Posted on: Wednesday, July 11, 2001

Dental insurer told to halt policy sales

Advertiser Staff

A state court ordered Hawai'i Dental Health Plan Inc. to stop selling dental insurance after 37 complaints in the past year claiming the company did not pay for covered dental care.

Insurance commissioner Wayne Metcalf said he is concerned the company may be having financial difficulties.

"These plans can fold up their tent in the night and disappear," Metcalf said. "They offer cut-rate plans, collect a lot of money and disappear."

Metcalf said repeated attempts to contact the insurer, including three certified letters, went unanswered.

Metcalf used a law enacted in May that extends his oversight to dental insurers to appeal to the court. The court ordered the company to stop selling policies and turn over financial records to the commissioner.

Hawai'i Dental Health Plan president Victor Lindsey was not available for comment.

The company's local number listed in the phone directory is answered by a receptionist in Costa Mesa, Calif., who said Lindsey was not in the office. No company representative showed up for the court hearing yesterday.

Metcalf said customers of the plan who have had problems with payments should call the state Insurance Division at 586-2790.

Metcalf said he has had no similar complaints against Hawai'i Dental Service, the state's largest dental insurer.