Cracking down on fraud or cutting costs does not mean that cracking the backs of the vulnerable and cognitively impaired citizens is the right thing to do. The interests of big business (profit, profit, profit) should not surpass those interests of the most injured and disabled among us or our society as a whole. Allowing further cuts to benefits to support the cuts to premiums will only shift the responsibilities and costs to our society and to the taxpayers. Surely accident victims deserve better treatment than to be abandoned by those who are supposed to be looking out for them in a time of need – first by the insurer who fails to live up to the promise of coverage and then by the government who fails to act to protect their interests.
Author Archives: Admin2
New non-profit uses analytics on pooled company data to fight auto insurance fraud in Canada
“The insurance industry has formed a new not-for-profit organization focused on using analytical tools to identify suspicious claims in the industry’s pooled data, to facilitate further investigation.”
Examining the examiners
“. . . there is a dark underbelly in the business . . . many patients “are being profoundly mistreated.” This article from 2007 may be old but it sure explains some of what happened to balanced medical assessments – with the demise of rebuttal IMEs the advantage is now in the insurers court.
http://www.ciws.ca/articles_independent_medical_examiners.htm
FAIR submission to Consultation on Modernizing Disciplinary Hearings for Insurance Agents and Adjusters in Ontario September 30 2013
It is odd to consider changing the disciplinary process for adjusters when there is no adequate process in place for hearing those complaints in the first place. In fact, we were unable to find any record on the Financial Services website that documents any complaints at any time about any adjuster. Could this lack of openness about complaints have resulted in no complaints being heard officially by the Advisory Board (AB)?
http://www.fsco.gov.on.ca/en/insurance/Documents/IDRC-2013.pdf
The Three Ps of Insurance – Profits, Protection and Premiums
Ontario Trial Lawyers Association gives Ontario’s insurance industry a FAIL grade on coverage for accident victims.
Profits—More than $3 billion * Protection—You’re getting 96.5% less * Premiums—You’re paying 20% more
Ontario Liberals preparing new policies in advance of next election
Wynne says the Liberals will be looking to the public for ideas as they develop new policies for the 10-year-old government.
http://www.newstalk1010.com/News/localnews/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10595777
Ontario government bill aims to discourage lawsuits over public debates
Ontario politicians from all three parties spoke Wednesday in favour of a government bill, that if passed into law, would discourage the use of litigation as a means of limiting expression on matters of public interest. One opposition politician noted in the past, directors of an advocacy group had to buy liability insurance over fears they could be sued individually over public participation.
Speaker’s Corner: Extreme delays in civil trials an urgent matter
Many of these cases involve catastrophically injured claimants in dire need of services or benefits, the entitlement to which are in dispute. The medical condition of the claimant would simply deteriorate in the meantime.
http://www.lawtimesnews.com/201309233472/commentary/speaker-s-corner
Insurance becomes hot-button issue
“Insurance Bureau is completely out of touch with reality”