Missouri Warns of Phony Market Conduct Information Requests

The Missouri Department of Insurance reported that its Market Conduct Section has been contacted by multiple insurance company representatives indicating that they have received a request for information purporting to be from the Market Conduct Section. The requests, however, have not been initiated by state regulators.

The department said that the correspondence has been routed internally within insurance organization, often through multiple recipients. When asked the addressee name on the request, the representatives indicate the correspondence has been altered – in that the name of the insurance company and other identifying information have been whited out.

The department believes these requests are being circulated within the insurance industry.

Unfortunately, this circulation may result in companies providing information that has not been requested by regulators and which the companies are not obligated to provide.

The department said it appreciates company efforts to fully comply with departmental requests; however, it clarified that companies should not respond to data calls or inquiries that are not specifically directed by the insurance department to them.

Companies with questions regarding the authenticity of any request for information, particularly if the requests appear to have been altered in some fashion, are urged to immediately contact the insurance department.

Source: Missouri Department of Insurance