Consumer Guides

The bureau provides a number of consumer guides to provide you with information about various kinds of insurance. These guides provide information about purchasing, coverage, claims, complaints and more.

External links on this page are purely for informational purposes. The department (or, the State of Maine) does not vouch for the contents.

Select a Category: Auto | Commercial | Disability | Health | Homeowners/Renters | Life & Annuities | Long-Term Care | Medicare | Workers' Compensation | Other Lines

Consumer Guides by Kind of Insurance and Category

Auto Insurance

Category Name
A Summary on Auto Insurance Consumer's Guide to Personal Auto Insurance (PDF)
Buying Tips
Cancellation or Nonrenewal Cancellation and Nonrenewal of Personal Auto or Homeowner's Insurance (PDF)
Claims Making the Auto Claims Process Easier (PDF)
Complaint Comparison Personal Auto Insurance Complaint Comparison (PDF)
Credit Information - How is it used? Consumer's Guide to How Insurers Use Credit Information for Personal Auto and Homeowners Insurance (PDF)
Mature Drivers
Policy Forms Comparison Policy Forms Used by the 10 Largest Private Passenger Automobile Insurance Groups in Maine
The Sharing Economy Insurance Issues in the Sharing Economy: Important Points to Consider Before "Sharing" Your Car or Home (PDF)
Youthful Drivers

[Back to Top]

Commercial Insurance

Category Name
Businesses Insuring Your Business -- The Basics of Property & Liability Coverage (PDF)
Farms Insuring Your Farm -- The Basics of Property & Liability Coverage (PDF)

[Back to Top]

Disability Insurance

Category Name
A Summary on Disability Insurance Consumer's Guide to Disability Insurance (PDF)

[Back to Top]

Health Insurance

Category Name
A Summary on Individual Health Insurance Consumer's Guide to Individual Health Insurance in Maine (PDF)
A Summary on Small Business Health Insurance A Guide to Health Insurance for Small Businesses (PDF)
Appeals of Claim Denial Guide to the Health Insurance Appeals Process (PDF)
Complaint Comparison Health, Disability, and Long-Term Care Insurance Complaint Comparison (PDF)
External Review Request Guide to Requesting an External Review When Your Health Insurer Denies Benefits for Health Care Services (PDF)
Health Savings Accounts Health Savings Accounts for Individuals with High Deductible Health Plans (IRS website)
Hearing Aid Mandate Hearing Aid Mandate - Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
Mandated Benefits History of Mandated Health Insurance Benefits
Market Snapshots
Purchasing Health Insurance Online Consumer Guide for Purchasing Health Insurance Online (PDF)
Short-Term Health Insurance Plans
Tips on Health Insurance Health Insurance Tips (PDF)

[Back to Top]

Homeowners and Renters Insurance

Category Name
A Summary on Homeowners Insurance Consumer's Guide to Homeowner's Insurance (PDF)
Buying Tips
Cancellation or Nonrenewal Cancellation and Nonrenewal of Personal Auto or Homeowner's Insurance (PDF)
Child Care Liability Child Care Liability Insurance (PDF)
Claims Making the Homeowner's Claim Process Easier (PDF)
Complaint Comparison Homeowners Insurance Complaint Comparison (PDF)
Credit Information - How is it used? Consumer's Guide to How Insurers Use Credit Information for Personal Auto and Homeowners Insurance (PDF)
Home Business Insuring Your Home Business (PDF)
Home Inventory Taking a Home Inventory
Natural Disaster Coverage A Homeowner's Insurance Guide to Natural Disasters (Federal Alliance for Safe Homes)
Policy Forms Comparison Policy Forms Used by the 10 Largest Homeowners' Insurance Groups in Maine
Post Disaster Claims Post-Disaster Claims Guide (National Association of Insurance Commissioners) - (PDF)
Renters Insurance From Homeowner to Renter -- What You Need to Know About Renter's Insurance (PDF)
The Sharing Economy Insurance Issues in the Sharing Economy: Important Points to Consider Before "Sharing" Your Car or Home (PDF)

[Back to Top]

Life Insurance, Annuities & Viaticals

Category Name
A Summary on Viatical and Life Settlements A Consumer Guide to Selling Your Life Insurance Policy (PDF)
Buying Tips - Life Insurance
Buying Tips - Annuities
Buying Tips - Deferred Annuities Buyer's Guide for Deferred Annuities (PDF) (National Association of Insurance Commissioners)
Buying Tips - Deferred Annuities Fixed Buyer's Guide for Deferred Annuities Fixed (PDF) (National Association of Insurance Commissioners)
Buying Tips - Deferred Annuities Variable Buyer's Guide for Deferred Annuities Variable (PDF) (National Association of Insurance Commissioners)
Equity-Indexed Annuities Equity-Indexed Annuities: A Complex Choice (PDF) (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Investor Alert)
Life Insurance Buyer's Guide Life Insurance Buyer's Guide (PDF)
Military Personnel Life Insurance Information for Military Personnel (PDF) (National Association of Insurance Commissioners)

[Back to Top]

Long-Term Care Insurance

Category Name
A Summary on Long-Term Care Insurance A Consumer's Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance & Maine's Long-Term Care Partnership Program (PDF)
Buying Tips Long Term Care Insurance Tips and Tools (NAIC)
Claim Denial Long-Term Care Insurance Claim Denial Appeals Process (PDF)
Maine Partnership Program Approved Policies Long-Term Care Partnership Program Approved Policies

[Back to Top]

Medicare

Category Name
A Summary - Medicare  A Consumer's Guide to Medicare Supplement Insurance (PDF) 
Medicare Supplement Rates Premium Comparison Chart
Illegal Sales Tactics Illegal Sales Tactics Used by Insurance Sales Persons Against Medicare Recipients or Persons Eligible for Medicare (PDF)
Open Enrollment Period Medicare Open Enrollment
Medigap Choosing a Medigap Policy: A Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare

[Back to Top]

Other Kinds of Insurance

Category Name
Pets Pet Insurance: Should You Buy a Plan? (PDF)

[Back to Top]

Workers' Compensation Insurance

Category Name
A Summary on Workers' Compensation Insurance An Employer's Guide to Workers' Compensation Insurance in Maine (PDF)
Opting Out of Coverage Opting Out: A Workers' Compensation Insurance Summary for Executive Officers of Corporations (PDF)

[Back to Top]