U.S. may still join insurance lawsuit



The Justice Department says it is "highly interested" in an August 2006 lawsuit claiming that Allstate Corp., State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. and other insurers defrauded the government by "grossly overstating" Hurricane Katrina flood damages to policyholders' properties and then submitting false claims worth potentially billions of dollars to the federal flood insurance program.

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JAKARTA: The city administration on Monday denied victims' claims of negligence and mismanagement during and after devastating floods in February.

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Representatives from the insurance industry are meeting ministers to see how best to deal with the cost of claims following the recent floods.

Ministers have already met local councils to discuss how to spend the £14m relief package announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

UK insurers are facing a bill of around £1.5bn after June's floods.

The government says it is putting pressure on insurers to see that claims are processed as quickly as possible.

The recent bout of severe flooding is estimated to have hit 31,200 homes and 7,000 businesses, mainly in the Midlands and northern England.

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GIPPSLAND residents recovering from their battle against devastating floods have hit a new obstacle: getting insurance payouts for damage.

As Premier Steve Bracks yesterday took his cabinet to the scene of last month's floods, some residents in the town of Newry, near Maffra, reported problems with insurance claims.

But Gippsland's residents are likely to get some good news today, with the State Government's Flood Recovery Ministerial Taskforce expected to announce a package worth about $40 million to rebuild roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

In Newry, Don Dwyer said he had lost equipment worth thousands of dollars in the floods that inundated his home, and is concerned he may not get insurance money.

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Sometimes, your insurance company’s adjuster is slow to act on your claim. Sometimes, he’s wrong. Maybe you need to find a good adjuster to help you. Here’s how to find one.

Angry that your insurance company isn't moving as fast with that claim check as you'd like? Or maybe the adjuster's offer is less than you need to cover your losses? Perhaps you need your own adjuster.

Public adjusters assume all of the duties necessary to have your claim processed, including making an inventory of the loss and presenting your case to the insurance company. A good public adjuster has experience in the industry and will understand your contract and the company's responsibilities right down to the fine print. In exchange, a public adjuster receives a percentage of your claim.
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Insurers say critics' complaints of poor treatment are mostly unfounded

headline numbers were eye-popping: Allstate reported a record $5 billion profit for 2006. State Farm Insurance's profit climbed 65 percent for the year. St. Paul Travelers' earnings rose sixfold in the fourth quarter, American International Group's rose eightfold.

A year and a half after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, profits at the nation's major property-casualty insurance companies soared -- and are expected to be strong again in 2007, according to estimates by the A.M. Best Co. rating agency.
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There are many paths taken to become a public adjuster. Many adjusters receive on-the-job training while working for a public adjusting or insurance company. Others pursue a degree in insurance which prepares them for employment in many areas of the insurance industry.
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A Merrillville, Indiana woman shared with her former husband a $3.6 million verdict against State Farm Insurance Company which refused to pay the couple after their home burned down in.

The couple’s original claim was for $145,000. They fully cooperated with the police and even passed polygraph tests. While they were cleared as suspects in the blaze and were never charged with any crime, State Farm still refused to pay for the fire loss.

After a seven-day trial, the Insureds were awarded $145,212 for their home and personal belongings, and in addition, State Farm was ordered to pay $500,000 for showing bad faith and $3,000,000 in punitive damages.

The typical fire policy contains hundreds of provisions and stipulations - various forms and riders that are constantly changing and many complex details about your requirements in case of loss. Most people do not know or understand these policy provisions - and most do not realize that the burden of proof is on them, the policyholder. Most insurance company representatives actually prefer to work with an experienced accredited public insurance adjuster rather than an inexperienced insured.

An accredited public insurance adjuster not only has your confidence, but also that of company adjusters who recognize that they are dealing with a professional.