- Uber and Lyft have been waging an aggressive fight to avoid taking full responsibility for making sure drivers have the right kinds of insurance.
- Google's driverless cars could be disruptive to Uber's current business mode by moving away from car ownership.
- What will self-driving cars mean for your auto insurance?
- Driverless cars move closer to reality as Audi and Cadillac plan to bring driverless features to their cars in 2016.
- California regulators putting the brakes on carpooling services offered by rideshare firms such as Lyft, Uber and Sidecar.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Insurance News - Monday, September 15, 2014
Here are the leading auto insurance headlines from ONTARIO AUTO INSURANCE TOPICS ON TWITTER for Monday, September 15, 2014:
Monday, September 8, 2014
Insurance News - Monday, September 8, 2014
Here are the leading auto insurance headlines from ONTARIO AUTO INSURANCE TOPICS ON TWITTER for Monday, September 8, 2014:
- Japanese property and casualty insurance companies plan to let crime syndicate members buy auto insurance so that victims can be compensated in the event a gangster causes an accident.
- Usage-based insurance (UBI) policies are slowly gaining traction with Canadian drivers, but experts say uptake will remain slow until privacy concerns are allayed.
- However, a Towers Watson survey shows the number of consumers in the U.S. with a UBI policy has nearly doubled.
- According to a new research report, shipments of OEM embedded telematics systems worldwide are forecasted to grow from 8.4 million units in 2013 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.6 percent to reach 54.5 million units in 2020.
- Toyota is not planning on developing a driverless car but instead will focus on improved safety systems including monitoring for distracted driving.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Insurance News - Friday, September 5, 2014
Here are the leading auto insurance headlines from ONTARIO AUTO INSURANCE TOPICS ON TWITTER for Friday, September 5, 2014:
- Ontario plans to reintroduce their road safety bill (formerly Bill 173) with $1,000 fines and 3 demerit points for texting while driving.
- ICBC wants to base auto insurance rates to cover the rising cost of injury claims due to distracted driving.
- One of the issues of self-driving vehicles is legal liability for death or injury in the event of an accident. If the car maker programs the car so the driver has no choice, is it likely the company could be sued over the car's actions?
- Florida’s third-party bad-faith lawsuit environment may have resulted in more than $800 million in additional auto liability claim payments in 2013.
- The economic cost of motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. is the equivalent of 1.9 percent of the $14.96 trillion Gross Domestic Product which is nearly $900 billion.
- New era of self-driving cars will transform cities.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
HCAI Data: Assessments Continue to Be a Significant Proportion of Medical and Rehabilitation Expenses
The IBC has now published the standard HCAI reports for the first half of 2014. The document provides over 75 pages of aggregate data collected by HCAI going back to 2011. HCAI was made mandatory on February 1, 2011.
The standard reports are published on an “accident half year” basis. In accident half year statistics, the experience of all claims with accident dates in the same accident half year is grouped together. The accident half years are defined as calendar half years, with January to June being the first half and July to December being the second half for each of the stated years.
Assessment costs continue to be a significant portion of medical and rehabilitation expenses following the 2010 reforms. Those reforms introduced a $2,000 per assessment cap on both insurer examinations and assessments conducted by healthcare providers. As well, provider assessments now fall under the overall medical and rehabilitation cap.
Based on data from the General Insurance Statistical Agency (GISA), the total cost of all assessments in 2010 was approximately $ 1 billion. In 2010, assessments represented approximately 40% of all medical and rehabilitation expenses.
The chart below sets out insurer exams and provider assessments per accident half year as a percentage of all medical and rehabilitation expenses using available HCAI data. Note that the cost of assessment is not really falling as suggested by the chart. The data is not fully developed and since assessments continue to be a significant cost in older claims, the numbers will continue to grow over time. What is significant is that assessments continue to be close to 40% of all medical and rehabilitation expenses once the data is fully developed.
What has changed is the cost of medical and rehabilitation under the SABS with the reduction in the standard medical and rehabilitation cap and the introduction of the minor injury treatment cap.
The standard reports are published on an “accident half year” basis. In accident half year statistics, the experience of all claims with accident dates in the same accident half year is grouped together. The accident half years are defined as calendar half years, with January to June being the first half and July to December being the second half for each of the stated years.
Assessment costs continue to be a significant portion of medical and rehabilitation expenses following the 2010 reforms. Those reforms introduced a $2,000 per assessment cap on both insurer examinations and assessments conducted by healthcare providers. As well, provider assessments now fall under the overall medical and rehabilitation cap.
Based on data from the General Insurance Statistical Agency (GISA), the total cost of all assessments in 2010 was approximately $ 1 billion. In 2010, assessments represented approximately 40% of all medical and rehabilitation expenses.
The chart below sets out insurer exams and provider assessments per accident half year as a percentage of all medical and rehabilitation expenses using available HCAI data. Note that the cost of assessment is not really falling as suggested by the chart. The data is not fully developed and since assessments continue to be a significant cost in older claims, the numbers will continue to grow over time. What is significant is that assessments continue to be close to 40% of all medical and rehabilitation expenses once the data is fully developed.
What has changed is the cost of medical and rehabilitation under the SABS with the reduction in the standard medical and rehabilitation cap and the introduction of the minor injury treatment cap.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Asbestos and mesothelioma compensation lawyers
People who have been exposed to asbestos will be unaware of any damage to their health until they experience symptoms many years later. Asbestos has been linked to many illnesses, some of which are very serious.
As many symptoms generally appear years after the exposure to asbestos it is common for people to make a claim long after their employment has ceased. Asbestos exposure can also occur outside of work for instance from overalls or from neighbouring factories.
Only accredited injury lawyers specialising in asbestos illnesses are listed on this page.
Diseases caused by exposure to asbestos
- Asbestosis – a condition affecting the tissue of the lungs, this can cause a shortness of breath and carries an increased risk of developing more serious illnesses
- Mesothelioma – a form of cancer which can develop in the outer lining of the lungs
- Lung cancer – where cancerous tumours develop in the lungs
- Pleural thickening - thickening and hardening of the pleura (the lining surrounding the lungs)
Claiming compensation following exposure to asbestos
If you have an illness resulting from exposure to asbestos at work, you have the right to seek compensation. Asbestos related illness compensation can help provide financially for those with lifelong illnesses.Only accredited injury lawyers specialising in asbestos illnesses are listed on this page.
Source : apil.org.uk
Friday, August 29, 2014
Asbestos and Mesothelioma Lawyers
Mesothelioma Law Firm With Proven Mesothelioma Lawyers Ready To Help Your Family
As one of the nation’s leading mesothelioma law firms, Simmons Hanly Conroy has a proven track record. Every asbestos attorney and mesothelioma lawyer at the Firm is committed to helping families affected by mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases.
Our mesothelioma lawyers have been working with peoplediagnosed with mesothelioma since 1999, and in that time our asbestos lawyers have represented thousands of individuals from all areas of the United States.
Our asbestos lawyers have seen firsthand the pain amesothelioma diagnosis can cause and are passionate about helping victims and families affected by mesothelioma.
At the Firm, each mesothelioma lawyer focuses on providing clients with the personal attention they deserve. If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, our asbestos attorneys will travel to you, no matter your location.
Mesothelioma Attorneys.
How an Insurance Attorney Can Help a Public Adjuster
By working together on litigating insurance claims, public adjusters and attorneys can obtain beneficial outcomes for their client. In their partnership, each will use their unique skill set to recover the maximum possible compensation for the claimant.
Once individuals contact their insurance company about property damage or other losses, the insurance company will send a claims adjuster to assess the damage and decide on a settlement amount. To obtain support, the claimant may hire a public adjuster, who may assist by analyzing the damage and negotiating an appropriate settlement, based on the claimant’s coverage.
A public adjuster is a licensed professional who has been trained to evaluate insurance policies, prepare claims, and obtain compensation for the claimant. Public adjusters can be extremely helpful when beginning the initial stages of making a claim. Most charge for their services on a contingency fee basis, so claimants won’t have to pay them anything unless a settlement is reached. Others, however, may still expect a percentage of the proposed claim, so discussing wages with the public adjuster before retaining their services is a good idea.
In the event that the insurance company is not agreeing to a fair settlement, the claimant may want to pursue litigation, which will require the services of a lawyer. Public adjusters and lawyers that are working together will usually provide the best outcome for the claimant. While the lawyer can protect the claimant’s right in a courtroom, the public adjuster can do the leg work and may even find additional damage that should be covered. Working together, the public adjuster and the lawyer can each use their specific skill set to the victim’s benefit.
A public adjuster cannot sue an insurance company, so an attorney’s involvement at this point is absolutely vital. If an insurance company acts in bad faith, then a public adjuster has no leverage to use against them. By partnering with an attorney to take on the case, the claimant may then begin a lawsuit. Without an attorney, the public adjuster may settle for a claim much lower than the victim deserves or perhaps even get nothing.
It is important to note that if the insurance company accepts your claim and provides a fair settlement from the outset, no public adjuster or insurance attorney is needed. If the insurance company denies your claim, offers a settlement lower than what you deserve, or acts in bad faith, then you should obtain legal assistance. An experienced lawyer will review your case and make sure that all is in order before litigating. Large insurance companies often take advantage of claimants that do not have the resources to stand up for themselves. An attorney will protect their client’s rights from unethical insurance agencies and make sure that a fair settlement is negotiated.
Before hiring a public adjuster or an attorney for representation, a claimant should be sure to fully research their background and successes. Only retain services from individuals who have proved themselves to be ethical and effective.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Luis A. Mena
Luis A. Mena, a Miami litigation attorney, has been in the insurance legal field for over 15 years. He is known as one of the top lawyers in the state, having received an AV Preeminent® rating by Martindale-Hubbell® and been named as one of the Florida Super Lawyers®. As a former insurance defense attorney, he saw the tactics that insurance companies use to deny claims. He decided to work for the claimants, using his unique perspective to better protect their rights. His insurance litigation firm is located in Miami and he provides personalized service and tailored solutions for each client.
Copyright Mena Law Firm - Google+
More information about Mena Law Firm
A public adjuster is a licensed professional who has been trained to evaluate insurance policies, prepare claims, and obtain compensation for the claimant. Public adjusters can be extremely helpful when beginning the initial stages of making a claim. Most charge for their services on a contingency fee basis, so claimants won’t have to pay them anything unless a settlement is reached. Others, however, may still expect a percentage of the proposed claim, so discussing wages with the public adjuster before retaining their services is a good idea.
In the event that the insurance company is not agreeing to a fair settlement, the claimant may want to pursue litigation, which will require the services of a lawyer. Public adjusters and lawyers that are working together will usually provide the best outcome for the claimant. While the lawyer can protect the claimant’s right in a courtroom, the public adjuster can do the leg work and may even find additional damage that should be covered. Working together, the public adjuster and the lawyer can each use their specific skill set to the victim’s benefit.
A public adjuster cannot sue an insurance company, so an attorney’s involvement at this point is absolutely vital. If an insurance company acts in bad faith, then a public adjuster has no leverage to use against them. By partnering with an attorney to take on the case, the claimant may then begin a lawsuit. Without an attorney, the public adjuster may settle for a claim much lower than the victim deserves or perhaps even get nothing.
It is important to note that if the insurance company accepts your claim and provides a fair settlement from the outset, no public adjuster or insurance attorney is needed. If the insurance company denies your claim, offers a settlement lower than what you deserve, or acts in bad faith, then you should obtain legal assistance. An experienced lawyer will review your case and make sure that all is in order before litigating. Large insurance companies often take advantage of claimants that do not have the resources to stand up for themselves. An attorney will protect their client’s rights from unethical insurance agencies and make sure that a fair settlement is negotiated.
Before hiring a public adjuster or an attorney for representation, a claimant should be sure to fully research their background and successes. Only retain services from individuals who have proved themselves to be ethical and effective.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Luis A. Mena
Luis A. Mena, a Miami litigation attorney, has been in the insurance legal field for over 15 years. He is known as one of the top lawyers in the state, having received an AV Preeminent® rating by Martindale-Hubbell® and been named as one of the Florida Super Lawyers®. As a former insurance defense attorney, he saw the tactics that insurance companies use to deny claims. He decided to work for the claimants, using his unique perspective to better protect their rights. His insurance litigation firm is located in Miami and he provides personalized service and tailored solutions for each client.
Copyright Mena Law Firm - Google+
More information about Mena Law Firm
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