841 Silver Lake Blvd. Dover, DE 19904 302-674-7310 Toll free: 1-800-282-8611 Fax: 302-739-6278 E-mail: consumer@state.de.us WEBSITE:

Go to state.de.us

District of Columbia

Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking 810 First St., NE, Suite 701 Washington, DC 20002 202-727-8000 Fax: 202-535-1196 E-mail: info.disb@dcgov.org WEBSITE: Go to disb.dc.gov

Florida

Office of Insurance Regulation Department of Financial Services 200 East Gaines St. Tallahassee, FL 32399-0322 850-413-3100 850-413-3140 Toll free: 1-800-342-2762 (FL) TTY: 1-800-640-0886 (Toll free) Fax: 850-488-2349

WEBSITE: Go to flds.com

Georgia

Insurance and Fire Safety Two Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. 704 West Tower Atlanta, GA 30334 404-656-2070 Toll free: 1-800-656-2298 (GA) TTY: 404-656-4031 Fax: 404-657-8542 WEBSITE: Go to inscomm.state.ga.us

Hawaii

Insurance Division Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs PO Box 3614 Honolulu, HI 96811-3614 808-586-2790 or 2799 Fax: 808-587-6714 E-mail: insurance@dcca.hawaii.gov WEBSITE: Go to hawaii.gov/dcca/ins

Idaho

Department of Insurance 700 West State St. PO Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720-0043 208-334-4250 Toll free: 1-800-721-3272 (ID) Fax: 208-334-4398 WEBSITE: Go to doi.state.id.us

Illinois

Division of Insurance Department of Financial and Professional Regulation 100 West Randolph St., Suite 9-100 Chicago, IL 60601-3395 312-814-4500 TTY: 312-814-2603 Fax: 312-814-4862 E-mail: Director@ins.state.il.us WEBSITE: Go to state.il.us/ins

Indiana

Department of Insurance 311 W. Washington St., Suite 300 Indianapolis, IN 46204-2787 317-232-2385 Toll free: 1-800-622-4461 (IN) Toll free: 1-800-452-4800 (In-state Senior Health Insurance Information) Fax: 317-232-5251 WEBSITE: Go to state.in.us/idoi/

Iowa

Division of Insurance 330 Maple St. Des Moines, IA 50319 515-281-5705 Toll free: 1-877-955-1212 Fax: 515-281-3059 WEBSITE: Go to iid.state.ia.us

Kansas

Insurance Division 420 SW 9th St. Topeka, KS 66612-1678 785-296-7801 Toll free: 1-800-432-2484 (KS) TTY: 1-877-235-3151 (Toll free) Fax: 785-296-2283 E-mail: commissioner@ksinsurance.org WEBSITE: Go to ksinsurance.org

Kentucky

Office of Insurance 215 West Main St. PO Box 517 Frankfort, KY 40601 502-564-3630 Toll free: 1-800-595-6053 Fax: 502-564-1650 WEBSITE: Go to doi.ppr.ky.gov

Louisiana

Department of Insurance 1702 N. Third St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802 225-342-0895 225-342-5900 Toll free: 1-800-259-5300 Toll free: 1-800-259-5301 Fax: 254-342-3078 E-mail: public@ldi.state.la.us WEBSITE: Go to ldi.state.la.us

Maine

Bureau of Insurance 34 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0034 207-624-8475 Toll free: 1-800-300-5000 (ME) TTY: 1-888-577-6690 (Toll free) Fax: 207-624-8599 WEBSITE: Go to state.me.us/pfr/ins/ins_index.htm

Maryland

Insurance Administration 525 St. Paul Place Baltimore, MD 21202-2272 410-468-2000 Toll free: 1-800-492-6116 TTY: 1-800-735-2258 (Toll free) Fax: 410-468-2020 WEBSITE: Go to mdinsurance.state.md.us

Massachusetts

Division of Insurance Consumer Service Section One South Station, 5th Floor Boston, MA 02110-2208 617-521-7794 TTY: 617-521-7490 Fax: 617-521-7575 WEBSITE: Go to state.ma.us/doi

Michigan

Office of Financial and Insurance Services 611 West Ottawa St., 3rd Floor PO Box 30220 Lansing, MI 48909 517-373-0220 Toll free: 1-877-999-6442 Fax: 517-335-4978 E-mail: ofis-info@michigan.gov WEBSITE: Go to michigan.gov/ofis

Minnesota

Department of Commerce Market Assurance Division 85 7th Place East Suite 500 St. Paul, MN 55101 651-296-2488 Toll free: 1-800-657-3602 (MN) TTY: 651-296-2860 Fax: 651-296-4328 E-mail: market.assurance@state.mn.us WEBSITE: Go to commerce.state.mn.us

Mississippi

Department of Insurance PO Box 79 Jackson, MS 39205 601-359-2453 Toll free: 1-800-562-2957 (MS) Fax: 601-359-1077 E-mail: consumer@mid.state.ms.us WEBSITE: Go to doi.state.ms.us

Missouri

Missouri Department of Insurance PO Box 690 301 West High St., Room 530 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0690 573-751-4126 Toll free: 1-800-726-7390 (MO) TTY: 573-526-4536 Fax: 573-526-4898 E-mail: askmdi@insurance.mo.gov WEBSITE: Go to insurance.mo.gov

Montana

Department of Insurance 840 Helena Ave. Helena, MT 59601 406-444-2040 Toll free: 1-800-332-6148 (MT) TTY: 406-444-3246 Fax: 406-444-3497 E-mail: stateauditor@mt.gov WEBSITE: Go to sao.mt.gov

Nebraska

Department of Insurance Terminal Building 941 O St., Suite 400 Lincoln, NE 68508-3639 402-471-0888 (In Lincoln) 402-471-2201 Toll free: 1-877-564-7323 TTY: 1-800-833-7352 (Toll free) Fax: 402-471-6559 E-mail: consumer_affairs@doi.state.ne.us WEBSITE: Go to doi.ne.gov

Nevada

Division of Insurance, State of Nevada Department of Business & Industry 788 Fairview Drive Suite 300 Carson City, NV 89701-5491 775-687-4270 Fax: 775-687-3937 WEBSITE: Go to doi.state.nv.us

New Hampshire

Department of Insurance 21 South Fruit St., Suite 14 Concord, NH 03301-2430 603-271-2261 Toll free: 1-800-852-3416 (NH) TTY: 1-800-735-2964 (NH) Fax: 603-271-1406 E-mail: requests@ins.nh.gov WEBSITE: Go to nh.gov/insurance

New Jersey

Department of Banking and Insurance 20 West State St. PO Box 325 Trenton, NJ 08625 609-292-5360 609-292-5064 (Public Affairs) Fax: 609-292-5571 WEBSITE: Go to njdobi.org

New Mexico

Department of Insurance PO Box 1269 Santa Fe, NM 87504-1269 505-827-4601 Toll free: 1-800-947-4722 (NM) Fax: 505-827-4734 E-mail: John.Gaherty@state.nm.us WEBSITE: Go to nmprc.state.nm.us

New York

Consumer Services Bureau Insurance Department One Commerce Plaza Albany, NY 12257 518-474-6600 Toll free: 1-800-342-3736 (NY) Fax: 518-474-6630 E-mail: consumers@ins.state.ny.us WEBSITE: Go to ins.state.ny.us

North Carolina

Department of Insurance Dobbs Bldg., 430 North Salisbury St. 1201 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1201 919-733-2032 Toll free: 1-800-546-5664 Toll free: 1-800-662-7777 Fax: 919-733-0085 E-mail: consumer@ncdoi.net WEBSITE: Go to ncdoi.com

North Dakota

Insurance Department 600 East Boulevard Ave. 5th Floor Bismarck, ND 58505-0320 701-328-2440 Toll free: 1-800-247-0560 (ND) TTY: 1-800-366-6888 (Toll free) Fax: 701-328-4880 E-mail: insurance@nd.gov WEBSITE: Go to nd.gov/ndins

Ohio

Office of Consumer Services Department of Insurance 2100 Stella Court Columbus, OH 43215-1067 614-644-2673 Toll free: 1-800-686-1526 (Consumer Hotline) Toll free: 1-800-686-1527 (Fraud Hotline) Toll free: 1-800-686-1578 (Senior Hotline) TTY: 614-644-3745 Fax: 614-644-3744 WEBSITE: Go to ohioinsurance.gov

Oklahoma

Insurance Department 2401 N. W. 23rd St., Suite 28 PO Box 53408 Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3408 405-521-2828 Toll free: 1-800-522-0071 (OK) Fax: 405-521-6635 E-mail: feedback@insurance.state.ok.us WEBSITE: Go to oid.state.ok.us

Oregon

Insurance Division 350 Winter St., NE, Room 440-2 PO Box 14480 (Zip 97309-0405) Salem, OR 97301-3883 503-947-7984 Toll free: 1-888-877-4894 (OR) Fax: 503-378-4351 E-mail: dcbs.insmail@state.or.us WEBSITE: Go to insurance.oregon.gov

Pennsylvania

Bureau of Consumer Service Insurance Department 1209 Strawberry Square Harrisburg, PA 17120 717-787-2317 Toll free: 1-877-881-6388 Fax: 717-787-8585 E-mail: ra-in-consumer@state.pa.us WEBSITE: Go to insurance.state.pa.us

Puerto Rico

Office of the Commissioner of Insurance Call Box 8330 Fernandez Juncos Station Santurce, PR 00910-8330 787-722-8686 787-721-5848 Toll free: 1-888-722-8686 Fax: 787-722-4402 E-mail: mlatorre@ocs.gobierno.pr WEBSITE: Go to ocs.gobierno.pr

Rhode Island

Insurance Division Department of Business Regulation 233 Richmond St., Suite 233 Providence, RI 02903-4233 401-222-2223 TTY: 401-222-2999 Fax: 401-222-5475 WEBSITE: Go to dbr.state.ri.us

South Carolina

Consumer Services Department of Insurance 300 Arbor Lake Drive, Suite 1200 PO Box 100105 Columbia, SC 29202 803-737-6180 Toll free: 1-800-768-3467 (SC) Fax: 803-737-6231 E-mail: CnsmMail@doi.sc.gov WEBSITE: Go to doi.sc.gov

South Dakota

Division of Insurance Department of Revenue and Regulation 445 East Capital Avenue Pierre, SD 57501 605-773-3563 Fax: 605-773-5369 WEBSITE: Go to state.sd.us/drr

Tennessee

Department of Commerce and Insurance 500 James Robertson Pkwy. 5th Floor Nashville, TN 37243-0565 615-741-2241 Toll free: 1-800-342-4029 (TN) Fax: 615-532-4994 WEBSITE: Go to state.tn.us/commerce

Texas

Department of Insurance 333 Guadalupe St. PO Box 149104 Austin, TX 78714 512-463-6169 Toll free: 1-800-578-4677 Fax: 512-475-2005 E-mail: rbordelon@opic.state.tx.us WEBSITE Go to tdi.state.tx.us

Utah

Department of Insurance State Office Bldg., Room 3110 Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6901 801-538-3805 Toll free: 1-800-439-3805 (UT) TTY: 801-538-3826 Fax: 801-538-3829 WEBSITE: Go to insurance.utah.gov

Vermont

Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration 89 Main St., Drawer 20 Montpelier, VT 05620-3101 802-828-3301 Toll free: 1-800-964-1784 (VT) Toll free: 1-800-631-7788 (VT - Health Insurance) Fax: 802-828-3306 WEBSITE: Go to bischa.state.vt,us

Virgin Islands

Division of Banking and Insurance No. 18 Kongens Gade St. Thomas, VI 00802 340-774-7166 Fax: 340-774-9458 WEBSITE: Go to ltg.gov.vi

Washington

Office of the Commssioner of Insurance Insurance 5000 Building PO Box 40255 Olympia, WA 98504-0255 360-725-7103 Toll free: 1-800-562-6900 (WA) TTY: 360-586-0241 Fax: 360-586-3109 E-mail: mikek@olc-wa-gov WEBSITE: Go to insurance.wa.gov

West Virginia

Offices of the Insurance Commissioner 1124 Smith St. PO Box 50540 (Zip 25305-0540) Charleston, WV 25301 304-558-3354 Toll free: 1-888-879-9842 (WV) Fax: 304-558-0412 E-mail: wvins@wvinsurance.gov WEBSITE: Go to wvinsurance.gov

Wisconsin

Office of the Commissioner of Insurance 125 S Webster St. PO Box 7873 (Zip 53707-7873) Madison, WI 53702 608-266-3585 Toll free: 1-800-236-8517 (WI) TTY: Dial 711 and ask for 608-266-3586 Fax: 608-266-9935 E-mail: information@oci.state.wi.us WEBSITE: Go to oci.wi

Wyoming

Department of Insurance Herschler Bldg.,122 West 25th St. 3rd Floor East Cheyenne, WY 82002-0440 307-777-7401 Toll free: 1-800-438-5768 (WY) Fax: 307-777-5895 E-mail: wyinsdep@state.wy.us WEBSITE Go to insurance.state.wy.us/