Disparities in Insurance Access
Summary
A report commissioned by the consumer representatives to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) finds that disparities and bias are common challenges that consumers face across insurance products. The report summarizes findings from a survey of consumer-serving non-profit organizations across the U.S. about challenges faced by consumers in the insurance sector. Eight in ten (79%) respondents reported that their consumers face “some” or “a lot” of discrimination or bias related to barriers in insurance coverage. The two most common instances of discrimination or bias identified were based on income (65%) and race/ethnicity (58%), although the results varied by insurance line (e.g. health, property, life). Insurance ratings based on biased algorithms also emerged as a theme from the survey.
