On my other blog, I wrote about how many insurance companies engaged in inproper handling claims practices Apparently feeling bad for not making the 10 worst list in that report I quoted, Travelers decided to jump on the bad behavior bandwagon.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, not known for criticizing insurance companies or big businesses, just ordered Travelers Insurance to stop airing a deceptive TV advertisement.
Thursday’s cease and desist letter says the ad wrongly tells Texas homeowners to purchase additional vehicle insurance or risk losing their homes if they have inadequate insurance after a traffic accident.
The truth is, state law already protect homeowners so “it is improper for Travelers to scare Texans into buying insurance they may not need, ” Abbot explained.
Under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, Travelers could be liable for up to $20,000 for each airing of the ad.
I’m disgusted with Travelers over trying to rip off Texas consumers. Is it not enough that this megabillion dollar corporation already rakes in billions of dollars every year in premiums? Is not enough that they refuse to offer fair compensation to the innocent victims of their drivers’ negligence? Now they are scaring people into paying them even more so they can make even bigger profits?
Last year, I represented a woman who was hit by an 18-wheeler insured with Travelers. The wreck ruptured one of her breast implants and she needed 4 surgeries to repair the damage. Her medical bills totaled nearly $140,000.00. Even though she had no complaints during the more than 20 years that the implants were in place, Travelers argued that they might have been ruptured prior to the wreck so they weren’t responsible. They also argued that there wasn’t much damage to either vehicle and even that the wreck was my client’s fault.
I filed a lawsuit after they refused to make anything close to a reasonable settlement offer.
I hired a focus group and asked several local attorneys what they thought about the case. The consensus was that if a jury awarded $100,000.00, would would be lucky. After months of fighting, at mediation the case settled for nearly a quarter of a million dollars. I was then able to reduce the amount of medical bills she needed to pay so she would get to keep more of her settlement. Out of the nearly $140,000.00 worth of bills, all she had to repay was $300.00. My client received $132,200.00 after all fees, expenses and medical bills were paid. She was very pleased.
If you have been injured in a car wreck, e-mail or call me today at 817-885-8000.
I just got back from running a marathon in Oregon, my fifth marathon in the last five months, so you know I’ll go the distance for you.