Published: August 29, 2008 01:13 pm      

Miss. gets $400,000 in insurance deal

JACKSON — Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney says Mississippi is part of a multistate settlement agreement with HealthMarkets, Incorporated and its affiliated insurance companies.

Chaney says the state will receive $400,000.

Chaney says 48 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico are all part of the settlement that resulted in a $20 million fine being levied against HealthMarkets.

The settlement comes after a three-year probe that found multiple problems involving consumer disclosure, oversight and training of agents, claims handling and complaint-handling practices. HealthMarkets faces up to $10 million in additional penalties if it fails to meet performance standards outlined in the settlement.