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 |
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) |
Disability Insurance
| Category | Name |
|---|---|
| A Summary on Disability Insurance | Consumer's Guide to Disability Insurance (PDF) |
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) |
Homeowners and Renters Insurance
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) |
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 |
| Certified Policies List | Long-Term Care Policies Certified for State Income Tax Benefits (Program Ended 12/31/99) (PDF) |
| Certified Policies List | Long-Term Care Policies Certified for Income Tax Incentives (In Tax Years Beginning 1/1/2002) (PDF) |
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 |
Other Kinds of Insurance
| Category | Name |
|---|---|
| Pets | Pet Insurance: Should You Buy a Plan? (PDF) |
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) |