Insurance Law Articles

You may have heard of "Med Pay", but not know what it means. Med Pay refers to medical payment coverage in an automobile insurance policy. Under the Med Pay provision, a policyholder is generally covered for reasonable medical expenses (including chiropractic) if he or she is in a car accident, regardless of fault. Med Pay can also cover family members who are in the car at the time of the auto accident.

Automobile accidents in New York may not be as costly for insurance policy holders, thanks to recent legislation signed by Governor David Patterson. The new law amends Section 2335 of the Insurance Law, which limits insurance companies from levying surcharges on a policyholder after an auto accident involving property damage.

The State of California requires that motorists carry liability insurance. However, there are other types of insurance which, although not required by motorists to carry, can help protect one in case of an accident. Some of these types of insurance are more known than others, such as uninsured motorist coverage. However, some of less known, such as GAP Insurance.

The author provides useful tips to keep in mind when purchasing car insurance that will provide adequate coverage in case you actually need to use it.

If you’ve been involved in multiple car accidents, you should know by now that insurance issues can be quite a hassle.

Uninsured motorist (UM) insurance coverage is an automobile policy option which covers the insured for property damage and bodily injury in accidents caused by another motorist who does not carry liability insurance. In short, it pays for damages caused by someone with no insurance.

A hurricane attorney can help you navigate the difficult process of homeowners and hurricane insurance claims.

Florida's Governor encourages residents to file claims for compensation.

Cheaper isn't always better. Here's a list of things to check when purchasing automobile insurance coverage in New Jersey. Whether buying online or with an agent, make sure you know what you are getting.

Get the most from your motorcycle insurance by knowing your insurance policy coverage and limits and your rights and obligations under state law.

The New Year is already looking up for Wisconsin drivers! By January 1, 2010, all of the provisions of the Truth in Auto Insurance law will be in effect - holding auto insurance providers accountable once again.

Auto insurance policies in South Carolina are changing and not for the better. Thanks in part to a state appellate court ruling in 2000, insurance companies are writing "reduction" or "offset" clauses into their contracts that reduce the benefits an injured motorist may be able to recover following a car crash.

Article that discusses the legalities of car insurance.

With more project owners demanding the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM), project delivery is necessarily carried out through greater contributions of design input by the general contractor and the major trade subcontractors. The design professionals are no longer the sole authors of the project design. This collaborative project delivery method has been called integrated project delivery (IPD).

Severe penalties can be levied against people who drive without insurance in the state of New Jersey. Driving without insurance in New Jersey is so serious that penalties are harsher than penalties for first time drunk driving offenses.

Both the Delaware and Vermont captive insurance statutes are modern statutes, with leading edge provisions, carefully tended by thoughtful and committed local captive insurance communities.

If you suffer a disaster and have to make a claim on your insurance, keep these three principles in mind.

Put in the time and gather the knowledge. Bad faith litigation is not a practice area for the faint of heart. Remember to avoid the five common mistakes.

There is a notion in the insurance bar that bad faith law is a powerful tool for consumer rights that might easily be taken away if abused. It is that old notion of “killing the golden goose.” As guardians of consumer rights, we have a duty and responsibility to preserve them as best we can.

It is therefore important for parties entering into contracts and agreements to seriously consider the implied and express conditions/term of the contract or the agreement.

Statutory, regulatory and decisional law imposes specific claims handling duties on carriers. Like any citizen of California, a carrier may not break the law without consequence. So, the genuine dispute doctrine is only available as a defense where there is undisputed evidence of a genuine dispute of some fact of liability between insurer and insured.

Rescission is when insurance companies retroactively cancel policies and it is increasingly popular in the insurance industry as a way of beating legitimate claims and increasing insurance company profits at the expense of consumers. The problem has become so critical that it is a growing topic of news stories and comment.

Recognizing and acting on liens is an important part of any practice.

Attorneys counseling either insureds or carriers need to have a grasp of this doctrine as well, whether they are providing advice during the course of a claim or in the midst of bad faith litigation.

Seven rules you might keep in mind while you’re building a better practice.

The low policy limits required by Illinois' mandatory auto insurance law does not provide adequate coverage to victims of car accidents in all but the most minor car crashes. Underinsured motorist coverage is much more effective at providing protection for your family.

Construction work is difficult, demanding and often dangerous. Pursuing a third party claim for a construction injury can be equally trying.

The fact is, whenever there is catastrophe, insurance problems rear their ugly head. The first thing that needs to be done in advising on a catastrophic insurance claim is to get a copy of every policy that might possibly provide coverage for the damaged property and read them all from front to back.

To make an insurance claim, you have to evaluate first your coverage.

There are many benefits to settling a personal injury claim. However, claims should only be settled when it is the prudent thing to do, namely if there are no long term or permanent injuries. In order to effectively understand the settlement process, your accident attorney should be familiar with the laws and regulations that govern insurance companies.

The archaic term “servants” in Clause 4.3 of ICC 1982 has been replaced with the term “employees” in Clause 4.3 of ICC 2009".

It seems that Southern California is the land of natural disaster. Between fire, flood, earthquake and the occasional stray hurricane, we get more than our share of Mother Nature’s wrath. The best place to start is at the beginning. So far as an insurance claim is concerned, the beginning and the end is always the policy.

Most state laws require people to have automobile insurance, or at least urge them to have this policy that will help them pay for accident-related injuries, property damages, and car repairs. And by having an extensive insurance coverage, people may avoid financial risks associated to car accidents.

Most people purchase a disability insurance coverage thinking that this will help them pay for hospital bills and loss of wages in case of an accident that may result to temporary or permanent disability.

Most states require drivers to have insurance coverage, or at least urge them to have this policy to help them pay car repairs and property damages caused by accidents.

There are other ways to save on your auto insurance premiums without sacrificing your legal rights and your family's safety.

We have relief from the scorching days of summer, but the chill of winter will soon follow. If you are thinking ahead to the cold months to come, you are not alone. Many are planning extended vacations to warmer locale, but before you can enjoy the sunshine, you must plan for a safe and healthy trip.

Insurance is a legal contract that protects people from the financial costs that result from loss of life, loss of health, lawsuits, or property damage. Since no one knows in advance when a loss will occur or how serious that loss will be, insurance provides a means for individuals and societies to cope with some of the risks faced in everyday life.

After a person is injured and medical bills are paid by a health insurance company (either partially or fully), the health insurance company generally has the legal authority to go after the wrongdoer for the medical bills paid by the company.

When injured by a wrongdoer that has no insurance or very little insurance, one can make a claim against one’s own insurance company if the injured party has UM insurance coverage.

Most residents of South Florida know that they are vulnerable to severe storms, including hurricanes. They recognize the need to keep essential supplies on hand, to check their power generators regularly and to ensure that their protective shutters are in good shape.

Dogs that bite people can cause disfigurement, broken bones, amputations, emotional trauma and even death. While the psychological aspects of dog bites are significant, the economic costs are also high. Injuries from dog bites and attacks may require surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy and counseling.

One of the most important concerns for people injured in auto accidents is receiving adequate compensation to cover all losses and injuries. While it may be possible to pursue the individual assets of the party responsible for the injury, more times than not, compensation will be recovered from an insurance policy.

A variety of injuries are covered by homeowners’ and business liability insurance. For instance, dog bites, slip and fall accidents, and or most any kind of general negligence is likely to be covered under a homeowner’s insurance policy. If negligent acts causing injury take place at a business, liability is likely to be covered under a business liability policy.

A Bad Faith In Uninsured Motorist Coverage, Underinsured Motorist Coverage And Med-Pay

The law of the land in Texas requires motorists to have automobile liability insurance, this is the type of insurance that pays for another person's expenses if you cause an accident. Minimum coverage in our state is $25,000 per injured person, with $50,000 for all injured persons in the same incident. The shorthand for this coverage is 25/50. Minimum coverage requirements increased to 25/50/25 ($25,000/$50,000/$25,000) in 2008 and 30/60/30 in 2011.

The laws of most states require motorists to carry a minimum amount of insurance. In California, for example, the minimum requirements for insurance are $15,000 of liability coverage to cover possible injury to others, and $5,000 of property damage insurance, to cover possible damage to other people's vehicles. The reality is that this minimum is frequently not enough to cover the losses created by a vehicle accident, whether a car accident, motorcycle accident, or other vehicular accident.

To understand what the difference is between auto insurance policies offered by different companies requires an understanding of a couple of concepts.

A car accident caused by a hit and run driver caused injuries to the driver of this car, but he did not have adequate UM coverage. What does that mean?

The old adage is true that life insurance is not so much about life as about death. The only time that you or your family benefit from life insurance is at your death. The trouble with life insurance is that it is often confusing to general consumers about both basic questions such as when to buy it and when to skip it or more complicated questions about how much coverage and which is the best policy for you.

Private placement life insurance is a pre-emptive IRS audit tax strategy that transforms taxable ordinary income and capital gains into tax-free income (with no income tax reporting required under current U.S. Law). Please reference IRS Private Letter Ruling 200244001 (May 2, 2002). For U.S. Persons with investment income, private placement life insurance provides for compliant, tax-free compounded earnings.

As this San Diego and Orange County Life Insurance Lawyer explains, when a life insurance company denies a beneficiary’s claim for the life insurance policy on the death of a loved one, you have a right to appeal that decision. And while you or your California ERISA attorney may still be able to file a lawsuit in federal court, unless your appeal was prepared properly, you will have little chance of prevailing in federal court.

This article provides an overview of medical, pharmaceutical & health insurance fraud: types of fraud, acts & statutes, case studies, prosecution strategies & defense strategies.

The author divulges ten secrets about insurance companies you should know when trying to negotiate a personal injury settlement. This experienced negotiator warns how insurance companies try to take advantage of people without attorneys.

This articles discusses a few factors that can make your negotiation of an injury settlement claim much more effective.

This paper refers to the Florida Supreme Court decision relating to the Valued Policy Law (“VLP”) in relation to . Florida Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Co. v. Cox, SC06-2494, 2007 WL 2727072 (Fla. S. Ct. Sept. 20, 2007). The Court considered whether the VPL required an insurer to pay the face value of the policy for a “total loss” caused, in part, by a covered peril and, in part, by a non-covered peril.

Florida insurance reform: One year after a massive legislative overhaul, is Florida any closer to finding a solution to its property insurance problems? This article briefly summarizes the major legislative, regulatory, and market developments in Florida’s property insurance industry over the past three years.

Are you wondering whether you need MedPay or Personal Injury Protection? A San Francisco Bay Area attorney explains what it covers and how much you should have to protect yourself in case of an accident.