(ACSI: Ann Arbor, MI) -- Steady or improving customer satisfaction with several types of financial services is not enough to overcome the customer satisfaction challenges of the health insurance industry, according to a recent report released by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). The report covers customer satisfaction with banks, credit unions, health insurance, life insurance, and property and casualty insurance.

Higher premiums put a big hurt on health care

After two years of improvement, customer satisfaction with health insurance fell 2.7 percent to an ACSI score of 73. The aggregate of smaller companies leads the industry, down 1 percent to 76. Blue Cross and Blue Shield dropped 4 percent to 70, but is ahead of the other large insurers, while Aetna fell 3 percent to 68. UnitedHealth plummeted 10 percent to an industry low of 65. Complaints about customer service and the recent handling of Medicare drug coverage are at the forefront of UnitedHealth’s troubles. WellPoint is the only health insurer that shows an improvement, up 3 percent to 69.

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