Please review the Washington State Human Rights Commission’s (WSHRC) jurisdiction for credit or insurance discrimination complaints under RCW 49.60 – Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD).

How are complaints filed?

To begin the complaint process, your complaint must be submitted through our online complaint portal. Downloadable complaint forms are also available by clicking here.  You must file a WSHRC complaint questionnaire within the applicable statute of limitations, as outlined below. Complaints submitted after the statutory deadline cannot be accepted.

• Credit and insurance-related discrimination complaints must be filed with WSHRC, within six (6) months* from the date of alleged harm.
• *A complaint must be filed, fall within our limited jurisdiction, be drafted into a Perfected Charge by WSHRC investigator, and be signed by the complainant – all within the six-month statute of limitations to protect your filing rights.

WSHRC does not have jurisdiction for complaints filed outside the statute of limitation.

WSHRC does not provide legal services.

Federal law provides important protection when you interact with organizations or individuals who regularly extend credit. This includes entities such as banks, credit unions, small-loan and finance companies, retail and department stores, and credit card companies.

Anyone involved in the decision to grant credit or in setting the terms of that credit – including real estate brokers who arrange financing – must comply with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA).

“The Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits discrimination in any aspect of a credit transaction, ensuring that all applicants are treated fairly and evaluated based on legitimate financial criteria rather than personal characteristics”.

Credit Scoring:

For the past 20 years, insurance companies have used consumers’ credit history to determine whether to offer an auto or homeowners insurance policy, which policy options to make available, and how much to charge. This practice is known as credit-based insurance scoring.

Many consumers are unaware that their credit information is used in this way, in part because insurers rarely highlight the practice. Consumer advocacy organizations – including United Policyholders, the Center for Economic Justice, and Consumers Union – have long opposed credit-based insurance scoring, arguing that it is an unfair and harmful industry practice.

Resources:

Civil Rights Division | The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (justice.gov)

Credit Scoring in Insurance: An Unfair Practice - United Policyholders (uphelp.org)

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act [ECOA], 15 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.