Online Tool Locates California Agents, Brokers Who Speak a Foreign Language

The California Department of Insurance has launched an online language locator tool to enable consumers to find insurance agents and brokers in their area who speak their language.

The tool gives access to information on more than 11,000 agents and brokers in California, allowing searches for a nearby agent or broker who speaks the same language the consumer does.

Consumers enter their language and city or ZIP code into the tool and the agents and brokers listed will be located near the consumer’s selection. The list provides consumers with a licensee’s phone number, links to CDI’s Check License Status webpage and a Google map for each of a licensee’s business locations.

The tool is accessible from both mobile devices and desktop computers, and is also available for consumers searching for public adjusters and bail agents.

There are producers listed who are available for 36 languages, including: American Sign Language; Arabic; Armenian; Bengali; Bosnian; Cambodian; Cantonese; Croatian; Dutch; Farsi; Finnish; French; German; Greek; Hebrew; Hindi; Hmong; Italian; Japanese; Korean; Malay-Indonesian; Mandarin; Mongolian; Polish; Portuguese; Punjabi; Romanian; Russian; Serbian; Spanish; Tagalog; Thai; Turkish; Ukrainian; Urdu; and Vietnamese.

“Insurance agents are a trusted source in helping consumers determine how best to protect themselves and their assets,” Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said in a statement. “Having an agent who can communicate in your language results in a better understanding of the policies and helps ensure you get the appropriate coverage for your needs.”