COVID-19 Actions

The Indiana Department of Insurance (IDOI) continues to issue news and update guidance regarding the actions taken by the IDOI as our state responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. Below are links to current guidance:

Governor Holcomb's Executive Orders

Governor Holcomb's Executive Orders

Contents on This Page

Getting Indiana Back on Track

Health Insurance Rates

Automobile Insurance Rates

CMS to pay for patient visits via telephone

Patient's Compensation Fund (PCF)

IDOI Remote Work

Testing Centers for Licensure of Producers, Adjusters, Etc.

Extension of Licenses

Board Meetings

IDOI Bulletins

Business Interruption and Insurance

Insurance Coverage for COVID-19 Testing

Consumer Alerts

Getting Indiana Back on Track

Governor Holcomb announced five stages Indiana is using to safely reopen and get the state back on track during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data is being used to drive the decisions for the sector-by-sector reset. To learn more about the guiding principles and the approach the state is using, visit BackOnTrack.in.gov.

Health Insurance Rates

Indiana Department of Insurance approves financial relief programs for health plans to help Hoosiers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• UnitedHealthcare – Premium Forgiveness Credits
• Anthem – Financial Assistance Actions

Automobile Insurance Rates

As Indiana residents are currently under a stay-at-home order issued by Governor Holcomb, the Indiana Department of Insurance (IDOI) is receiving inquiries concerning automobile insurance rates during this time of reduced driving activity. Some companies have chosen to provide premium refunds to their policyholders as claims experience is expected to improve temporarily while many Hoosiers shelter in place. Miles driven, among many other factors, is commonly used as a component in determining the premium paid by individual policyholders. Generally, the anticipated miles driven is declared at the time of application for coverage. The applicant may also be assigned a usage classification, such as pleasure class or commuter. Pleasure class is often designated for those who do not commute on a regular basis. Commuting class is assigned for those who do commute on a regular basis and there may be multiple categories for commuting class based upon distance of the commute. Some companies have implemented usage-based (telematics) products which allow insurance companies to monitor driving behavior of individual policyholders, including miles driven, and adjust rates accordingly.

It is important to note that each company that provides automobile insurance to Indiana policyholders has their own unique rating methodology. These rating formulas can vary greatly in the impact that miles driven has on an individual policyholder’s rate. Some companies use rating formulas that do not rely heavily on miles driven.

As claims experience is expected to improve during this unprecedented period of social distancing, the IDOI anticipates that the improved experience may be reflected in future rate filings for automobile insurance products. The decreased number of claims will affect the actuarial rate indications that insurers calculate in the future although how much impact it will have depends on how long the directive lasts and whether and how quickly policyholders go back to their prior driving routine once the directive is lifted.

Insurers generally use their claim experience on policies they have written compared to the premium for those policies to calculate a loss ratio. They then compare that loss ratio against an expected or breakeven loss ratio to determine if rates, on average, should increase, decrease or remain the same. An insurer’s expenses such as agent commissions and overhead are taken into account in determining their breakeven loss ratio. Insurers typically rely on anywhere from 2 to 5 years of claims experience in their actuarial projections. Insurers also will make short term rate change decisions on factors other than actuarial estimates, especially competitive information.

Miles driven is one of many variables that affects insurers overall claim experience. Others include:

1. Driver behavior – e.g. defensive vs reckless driving
2. Vehicle safety features
3. Road conditions
4. Traffic density

While some Indiana auto policyholders will be provided with immediate relief in the form of premium refunds or credits toward insurance payments due, others may benefit at a later date due to adjustments in overall auto insurance rate levels.

The following carriers are offering a program for their customers due to the COVID-19 pandemic:

• AAA (Auto Insurance Exchange, Auto Club Group and Member Select) – Premium Refund
• Acuity Insurance – Auto Insurance Reduced-Driving Discount
• Allstate – Shelter-In-Place Payback
• American Family – American Family Connect
• American National General Insurance, American National Property & Casualty – Personal Auto Policy Credit
• Amica – COVID-19 Auto Premium Relief Program
• Auto Owners Insurance – Safe at Home Refund
• Chubb – Premium Credit
• Cincinnati Insurance Company – Stay-at-Home Personal Auto Credit
• Country Financial – Auto Refund
• Electric Insurance – Premium Refund
• Farmers Insurance – Premium Credit
• GEICO – GEICO Giveback Credit
• Goodville Mutual Casualty Company – https://www.goodville.com/covid19/
• Grange Insurance – Auto Premium Refund
• Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance, Grinnell Select Insurance – Trust in Tomorrow Premium Payback
• Hastings Mutual Insurance – Personal Auto Premium Refund
• Haulers Insurance – Auto Insurance Refund
• Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance – Premium Relief
• Kemper (Unitrin Safeguard, Unitrin Direct Property & Casualty, Alpha Property & Casualty) – Premium Credit
• Liberty Mutual – Personal Auto Customer Relief Fund
• Metropolitan Property & Casualty Company, Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Company, Metropolitan Group Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Metropolitan General Insurance Company, Economy Premier Assurance Company – MetLife Auto Relief Credit
• Midvale Home & Auto (Midvale Indemnity Company) – https://go.midvaleinsurance.com/
• Motorists Mutual (now part of Encova Insurance) – Policy Credit for Personal Auto Insurance
• National General Insurance (National General Assurance Company, Integon National Insurance Company, National General Insurance Company, Standard Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Direct General Insurance Company) – https://nationalgeneral.com/covid-19/
• Nationwide – Premium Refund
• Ohio Mutual Insurance Group – Personal Auto Premium Credits
• Pharmacists Mutual – Personal Auto Credit
• Progressive – Apron Relief Program
• SECURA Insurance – Auto Premium Refund
• Selective Insurance – COVID-19-Related Premium Credit
• Shelter Insurance – Relief Payment
• State Auto P&C Insurance Company (State Auto Mutual Insurance Company, Meridian Security Insurance Company, Milbank Insurance Company) – In This Together Plan
• State Farm (State Farm Fire and Casualty Company) – Good Neighbor Relief Program
• Stillwater Insurance – Auto Credit
• The Hanover Insurance Group – The Hanover CARES Refund
• The Hartford Insurance – COVID-19 Personal Auto Payback Plan
• Travelers – Stay-at-Home Auto Premium Credit Program
• USAA – Financial Relief
• Westfield Insurance – Premium Relief for Personal Insurance Auto Customers

As a policyholder, you should first contact your agent or insurance company with any questions about your insurance policy.

CMS to pay for patient visits via telephone

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will start paying physicians for patient visits that take place by audio telephone only.  Previously, CMS had agreed to pay for virtual visits only if physicians used both audio and video for traditional telehealth. Many physician practices were forced to cancel routine patient visits to keep patients home and avoid potential exposure to the coronavirus. While they could offer advice, they were typically not paid by CMS for these calls with Medicare and Medicaid patients.

CMS announced more than 80 Medicare telehealth services will be covered and will allow providers to bill for telehealth visits at the same rate as in-person visits. This will benefit many Medicare patients who only have a landline or audio-only phones. CMS said clinicians can provide remote patient monitoring services to patients with acute and chronic conditions as well as patients with only one disease.  Physicians and other healthcare professionals can now waive copayments for telehealth visits, and telehealth services can now be used for both established and new patients. Physicians will be able to treat a greater number of Medicare patients while keeping them home as much as possible.

For more information, see

https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/president-trump-expands-telehealth-benefits-medicare-beneficiaries-during-covid-19-outbreak

Patient's Compensation Fund (PCF)

Please note the below temporary PCF submission instructions in effect for the duration of the public health emergency caused by COVID-19 declared on March 6, 2020:

• Appearances: send via email to LaHarrison@idoi.IN.gov
• Coverage updates and corrections: send via email to LaHarrison@idoi.IN.gov
• Expungements: send via email to LaHarrison@idoi.IN.gov
• Medicaid liens: send via email to RRiley@idoi.IN.gov
• Medical Review Panel Chair Acceptance: send via email to RRiley@idoi.IN.gov
• Medical Review Panel Member Acceptance: send via email to RRiley@idoi.IN.gov
• Medical Review Panel Opinions: send via email to RRiley@idoi.IN.gov
• Medical Review Panel Requests: send via email to RRiley@idoi.IN.gov
• Reports of claims of less than $15,000: send via email to RRiley@idoi.IN.gov
• Reserves: send via email to LaHarrison@idoi.IN.gov
• Settlement reports: send via email to LaHarrison@idoi.IN.gov
• Withdrawals and dismissals: send via email to LaHarrison@idoi.IN.gov

Questions regarding PCF Certificates of Insurance and enrollment requests should continue to be emailed to PCF-COI@idoi.IN.gov

Proposed Complaints, Amended Proposed Complaints, and Petitions for Excess Damages should still be submitted to the PCF via certified or registered mail.

IDOI Remote Work

The majority of IDOI team members are working remotely. While the routine operations of the agency will continue, please note that there may be disruptions or delays in the processing of your requests. Our essential in-office services such as mail and collection of fee payments will still be processed; however, there will be no public access to our offices. Please use email to communicate with our staff whenever possible and scan any documents that need to be processed.

Testing Centers for Licensure of Producers, Adjusters, Etc.

As of May 1, 2020, Pearson VUE-owned and operated Pearson Professional Testing Centers are now open for testing in Indiana and throughout the United States for IDOI license candidates. The six Pearson centers in Indiana include Crown Point, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis (2), and Terre Haute, and 21 centers are available in neighboring states. Due to the tentative closings of Ivy Tech testing centers until August 1 and Ball State until June 1, candidates may experience delays in availability of exams at Indiana testing centers when scheduling for exams. IDOI encourages candidates to schedule an exam as soon as possible and, once scheduled, continue to check the availability of exams online as new exam dates and locations are continually coming available. Candidates may also consider scheduling exams at testing centers in different regions of the state or in other states if earlier exam dates are available.

EXPANDED AVAILABILITY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND TERRE HAUTE EXAM SITES. Due to the limited availability of license examinations amid COVID-19 exam site closures and sites operating at 50% “social-distancing” capacity, IDOI and Pearson VUE have partnered together to expand the availability of IDOI licensing examinations at Pearson VUE testing centers in Indianapolis (North Meridian) and Terre Haute. When scheduling an exam online, IDOI candidates may see earlier and more frequent exam availability at those sites. Therefore, IDOI and Pearson VUE encourage candidates to consider those locations as options for testing, schedule an exam as soon as they can, and continually check the scheduling website as new seats are frequently becoming available. Posted 6/1/2020

IVY TECH TESTING CENTERS TO REOPEN JULY 15. Ivy Tech testing centers throughout the state of Indiana will begin reopening for testing of IDOI license candidates on July 15. Candidates may begin scheduling exams at Ivy Tech centers on June 12. Capacity will be limited at first with seats, days and times, and will vary by campus, however capacity is expected to increase as conditions allow. Candidates are encouraged to schedule an exam as soon as possible and, once scheduled, continue to check the availability of exams online as new exam dates and times may frequently become available. Candidates might also consider scheduling exams at testing centers in different locations of the state if more convenient dates and times are available. Posted 6/9/2020

Extension of Licenses

Pursuant to Governor Holcomb's Executive Order 20-31, IDOI license expiration dates within the declared COVID-19 public health emergency in Indiana will be extended to June 30, 2020. Outstanding license renewal applications and/or continuing education (CE) requirements that were due on March 31, 2020, April 30, 2020 or May 31, 2020 are now due on June 30, 2020. The new license expiration dates and CE due dates will be reflected online by June 30, 2020.

Board Meetings

The Governor requested that all public meetings not essential to governmental function be suspended or delayed until the public health emergency has ended. In order to comply with that request, IDOI has will cancel all currently scheduled boards through the month of April and future board meetings will be limited to only essential functions. Additionally, the Governor suspended the Open Door Laws under IC 5-14-1.5 to allow for quorums of our boards to be achieved via electronic means. There will still need to be a quorum of members, but none are required to be physically present.

IDOI Bulletins

Bulletin 252 - COVID-19 Due to the declaration of a public health emergency throughout the State of Indiana as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) and the issuance of Governor Holcomb’s Executive Order 20-05, on March 19, 2020, the Indiana Department of Insurance (IDOI) issues this bulletin to assist consumers, businesses, and entities regulated by the IDOI.

Bulletin 253 – COVID-19 (2) This bulletin is to provide guidance relating to Governor Eric J. Holcomb’s Executive Order 20-13, as well as provide additional information about coverage for COVID-19 testing services in bulletin 252.

Bulletin 254 – COVID-19 (3) This bulletin extends the request for the "Moratorium on Policy Cancellations and Non-Renewals" in Bulletin 252 to May 31, 2020.

Business Interruption and Insurance

Business interruption insurance coverage may vary depending on the type of policy you have. Policyholders can contact their insurance agents, brokers, or carriers about their business interruption insurance coverage. Your policy should list or describe the types of events it covers. Events that are not listed on, or not described in, the policy are typically not covered. It is important to review the policy exclusions, coverage limits, and applicable deductibles.

If you have any questions after contacting your carrier, agent, or broker, you can contact the Indiana Department of Insurance by calling 1-800-622-4461 or emailing consumerservices@idoi.in.gov. The Department has information for consumers available on its website at: www.in.gov/idoi/3109.htm.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) also continues to support businesses in partnership with local and regional organizations across the state. Resources may be found on the IEDC Business Resource Center website: www.iedc.in.gov/response. For the latest information on tracking the COVID-19 pandemic in Indiana, visit the Indiana State Department of Health website at: www.coronavirus.in.gov.

Insurance Coverage for COVID-19 Testing

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indiana Department of Insurance (“IDOI”) contacted 14 insurance companies to determine whether cost-sharing requirements are applicable to the testing of COVID-19. Such insurance companies cover approximately 99.93% of Hoosiers enrolled in a fully insured plan.

The table below outlines specific actions that insurance companies are taking in regards to COVID-19 for their members. Such actions do not apply to indemnity, short term medical, or other non-major medical plans as well as self-funded plans. If you are covered by one of these plans, please contact your insurance company for questions about your health coverage for COVID-19. If you are covered by a self-funded plan, please contact your employer for questions about your health coverage for COVID-19.

Consumer Alerts

Beware of Fraud Schemes Related to COVID-19

Indianapolis – The Indiana Department of Insurance is alerting Hoosiers to be aware of scammers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A warning was issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General regarding scams by fraudsters who are offering COVID-19 tests to Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for personal details, including Medicare information. These services are unapproved and illegitimate.

Fraudsters are targeting beneficiaries in a number of ways, including telemarketing calls, social media platforms, and door-to-door visits. They are using the coronavirus pandemic to benefit themselves, and beneficiaries face potential harm. The personal information collected can be used to fraudulently bill Federal health care programs and commit medical identity theft. If Medicare or Medicaid denies the claim for an unapproved test, the beneficiary could be responsible for the cost.

Protect Yourself

• Beneficiaries should be cautious of unsolicited requests for their Medicare or Medicaid numbers.
• Be suspicious of any unexpected calls or visitors offering COVID-19 tests or supplies. If your personal information is compromised, it may be used in other fraud schemes.
• Ignore offers or advertisements for COVID-19 testing or treatments on social media sites.
• A physician or other trusted healthcare provider should assess your condition and approve any requests for COVID-19 testing.
• If you suspect COVID-19 fraud, contact National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline (866) 720-5721 or disaster@leo.gov

Contact SHIP with Your Medicare Questions
The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a free and impartial counseling program for people with Medicare. SHIP is provided by the Indiana Department of Insurance. All of SHIP’s services are free and are not affiliated with any insurance company or agency. SHIP counselors have completed intensive training to offer you objective assistance in complete confidence. To contact a counselor, call 1-800-452-4800. For the TDD line for the hearing impaired, call 866-846-0139.

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