Insurance is an important issue for consumers. Mostfamilies rely on insurance to protect their health,income, cars, and homes. But for many consumers,shopping for insurance isn’t easy. Insurance is complexand highly specialized. How can consumersmake the best decisions about how much and whatkind of insurance coverage to buy?With the right information, consumers can makesound decisions. That’s why the Oregon InsuranceDivision publishes the Consumer Guide to OregonInsurance Complaints, an annual report of consumercomplaints against insurance companies in sixcommon lines of insurance:■ Auto (personal)■ Health■ Homeowner■ Life■ Annuities■ Long-term careThis report ranks major insurers by their complaintrecords, which are based on the number of confirmedconsumer complaints closed by the InsuranceDivision and the amount of premium dollars earnedby the insurers. It allows consumers to see at a glancehow a company compares with its competitors.In addition to consumer complaints, there areother factors to consider when shopping for insurance.Cost, claims-handling performance, producer(agent) service, and the financial health of an insurancecompany are all important.Being an informed consumer can prevent worry andsave time and money. This report will explain howto comparison shop for insurance and what to lookfor. We’ve also included tips to help you learn abouta company’s financial health and how to choose areliable licensed producer (agent).By providing fair, accurate, and useful informationfor consumers, this report fulfills an importantpart of the Insurance Division’s mission to protectconsumers.