WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderDepartment of Insurance won't fine MetLife... for now

Department of Insurance won't fine MetLife... for now

ROCKFORD (WREX) - The Illinois Department of Insurance says it won't fine insurance agency MetLife, at least for now, after a 13 News investigation revealed MetLife files were thrown into a dumpster without being shredded.

13 News brought you this exclusive story in January when a man called our newsroom after finding the documents which contained social security numbers, birth dates and balances of MetLife customers.

In a statement released by the Illinois Department of Insurance Tuesday, MetLife provided an inventory of the documents, which contained 171 customer names and were mainly from two insurance agents.

Those two agents are not suspected of throwing the documents out.  The Department of Insurance says neither MetLIfe nor any individuals will be fined or face regulatory action at this time.

MetLife has established a toll-free phone number for customers to call who are concerned about the Love's Park incident. That number is 888-383-5257. Customers who call are being offered 12 months of credit monitoring and other identity theft protection services for free.

Below is the official statement from the Illinois Department of Insurance:

MetLife provided an inventory of the items in the dumpster which indicated there were 171 customer names.

The materials in the dumpster were mainly from two insurance agents. Neither agent is suspected of being involved in the improper disposal of the documents nor have either ever been disciplined by the Department of Insurance.

MetLife has established a toll-free phone number for customers to call who are concerned about the Love's Park incident. Any concerned customer of the agency who calls is being offered 12 months of credit monitoring and other identity theft protection services. MetLife is paying for this service and it is provided at no cost to the customer. The phone number was read on the TV news report that previously aired. MetLife, under the guidance of the Illinois Department of Insurance, is finalizing a letter that will be sent to affected consumers.

Neither MetLife nor any individual have been fined or had any other regulatory action taken against them at this time.

The type of information pulled from the dumpster included client files, policy statements, policy illustrations, policy notices, miscellaneous production reports and investment blotters. Information in the client files were applications for insurance which included the types of policies applied for by the consumer, consumer's personal information such as social security numbers, names, addresses, phone numbers, medical history, some financial information, etc. The blotters consisted of consumer names and a short description their investments through MetLife Securities.