SSN REQUIRED for insurance?

[Dredly]

I don't remember ever seeing anything offical that you must have a SSN... but apparently now you do based on email we just recieved from our HR department.

If you don't have a valid SSN you will be dropped from insurance

[D10]

I don't remember ever seeing anything offical that you must have a SSN... but apparently now you do based on email we just recieved from our HR department.

If you don't have a valid SSN you will be dropped from insurance

Is this a loophole to keep the Illegal immigrants out permanently?

[Azzy]

I would contact them about it. I did not provide mine, and refuse to provide it to other insurance companies.

First thing they do with it (at least in the case of auto insurance) is run a credit check.

[mrjam2jab]

I can't imagine any instance where a health insurance company would need it.

There are times when they just "need a number to fill the blanks".

I read years ago to just make one up. and to make it easy to remember... 1st 3 digits are 800...so that you know you aren't using somebody else's number. The 2nd 2 are your birth year... ie 72 or 64 etc. The last 4 use the last 4 digits of your phone #.

[tl_3237]

I went through this many years ago and my HR was the US Govt. I presume that, since HR is involved, this is insurance that receives a payment from your employer. They use the SSN to correlate you with that payment to assure that your account gets proper credit and remains in force.

Car insurers also are now using SSN to run a credit check that affects you rates. Yes I know that they can get a check w/o SSN but try to convince the worker bees that are processing your application of that.

I've been a non-enumeration nut way before it became fashionable and limit use of my SSN as much as possible but, unfortunately, sometimes its like swimming upstream and becomes problematic when dealing with the minions. Yes I know all about the Privacy Act of 1984 & 1990, 5 USC 552a, FDR's EO, and Title 42 protections but they mean little to nothing when dealing with non-govermental agencies.

You can make inquiries and see if there is a way around using the SSN but I wouldn't make one up (especially if it turns out to be one that has been issued since it could be considered ID theft). Depending on how much Quixotic fortitude you have, you may establish a new precedent but you have to make your case to upper management - not the workers.

[Pennywise]

Are they now rating people based on credit score like auto insurance companies do?

[fizzyone]

I would ask them what they need/use the SSN for.

I believe it's illegal to put it on your insurance card (ie, to use it as an identifier--BC/BS of NJ used to use the SSN as the insurance ID number). They are supposed to assign you a separate number. If they do that, there's no need for the insurance company to have your SSN. Many will say it's required because it's a field on their computer screen when they're setting up your account--it shouldn't be a required field, though.

[pennsy]

Reminds me of the college days at PSU when our SSN was mandatory on all of our exams. Finally after a few years ago the students now have student ID numbers that aren't their SSN.

[Wiley-X]

I believe it's illegal to put it on your insurance card (ie, to use it as an identifier--BC/BS of NJ used to use the SSN as the insurance ID number).

No, it's not illegal, just ill advised. BC/BS changed to different numbers because of concerns of identity theft.

[pirateron]

someone did a study that shows people with lower credit scores are more likely to smoke, drink, do drugs and basically persue a riskier lifestyle. Therefore, ins companies can charge a higher premium. Same with auto insurance. It doesn't matter what type of history you have in regards to the situation at hand, your financial history is all that matters. If you refuse to provide your ssn, they automatically default you to the higher risk and you pay a higher premium.