A weblog submit reveals how insurance coverage firms can delay paying claims to assist themselves

The Watchdog has lengthy suspected that some insurance coverage firms purposely delay paying policyholders whose houses are broken in Texas storms. However how one can show it?

Thanks to an enormous blunder by a South Texas legislation agency, I can present you the way insurance coverage firm legal professionals can use this authorized technique to frustrate a home-owner and lead the policyholder to give up.

In mid Could, the legislation agency of Colvin, Saenz, Rodriguez & Kennamer L.L.P., which has workplaces in Brownsville and Edinburg, publicly posted on its agency’s weblog a narrative titled, “Is delaying an insurance coverage declare an efficient authorized technique?”

The reply given is, ‘Sure.’

“Completely astounding,” was the response by J. Robert Hunter, Texas’ first solo insurance coverage commissioner, after I confirmed him the submit. “We knew many insurers function this fashion, however I’ve by no means seen the technique admitted like this.”

Listed here are excerpts of the submit because it appeared for 46 days till its deletion this week.

Regulation agency submit

Within the submit that seems to be aimed toward insurance coverage firms, the writer writes, “Firms that delay claims could expertise a number of advantages. To begin with, delaying a declare places stress on policyholders. These people could also be coping with mounting payments for property harm, authorized charges and medical bills.

“Most individuals can not afford to proceed preventing insurance coverage firms for a protracted time period. Which means that most plaintiffs can be compelled to accept a positive quantity as an alternative of continuous to barter with insurance coverage firms for an prolonged interval.

“In different phrases, delaying claims forces policyholders to simply accept decrease settlement gives. Delaying claims can decrease prices in different methods. For instance, when an insurance coverage firm faces a deluge of property harm claims, they will delay a few of them as a way to keep away from mass payouts abruptly.

“This limits the monetary stress on these organizations, and it permits them to speculate funds from paid premiums as a way to earn curiosity income and offset a few of the prices. That is seemingly one of many predominant causes for persevering with delays associated to the Texas freeze.”

The submit concludes with a warning that “it’s essential to be very cautious about the way you delay claims. … You could possibly face a foul religion lawsuit.”

Earlier than I share reactions to this submit, I must let you know that after The Watchdog contacted the agency, the submit was eliminated.

Retraction

Regulation agency accomplice Trey Colvin despatched me a retraction which said the submit “didn’t replicate our values, beliefs, or practices.”

“We imagine strongly that each one events to insurance coverage contracts must adjust to the phrases of the contracts and report, consider and assess all claims in an expert and well timed means. We not solely count on that of our insurance coverage shoppers, but it surely has been our expertise that our shoppers have those self same expectations of themselves.

“The submit has been faraway from the positioning. We deeply remorse that content material obtained from a 3rd celebration was not rigorously checked, and that the submit could have been interpreted by anybody as suggesting something on the contrary.”

Colvin informed me a third-party vendor, MileMark Media, wrote the weblog submit. I reached out to that firm, which handles social media for legal professionals, however I didn’t hear again.

‘Quiet half out loud’

Houston lawyer James W. Willis, who alerted The Watchdog to the submit, informed me: “I see this conduct from insurance coverage firms day-after-day in my legislation observe, so it doesn’t shock me.”

He continued, “They mentioned the quiet half out loud: that insurance coverage firms cheat by profiting from the disparate bargaining energy customers have in opposition to a big firm with limitless sources. It’s evil and wicked, if not simply illegal.”

60 days

Texas Department of Insurance spokesperson Gardner Selby defined, “The division doesn’t regulate legal professionals and has no remark on the internet web page.”

State legislation says that when a declare’s paperwork is accomplished, an insurance coverage firm ought to, typically, pay a declare inside 60 days. If violated, the legislation permits for a penalty of damages, curiosity and lawyer charges along with the declare itself.

‘Pocketing earnings’

Texas Watch is a pro-consumer advocacy group. Government Director Ware Wendell informed me, “Insurance coverage claims should be paid in full. Too many insurance coverage firms interact in wrongful ‘delay, deny, defend’ schemes to drive coverage holders to surrender, pocketing illicit earnings.

“The vulture tradition within insurance coverage firms has to cease. Solely robust legal guidelines will compel carriers to do the appropriate factor.”

In 2017, the Texas Legislature loosened penalties for delays.

‘Cents on the greenback’

In human phrases, lawyer Willis says that some Texans whose houses have been harm by the February 2021 Texas freezeout nonetheless haven’t had their houses repaired. He mentioned greater than half his shoppers are going through stalling ways from insurance coverage firms.

Certain, within the authorized world, stalling is an accepted tactic. However this isn’t one firm suing one other in a enterprise matter. This impacts households who haven’t been capable of return to their houses.

“They’ll’t take it anymore,” Willis says of those shoppers. “That’s what insurance coverage firms try to do. That’s what that weblog mentioned. Put them able the place they’re going to be compelled to take cents on the greenback.”

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