For those who survived these natural disasters, they are faced with a very ugly aftermath. Many have lost their homes and their most valuable possessions. One wonders how many insurance claims have arisen as a result of recent events, and how many has been rejected on the basis that the insurance policy does not cover floods, earthquakes or other natural disasters?

These recent events remind us of the importance to consider the “fine print” when buying insurance, be it home insurance, life insurance, income protection insurace or simply health insurance or car insurance.  Don’t expect all insurance to cover for the same things, make sure you know what you are covered for.

Health insurance fraud is typically defined as intentionally deceiving, misrepresenting, or concealing information to receive benefits from the insurance company. Essentially this means that you assert that you paid for certain medical procedures or expenses out-of-pocket which you have not actually received, and you are submitting claims to the insurance company to receive reimbursement. Another example of member fraud is to conceal pre-existing conditions or to alter medical documents so that non-policyholders or ineligible members receive medical benefits under your policy. Perhaps your sister does not have insurance and needs medical attention. Having her use your name and policy to cover the expenses is health insurance fraud. While you may think that this is a small issue in comparison to your sister receiving treatment, it is actually very serious to your health insurance company and industry, and will result in fines and possible imprisonment if your are caught.

Not only policyholders commit fraud, but providers (physicians, hospitals, etc.) do as well. Since physicians and hospitals bill the insurance company for services they provide for you, they are also receiving reimbursement from the insurance company. When providers commit fraud, they may be billing the insurance company at higher rates for services rendered or they may bill for services you never received. In these cases, you will probably be asked to cooperate in the insurance company’s investigation.

Another type of health insurance fraud that has developed recently targets the policyholder more than the insurance company. Schemes have developed where fake insurance companies or agents sign unsuspecting customers for coverage at surprisingly low premium rates. They often act much like a regular insurance company for the first few months, paying for smaller medical claims like physicians visits. But once you have a more serious medical condition that needs treatment, the insurance company will disappear – along with the money you have been paying in premiums.

The rule with health insurance fraud is much like that of any other scam: if a deal seems too good to be true, just remember - it probably is. Remember to be honest in your dealings with health insurance companies and expect the same in the return from these companies, as well as your health care providers. Stay legal to avoid fines and prison and to continue receiving health insurance coverage.

What is often overlooked is the fine print of the car insurance cover you are getting. If the premium from Insurer A  is $650 and premium for Insurer B is $750 and premium for Insurer C is $800, it would be a good idea not to simply choose the cheapest Insurer.

Some of the factors you should consider include:

* How much is the excess (the amount you have to pay for at fault insurance claims)? I have found that typically, the insurer who offers the cheapest premium has the highest excess. And if you reduce the excess comparable to the insurer quoting you a higher premium then the original quote is no longer the cheapest.

* Who is insured? Just you? or anyone who drives the car? If a family member or friend might potentially drive your car then it would be better to pick a car insurance that insures whoever drives the car.

* Any additional bonuses that are supposedly for “free” or added on as a “bonus” but are actually costing you.

Be smart when choosing your motor vehicle insurance and make sure you don’t just choose the cheapest premium, only to find that you are not covered or you have to pay a big lump sum excess when you’ve been in an at fault accident. Look for the details (most of the time you’ll have to do some digging and looking around) before making a decision.

Mesothelioma, also known as asbestos cancer, is a form of cancer that is most commonly known to occur when the affected person has come in contact with asbestos and inhaled its particles. It can happen to men and women although statistically more men have been affected by the disease than women. The name mesothelioma came from mesothelium, which is the membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the human body.

Monetary compensation will not cure the disease, and will not turn back time, but if someone has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, there are steps they can take to claim compensation through mesothelioma lawsuits. Asbestos cancer lawsuits are commonly filed as class actions, although there are also cases commenced by individuals. Either way, the best thing to do is to consult an expert in the area. There are attorneys who specialize in methelioma lawsuits. They will be able to assess your circumstances and determine the best course of action as to how you may be able to obtain compensation. These cases often result in monetary settlements.

While all the money in the world would not cure the disease, it can certainly provide a better standard of living to the individual and family and friends to care for the individual.

A “structured settlement” refers to an agreement by the losing party (usually the insurer) to pay the winning party (the party who sued for personal injury compensation) the judgment amount by installments instead of a lump sum amount. Such an arrangement is beneficial to the losing party particularly if the awarded sum is significant. The personal injury claimant might be happy with such an arrangement because such installment payments become a good source of regular income.

However, if at anytime the claimant is no longer happy with the format of such payment, he or she may choose to sell the structured settlement to a third party in exchange for a lump sum payment.Of course, the seller will sell the structured settlement for a lesser amount than its full value. A mathematician or an insurance actuary would be able to provide professional assistance to ensure you are getting a fair value, taking into account the time left in the structured settlement.

The typical procedure might be as follows, although this will depend on your location and the applicable laws (so you must go and get your own legal advice as to whether a similar or different procedure applies to you):

1. The seller sends details of the insurance company, the amount of settlement and the agreed payment plan to the potential buyer.

2. The potential buyer may make an offer if he or she is interested in buying the structured settlement.

3. If the seller is happy with the offer, the seller sends the buyer a copy of the structured settlement policy and the settlement agreement.

4. An agreement is drawn up detailing the proposed transaction.

5. The seller and buyer applies to the court for the agreement to be approved.

6. The court reviews the documentation and approves or disapproves the transaction.

This process generally takes a number of weeks but can vary.

If you have suffered personal injuries as a result of an accident, then you may be entitled to injury compensation.

If you think you may be entitled to make a claim in any of the following categories:

• Industrial injury claims;

• · Criminal injury compensation claims;

• · Car accident injury claim;

• · Accident at work claim;

• · Sports injury claim;

Then you should consult with injury solicitors, who are often also “no win no fee lawyers”, to see if you might have a case for getting compensation for your injuries.

In most cases, you cannot rely on the person who has done you wrong to compensate you. Even if the party who has caused your injury has insurance, you cannot rely on the insurance company to compensate you out of their goodness. In fact, insurance companies will do everything in their power to give you little or no compensation.

Make sure you don’t leave it for too long after the accident to speak to a lawyer, as there is a deadline after which you can no longer bring legal action. If you engage a no win no fee lawyer, then they will be able to advice you (at no cost to you, subject to some conditions) if you have a case and if you do, represent you in negotiations and if that fails, represent you in legal proceedings.

Be sure to find a injury claim specialist who you feel comfortable speaking with to ensure the highest chance of success in your case.

]]> http://selfhelpcompensation.com/home/what-you-should-do-when-you-have-suffered-personal-injuries/feed http://selfhelpcompensation.com/home/choosing-the-right-car-insurance http://selfhelpcompensation.com/home/choosing-the-right-car-insurance#comments Sat, 11 Sep 2010 03:02:41 +0000 admin http://selfhelpcompensation.com/home/?p=27 Nowadays with the accessibility of the internet, it is easy to find the best value car insurance. Most if not all car insurance companies will offer instant car insurance quote over the internet. Most of them nowadays even offer more than car insurance, they may offer extra benefits so you will have to take these into account when deciding whether a particular insurance coverage is right for you.

Online car insurance quotes allow you to compare auto insurance with the click of a button. Another benefit of getting direct car insurance quotes online is often the insurance companies offer discount car insurance if you buy your insurance on the internet, as opposed to buying over the phone or in person. The reason for this is obvious, it’s because they don’t have to pay for someone to speak to you over the phone or see you in person. Everyone is so busy nowadays I think getting car insurance online is the easiest anyway. So it is a win win situation.

Make sure though you find the best deal by not just comparing the premium you are to pay, you should look into the fine prints to compare and excess levels and any hidden extras that you don’t need but are being charged for.

Another thing to keep in mind is if you are buying car insurance online, you must make sure the details you fill in are correct, because any errors, intentionally or unintentionally, may void or limit your insurance coverage.

Other accidents may occur simply because of poor weather or road conditions caused by rain, snow or ice.

Whatever the reason may be, if you have been in an accident, especially if someone has suffered injuries as a result, police are usually called. Statements are taken from all parties as well as witnesses. These statements will play a significant role in your compensation claim when you decide to proceed with your claim.

Depending on your injuries, you may be able to make a head injury claim, back injury claim, or claims for injuries to your neck, legs, arms as well as internal injuries. If you have suffered any such injuries then you would have had to see a doctor and pay the relevant medical bills and treatment costs. You may even have a claim for loss of earnings if you temporarily or in some serious cases, permanently, lost your capacity to work due to injuries.

Many road traffic accident solicitors now work on a no win no fee basis meaning you don’t have to pay a penny in legal fees. These no win no fee lawyers will obviously only take on your case if they believe you have a good chance of winning because they won’t get paid if you don’t win. Having said this, you may still have to pay for doctors reports or other disbursements associated with your compensation claim. If you win your case you may be able to receive the whole amount of compensation awarded to you, and your injury lawyer will get their legal fees paid by the other party’s insurance. But every lawyer’s costs agreement will be different, so you must check the details of your injury solicitor’s fee agreement and ask them lots of questions about who is liable for what costs in every different circumstances before deciding whether to engage this particular personal injury firm to act for you.

It is best to look for and seek advice from a personal injury lawyer who is an injury specialist. They can advice you and negotiate with the other side and insurance companies on your behalf. if you ultimately make a compensation claim and it goes to court, your injury solicitor will be able to represent you in court.

You will find some injury specialists who will take on your case on a no win no fees basis. But you must check the details of the terms and conditions of such a conditional fee agreement, also sometimes referred to as contingency fee agreement. For example, find out what “winning” means under your fee agreement. Further, find out whether there are any circumstances in which you may still be liable to pay something, whether it is to your own lawyers, or your opponents lawyers or court fees.

Finding the right lawyer can be time consuming and emotionally draining. Usually people only start searching for a lawyer when they need one immediately. A lawyer should be chosen for their expertise and experience, but you must also be able to relate to them and feel comfortable talking to them about your personal circumstances. You would also want your personal injury lawyer to be proactive so that your case can be pursued quickly and effectively. You don’t want to be chasing them to do the work every second day.

There is a time limitation for prosecuting personal injury claims. So if you have suffered personal injuries and think you might have a claim, you should not delay in speaking to a lawyer, at least first to find out when your critical deadline is. Do not rely on your friends and family to tell you who’s a good lawyer for you or how long you have to make your claim.

If you spend some time looking for the right personal injury solicitor and find one you can have a good working relationship with, you will increase your chances of success and you will probably also save money and heartache in the long run.

Life is unpredictable. The consequences of having been in an accident and suffering personal injuries are life changing. Not only are you physically injured you are also most likely to be mentally scarred to some extent.

After suffering serious personal injuries, it is likely that your earning capacity (at least in the short term) will be affected. An injury compensation claim may just be the step you have to take to regain some feeling of justice, some feeling of making a wrong right and to receiving the deserved compensation to help with financial difficulties as a result of the accident.

A successful accident claim will give you the financial freedom to help you get back on your feet and recover from the traumatic events. A caring and trustworthy injury solicitor, who is a personal injury specialist will be able to provide you the best support in making your personal injury claim.

The decision to claim compensation can be your turning point. One must understand that if your compensation claim is not settled, and ultimately goes to court, such proceedings can be frustrating and hence choosing the right accident solicitor who understands your needs is important. You must do your research to find not just any personal injury specialist, but one who is truly interested in your welfare and getting you the help you need rather than just collecting his / her legal fees. You should do research into “No win no fee” lawyers, who may be able to represent and advice you for no fees unless you win your compensation claim.

Once you are successful in your injury compensation claim, you will be able to concentrate on rehabilitation, physically and mentally.