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Personal Injury Law: FSCO must now tackle arbitration delays
Most plaintiffs’ personal injury lawyers detest FSCO arbitrations and avoid them whenever possible. The cumbersome arbitration process makes it impossible to quickly and economically arbitrate any day-to-day treatment denials. There’s simply no way to arbitrate a treatment denial and get a timely result and, even if that was possible, the cost of arbitrating would greatly exceed the amount in dispute even after considering the modest FSCO cost contribution consequences.
http://www.lawtimesnews.com/201310283550/headline-news/fsco-must-now-tackle-arbitration-delays
Social Justice: Real access to justice means reducing lawyers’ roles
The number of people who cannot afford a lawyer, and who are forced to represent themselves in important legal proceedings has ballooned in the last 10 years. Chief among the reasons for this development is the cost of litigation. Even people of ordinary means can no longer afford to pay a lawyer to see a case through to the end.” We need to examine each area of the law to determine options for reform with the goal of providing better access to justice and reducing the role of lawyers. For example, why do so many accident victims require a lawyer to assist with the collection of no-fault accident benefits? How can we modify the law so that insurance companies will have to provide contractually required benefits without forcing accident victims to retain a lawyer?
Industry must make it clear to consumers that 15% auto premium reduction is an average, CEO says
Revising the cat definition – the definition is still fundamentally based on principles using technology from the 1970s, he said, noting that a government-commissioned report has already been completed by an independent body; Adjusting interest rates on the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule – the rate should be in line with others, perhaps something like 1.5% to 2% annually, rather than a rate compounded monthly; Stablizing minor injury guideline reform – the guidelines need to be binding to help ensure that people are dealt with in a timely and efficient manner; Reducing treatment costs – individuals in Ontario can receive treatment for 10 years, considerably longer than in some other provinces; Reforming the arbitration process; and Replacing the bodily injury verbal threshold – the hope is that will allow for actual settlements and, perhaps, settlements at smaller amounts.
“Some people are going to be annoyed. My point is I don’t really care who’s annoyed if Ontarians benefit. So government’s got to step up and have the courage to force these things through. Otherwise, we’re not going to get there,” Tulloch cautioned.
http://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/news/industry-must-make-it-clear-to-consumers-that-15-auto-premium-reduction-is-an-average-ceo-says/1002678216/
‘Amputate your leg’ Insurer’s expert recommendation to accident victim
Insurance companies seem prepared to make any argument to limit the number of victims who qualify for catastrophic benefits. At least that appears to be the case from the recently reported arbitration decision involving a 53-year-old woman, D.B., (the decision doesn’t reveal the victim’s name) and her insurance company, Economical Mutual. The insurer’s expert also took the bizarre view D.B. ought to have her right leg amputated below the knee and that she’d then no longer require a wheelchair.
Auto insurance rate cuts are coming, like it or not Whether it’s reasonable or not, insurers must respond: IBAO CEO Panel
Moderator Evan Solomon of the CBC kicked off the panel discussion by asking whether or not the 15% rate reduction is “reasonable and responsible.” Tulloch was the first to respond, and instead of answering the question he offered six ways in which he believes the target could be met….Murphy dismissed Solomon’s question of whether the cuts are reasonable or responsible, by saying “We are where we are.”
http://www.citopbroker.com/news/auto-insurance-rate-cuts-are-coming-like-it-or-not-5906
Evidence helps reduce the cost of auto insurance fraud
If your evidence is limited or non-existent, you unwittingly make it more difficult for your insurance company to review your claim, says the provincial regulator, the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO).
http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/news/cars/2013/10/24/6968.html
Premier Wynne addresses 15% rate cut at IBAO Convention
“We need the industry to review the way it deals with claims, to make sure that insurance companies are employing efficient practices to help lower costs and to enable faster claim payments.”
http://www.citopbroker.com/news/premier-wynne-addresses-15-rate-cut-at-ibao-convention-5898
FBIC – Fight Bad-faith Insurance Companies
An interesting American website “FBIC Is Recognized For 15 Years Public Service To Insurance Policyholders And Claimants, Exposing The All-Powerful Insurers For Their Widespread Illegal Bad Faith Insurance Practices And Pervasive Fraudulent Activities Across America” http://www.badfaithinsurance.org/index.html
Competition ‘healthy’ in auto insurance: Ontario premier
“So we’re going to make it possible for you to do what you do best, to support your industry in the valuable services that you provide. We’re going to be very careful not to do anything that would threaten the viability of the marketplace and not threaten the competition that is in place.”