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Posts Tagged ‘homeowner’s insurance’

Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company ordered to pay damages

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

In the past, lawsuits have revealed internal documents which proved that insurance companies sometimes intentionally delay payment on their claims.  These documents have also revealed that the insurance companies intentionally attempt to make enforcing your rights so expensive that you simply give up on your claim. When you give up, the insurance companies make big profits which are funneled to their CEOs in the form of bonuses or are paid out as dividends to their shareholders.  Sometimes, it does not always work out so well for the insurance companies.

Taylor, Warren & Weidner, P.A. took Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company to court for refusing to pay a claim it had promised to do so in the policy it sold to the homeowners.  Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company refused to pay for a home that burnt down after a fire which left a family of six out on the street.  The jury agreed with the family and ordered Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company to pay for the damages as it had promised to do when the homeowners purchased the policy of coverage.

The verdict justly compensated the family for the losses.  However, this justice took over eight years of costly litigation.  Based on this delay and the costs of the litigation, which the family needlessly had to endure, Taylor, Warren & Weidner, P.A. asked the Court for additional compensation.  The Court agreed and awarded the family $132,793.07 in attorney’s fees and costs and $73,540.82 as compensation for the delays.  These funds were in addition to the money the family was awarded by the jury to rebuild their house.

This family is a perfect example of how resolve and determination can help level the playing field between a big insurance company and an individual. Some people choose to forego legal representation because they do not believe they can afford a lawyer.  This is not always the case.   In these economic times, you cannot afford not to hire a lawyer.  The best chance you have of receiving full and fair compensation is to consult with a lawyer as soon as possible.  Contact us today to discuss your rights without any obligation, fee, or cost unless you retain us and we make a recovery on your behalf.

Insurance: Delay, Deny, Defend

Wednesday, January 11th, 2012

Interesting article in the Huffington Post last month.  This article exposes what most of us already know.  Insurance companies are putting profits ahead of people.  They are able to get away with this because the laws which regulate this industry are weak and one-sided.  According to a prominent business professor from Northwestern University, claims have become a money-making process for the insurance industry.  What this means is that insurance companies actually make money when you have a loss.

According to the Huffington Post, the insurance company makes money off of their clients by purposefully low-balling their customers. According to the article, if a customer refused a low ball offer, their claim would be delayed and the customer would be intentionally forced to bring expensive litigation.  According to a former Allstate Insurance Company claims agent, their strategy was to make enforcing your rights so expensive and time-consuming that lawyers could not afford to help policy holders.  This former Allstate employee states that this policy was nick named, “From Good Hands to Boxing Gloves.”

The Huffington Post cites to an article which identifies Allstate Insurance Company as the worst insurance company in the country.  Behind Allstate are Unum, AIG, State Farm, Conseco, WellPoint, Farmers, UnitedHealth, Torchmark, and Liberty Mutual.   To read more about how insurance companies are purposefully delaying your claims read the article here. Link

 

No “Take-Backs” for Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

On June 29, 2011, an Escambia County Jury told Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company that it could not get out of a deal it made with a Pensacola family of 6.  A Pensacola family purchased homeowner’s insurance from the company with the red elephant, Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company.  Universal promised to insure the family home in case of disaster if the family agreed to pay insurance premiums.  The family agreed to the deal and paid Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company over $2,000.00 for insurance to protect their home.

In 2007, the family home experienced an accidental fire.  The fire burned the home to the ground and consumed almost every possession they owned.  Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company had no problem accepting this family’s money for premiums –until they needed to make a claim that is. When Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company found out about the accidental fire, they decided they no longer wanted to be the family’s insurance company—they wanted to “take-back” the deal.

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New Television Commercials

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011

In an effort to better reach out to the community and let them know what we do at Taylor, Warren & Weidner, P.A., we have launched three new television commercials.  See them here:

Stephanie Taylor on Disability InsuranceYouTube Preview Image

Keith Weidner on Insurance Claim Denials YouTube Preview Image

Stephanie Taylor on Social Security Disability YouTube Preview Image

Filing an Insurance Claim after a Storm

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

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The following tips may be helpful when filing and settling an insurance claim following a disaster. Remember, you bought insurance to take care of emergencies and you should be satisfied with the way insurance companies honor their part of the contract.

1.     Contact your insurance agent as quickly as possible. Let them know about your losses. If you are relocated temporarily, provide the address and phone number where you can be reached. The claim process may begin in one of two ways. Your insurance company may send a claim form for you to complete or an adjuster may visit your home first, before you are asked to fill out any forms.

2.    Take pictures of the damage, if possible, before beginning repairs.  If you repair small items such as TV antennas, window covering or fences before the adjuster arrives, it may be difficult to prove the damage. Pictures can also be used as evidence for tax deductions.

3.     Protect your property from further damage or theft. Patch roofs temporarily. Cover broken windows or holes in walls with plywood, canvas or plastic. If household furnishings are exposed to weather, move them to a safe location for storage. Save receipts for what you spend and submit them to your insurance company for reimbursement. Do not make permanent repairs without first consulting your agent. Unauthorized permanent repairs may not be reimbursed. (more…)

Is Your Insurance Coverage Ready for Hurricane Season?

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

ivanphotos

When storms are heading towards land, most insurance companies stop selling new policies or won’t allow coverage increases — or both.  That’s why it’s important to evaluate the insurance coverage you have for your home and/or business before a storm enters the Gulf.

Flood Insurance

A typical homeowners insurance policy doesn’t cover damage from flood or other surface water, including storm surge.  You will need a separate flood insurance policy, available from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  NFIP policies have a 30-day waiting period before coverage becomes effective.  If you have been told that you do not need flood coverage, consider this- some insurance policies define flood as “water flowing across your property.”  A heavy rain could potentially cause flood damage that would not be  recoverable under your homeowner’s policy.  Even if you don’t live in a low lying area or near a water source, it’s a good idea to consider flood coverage.  For more information about the NFIP program and Flood Insurance: http://www.fema.gov/pdf/nfip/summary_cov.pdf (more…)