By Sonya Sellmeyer, Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division
On January 1, 2022, the No Surprises Act began providing health insurance balance billing and surprise billing protections for consumers. Balance billing occurs when a provider bills the consumer for the difference between the insurance company's allowed amount and the amount...
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
By Sonya Sellmeyer, Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division
Teaching a child good savings habits is essential for any financial foundation as an adult. Despite that, T. Rowe Price’s 11th annual kids and money survey from 2019 found nearly half of parents said they missed opportunities to discuss money and finances with their children. The...
Monday, March 7, 2022
By Sonya Sellmeyer, Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division
Iowa’s recent devastating tornadoes remind us to review our insurance policies to ensure we have proper insurance coverage on our autos, homes and their contents. Damage caused by a tornado, a type of windstorm, is usually a scheduled peril on both auto and homeowners insurance policies and will...
Thursday, February 3, 2022
By Sonya Sellmeyer, Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division
February is the month of romance, but love and companionship may also involve a scam. According to the FBI, romance or confidence scams were responsible for over 23,000 reported victims losing over $605 million in 2020, compared to 12,500 victims and $203 million in losses during 2015.
A...
Monday, January 10, 2022
By Sonya Sellmeyer, Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division
The new year brings opportunities for improvement to your financial health. Investing in the stock market can be an effective way to build wealth. The historic average stock market return is 10% annually before inflation, but investing is geared toward long-term goals and...
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
By Sonya Sellmeyer, Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division
A recent LendingTree survey found nearly half of the 2,000 consumers surveyed are dreading the holidays due to the financial costs. There are ways to reduce the financial stress of the holidays and purchase gifts that promote financial wellness.
Start with creating a...
Monday, November 8, 2021
By Sonya Sellmeyer, Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division
The Iowa Insurance Division together with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissioner’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (SEC...
Friday, October 1, 2021
By Sonya Sellmeyer, Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division
October is both financial planning and retirement security month. Creating a financial plan during your working years ensures a solid foundation for a secure retirement. Starting your financial journey may require the assistance of a financial professional. Before working with a financial...
Thursday, September 2, 2021
By Sonya Sellmeyer, Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division
September is Life Insurance Awareness Month and there is no better time than the present to secure your family’s financial future. According to the Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association (LIMRA), only 31% of consumers say they are very or extremely knowledgeable about life insurance....
Wednesday, August 4, 2021
By Sonya Sellmeyer, Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division
As your state government agency, the Insurance Division is here to help provide financial literacy to all Iowans through our Save4Later program. It’s important for all Iowans to have the tools to learn how to save for a secure retirement. For women though the financial journey often...