Yarden Lee Bracero, 39, a former Allstate employee in Jacksonville was convicted for diverting claims payments for her own personal use, according to an announcement by Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater. http://www.claimsjournal.com/news/southeast/2013/09/17/236786.htm
Author Archives: Admin2
Man accused of Ontario healthcare clinic fraud pleads guilty, pays $50,000 to auto insurers
Reddy provided restitution payments totaling over $50,000 including $15,490 to Aviva Canada and another $36,717 to the Insurance Bureau of Canada to be allocated among eight other insurers the accused defrauded, according to Aviva.
Not slashing benefits
Letters to the Editor, Sept. 22 Insurers stack the deck
Re “Not slashing benefits” (Letters, Sept. 8):
“So, Insurance Bureau of Canada spokesman Ralph Palumbo didn’t like Alan Shanoff calling him out on his statement about reducing “unnecessary costs” to catastrophically injured auto accident victims in order to ensure the money goes “to people who really need it” (“Risky business,” Sept. 1). I’m not sure what those “unnecessary costs” are, unless Palumbo is referring to the tens of thousands paid for substandard, so-called “independent” medical assessments, done by doctors hand-picked by insurance adjusters, which paint their insureds who suffer traumatic brain injuries, major psychological issues (think of the death of a child in the back seat) and other devastating accident-related problems, as malingerers. I’d start there, Mr. Palumbo. The IBC “cut costs” by refusing many of these victims the legislated funding available to pay for their own balanced medical assessments. Maybe the IBC could stop its habit of plying the Liberal leadership candidates with tens of thousands in political donations. That would save money, wouldn’t it?”
Harold Becker, MD Toronto
(A few bucks, yes)
FAIR open letter to Stakeholders – work together for quality independent medical examinations
The credibility of the auto insurers’ preferred IME/IE vendors, whose assessments are often used to deny and delay seriously injured claimants’ access to policy benefits is not only affecting access to treatment, it is affecting our justice system.
Lawyers frustrated as motion delays hit 7 months
As Toronto civil litigators grow increasingly frustrated with delays of up to seven months to have simple motions heard, Superior Court Chief Justice Heather Smith says she and her colleagues are working to address the issue.
FAIR response to Why reduce insurance benefits for Ontarians who need them most?
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/09/13/letters-to-the-editor-sept-15
Just paying lawyers
The rise in the cost of auto insurance claims in Ontario has more to do with our insurance industry’s policy of aggressive defence tactics driving up costs over the last two decades than actual payouts to accident victims. By over-assessing legitimate claimants and by the use of bogus medical reports by for-hire physicians that are harmful to accident victims, insurers have steadily increased the cost of claims and delayed payouts to victims, while clogging up our court system. Consumers often have to pay for their own treatment and have years of litigation to get the benefits they paid for. How is “unnecessary costs related to catastrophic injuries are taken out so that money goes to people who really need it” not slashing benefits when it is based on making it more difficult to qualify? How can cutting off rehab benefits at $50,000 for those who are most injured and suggesting they “ask” for more if they need it possibly be in the interests of injured drivers? How is that not slashing?
Rhona DesRoches, Board Chair, FAIR (Association of Victims for Accident Insurance Reform)
(It would seem the IBC is losing this argument) – Sun Editor
57% of Insurers Say Personal Lines Insurance Fraud Losses to Rise in 2013
The Insurance Fraud Survey included responses from 260 insurers throughout the U.S. and Canada who were surveyed in July 2013.
http://www.claimsjournal.com/news/national/2013/09/11/236582.htm
No-Fault Faults
Ontario automobile insurance has been in a state of flux for about 30 years – and there is still no end in sight. For many years, insurance – especially automobile insurance – has been a political football.
http://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/news/no-fault-faults/1002586104/
Ontario NDP calls for quicker action on reducing auto insurance rates
“In fact, we’re implementing the changes that will allow those average decreases to happen,” Wynne said.
Court clarifies expert report rules
“While the new expert report rules were intended to reduce reliance on hired guns, the Westerhof decision will have the unfortunate effect of forcing plaintiff ’s counsel to become even more reliant on medical-legal experts out of fear that they will not be able to later secure compliant reports from the key treatment providers. http://3lfppdu3hio14gsba1rg48qaag.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/tlw-p12.pdf