Insurance Plan Covers Utility Bills Wwp Offers Customers Guaranteed Payment Plan

Customers of Washington Water Power Co. who become unemployed or disabled won’t have to worry about paying their utility bills for six months if they buy a new line of insurance the company introduced Wednesday.

The Guaranteed Payment Plan will cover up to $400 a month in natural gas and electricity charges for the customer or a surviving spouse.

The premium depends on the customer’s average monthly bill. For every $100, individual coverage will cost $6.45. Joint coverage will be $11.95.

Dave Heyamoto, the utility’s marketing director, said the insurance is provided by subsidiaries of Miami-based American Bankers Insurance Group.

WWP receives a portion of the premiums to cover the costs of billing and marketing, which are the utility’s responsibility.

Heyamoto said the insurance was added in response to customer demand for new services, a call to which all utilities are becoming more sensitive as deregulation of the industry spreads.

Pacific Power & Light Co. also offers the American Bankers plan, he noted.

The insurer said enrollment could be as little as 1 percent of WWP customers or as much as 8 percent, Heyamoto said. “This particular product isn’t for every customer.”

To qualify, customers must have worked at least 30 hours a week for the last nine months, Heyamoto said. The jobs cannot be seasonal.

No up-front disclosure is necessary, he said, but proof of work history will be required if a claim is filed.

Bills are paid in the event of a strike.

He said American Bankers has a reputation for giving customers the benefit of the doubt if a question arises about records.

WWP and American Bankers will stress the disclosure requirements in sales materials, said Heyamoto, noting that the plan allows for a 30-day cancellation period with the return of premium if the customer has second thoughts.

, DataTimes