Zip code changes, insurance goes up

Green Valley woman wonders if it’s legal

On July 1, part of Green Valley’s ZIP Code area 85614 was assigned a new number, 85622, resulting in at least one case where an insurance company raised the annual rates for homeowners’ coverage by $368.

The homeowners, Robert and Georgia Puttock, said that didn’t sound right. She talked briefly Friday to the Arizona Department of Insurance in Phoenix.

The department asked for more information to see if the rate increase was legally permissible.

It also suggested she contact the department’s Tucson office.

A public relations person at Liberty Mutual’s Boston office said late Friday he’d need more information to get answer.

But he said Liberty Mutual’s Arizona operations are subject to the state department’s rules and regulations.

Georgia Puttock wondered if she hadn’t told the company of the ZIP code change, would the rate have gone up?

But she said that probably within a year, the company would have learned of the change.

She said she hasn’t changed her location or moved into a high-risk area.

She said she doesn’t have a local agent, and she relies on the company’s Customer Service Department to answer any questions she might have.

Georgia Puttock said she has been happy with the company and wasn’t interested in switching.

State Insurance Department spokesperson Erin Klug said Friday that people with similar questions about how changing ZIP codes could affect insurance rates could talk to the department’s Mary Titterman in Phoenix at (602) 364-2496 or Marcy Croddy in the Tucson office, 628-6370.

The Puttocks live in San Ignacio Vistas south of Continental Road.

She said her car insurance is due in November, and said she’s waiting to if that also goes up.

jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749