Bill reeks of IBC influence

Hudak is now leaving politics and has never shown any interest or knowledge in the topic of auto accident victims or pi lawyers before - so why now that he is leaving? If he is pushing through the Protection for Motor Vehicle Accidents Bill to get the government to scrutinize personal injury lawyers, it is highly likely that the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is behind it.

Source:

http://deniedbenefitclaims.com/blog.html

Insurance industry uses Trump tactics to pump up fraud

If juries have become cynical it is because the insurance industry spends inordinate amounts of money, and uses Trump tactics, to launch ad campaigns to tell the public about so-called rampant insurance fraud.

The public has come to believe that nearly everyone is fraudulent without hearing the perspective of accident victims

Most injured parties have to take on their insurer via a legal battle to receive the income replacement and rehab benefits they require and are obliged to sign "privacy" or confidentiality agreements so they can't divulge the settlement or how they were treated at mediation or in an examination for discovery.

Source/more: http://deniedbenefitclaims.com/blog.html

Auto insurance changes

Auto insurance changes with @IBAOntario and Jokelee Vanderkop http://www.zoomerradio.ca/show/fight-back-on-zoomer-radio/michael-brattman-jokelee-vandekop-june-1/ …

Hard road for car crash victims

Why is the Ontario government taking away money they deserve and transferring it to the insurance industry?

How nice for the insurance industry. Take money from deserving accident victims and give it to insurance companies.
Instead of increasing the deductible the government ought to abolish it.
There’s no principled reason to apply a deductible....

More:
http://www.torontosun.com/2015/09/12/hard-road-for-car-crash-victims

 

The Truth About Insurance

https://www.youtube.com/embed/WlTdMz8ak9Q

MPP Singh speaks out against changes to Accident Benefits

https://www.youtube.com/embed/LjJij_9bda

Don’t be fooled by the Insurance Bureau of Canada

Cambridge Times

By Richard Vivian

 

CAMBRIDGE- What is wrong with the Ontario government? They are yet again further reducing auto insurance coverage without requiring any premium reductions. 

This is the worst of both worlds, and it comes after a year of record profits for insurance companies and a study which concluded that motorists overpaid for auto insurance by $840 million in 2013 alone. 

When I wrote a letter to the Times (“Insurance companies reaping profits”, April 28), exposing insurance company largesse, it was responded to within 24 hours by the head of the Insurance Bureau of Canada, Ralph Palumbo.   

His quick response demonstrates how well organized the insurance lobby is in this province. 

Mr. Palumbo doesn’t want you to think about the profits insurance companies are making. 

So instead, he talks about the need for “transparency and fairness”. 

But even there he is on shaky ground. He will not disclose how much insurance companies pay him to lobby on their behalf.   

We do know that the Insurance Bureau of Canada has a lobbying budget of $32 million per year, and that money comes out of your pocket. 

This is your money being used to persuade the government to reduce the assistance you get if you are in an accident.............

More/ source: http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/opinion-story/5612022-don-t-be-fooled-by-the-insurance-bureau-of-canada/

 

J.D. Power Reports: Auto Insurers Continue to Miss the Mark to Improve the Customer Experience in Canada

While auto insurers have been able to improve customer satisfaction with price, they continue to miss the mark in interactions around claims and other service experiences, resulting in a decline in overall satisfaction for a third consecutive year, according to the J.D. Power 2015 Canadian Auto Insurance Satisfaction StudySM released today.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/

Ontario auto insurance changes slash benefits to seriously injured, critics say

Critics say the Ontario Liberal government's proposed auto insurance changes mean people suffering debilitating injuries from car accidents are going to suffer even more.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-auto-insurance-changes-slash-benefits-to-seriously-injured-critics-say-1.3065708

Crash victims slam auto insurance rule changes

In the blink of an eye and the twist in a road 11 years ago, the lives of two young sisters changed for ever.
Shannon and Erica Deering were teenagers looking ahead to full and active lives.
Shannon, now 29, had won a scholarship to play softball in Florida. Erica, now 26, was still in high school but had hopes of becoming a lawyer.
All that changed in a horrific crash when both sisters suffered dreadful spinal injuries that left them quadriplegic.



http://www.torontosun.com/2015/05/07/crash-victims-slam-auto-insurance-rule-changes

Economical Insurance reports Q1 net income of $34.2 million, 2% increase in gross written premiums

Economical Insurance, a property and casualty insurance company in Waterloo, Ont., reported a combined ratio of 105.7% for Q1 2015, compared to the 105.5% reported in the same quarter a year ago, but also consolidated net income of $34.2 million for Q1 2015 compared to $1.0 million during the same period a year ago.

http://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/news/economical-insurance-reports-large-increase-in-net-income-for-q1-2015-up-to-34-2-million-from-1-0/1003607730/s7vw03Wsv64srM2vx/?ref=enews_CU&utm_source=CU&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CU-EN05062015

The Government Gets it Wrong – Again!

Sorry people of Ontario, but I feel that the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) is an embarrassment.  In short, FSCO is a FIASCO. 
FIASCO is responsible for regulating and governing our provincial auto insurance product.  And what a mess it is.  If you read up on articles about auto insurance, benefits and changes, the comments are hilarious.  Ontarians seem to have a strong dislike for both FIASCO and Insurance Companies.

http://entwistlepower.com/2015/05/the-government-gets-it-wrong-again.html

Poll follows a report released by the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association

POLL RESULTS

The results of the latest Law Times online poll are in.

In the continuing battle between personal injury lawyers and the insurance industry over who’s responsible for high auto insurance costs, a large number of responders say they’re both to blame.

According to the poll, 46 per cent of poll participants feel both groups “are in it for themselves.”

Another 37 per cent of responders sided with personal injury lawyers, saying the insurance industry makes plenty of money.

The remaining 17 per cent of participants took the side of the insurers and said personal injury lawyers are driving up costs through generous contingency fees.

The poll follows a report released by the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association that suggested drivers are paying far too much in premiums due to the excessive profits earned by insurance companies. The Insurance Bureau of Canada has responded that lawyers are to blame for high costs through high legal fees.   

http://www.lawtimesnews.com/201505044650/inside-story/monday-may-4-2015

Ontario Government strips coverage from those most injured and calls it “Promoting consumer protection”

Change the standard benefit level for medical and rehabilitation benefits to
$65,000 (from $50,000) and include attendant care services under this
benefit limit. Consumers will also have an option to increase that coverage
up to $1 million;

Include attendant care services with the $1 million medical and
rehabilitation benefit for catastrophic impairments, and provide the option
for additional coverage of $1 million, for $2 million in total coverage;
Reduce the standard duration of medical and rehabilitation benefits from
10 years to five years for all claimants except children;
262873654-Ontario-provincial-budget-2015

Read the excerpt on auto insurance only 2015 Ontario Budget re auto insurance section

Source: http://www.fairassociation.ca/category/news/

 

Concerning the lack of information available to MVA victims at FSCO

Lack of Accessible information for Ontario MVA victims

It is an unacceptable low level of information available, on the FSCO website or supplied to claimants by the insurer they paid to assist them, that is contributing to the volume of claims in the system and which eventually plays out in our courts.

As the Superintendent at FSCO it must surely fall under your mandate to ensure that the public service of Ontario is effective in serving the public in a non-partisan, professional, ethical and competent manner
Letter to Brian Mills, FSCO Superindendent Mar 4 2015 re lack of public information

Source: http://www.fairassociation.ca

Budget changes to auto insurance of no real value to drivers: Consumer group

TORONTO - The auto insurance changes in the provincial budget will be of no real value to Ontario drivers, a national advocacy group for consumers says.

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/04/24/budget-changes-to-auto-insurance-of-no-real-value-to-drivers-consumer-group

Ontario budget 2015: the divisive industry reactions

For one, the government has renewed its commitment to lowering auto insurance premiums by 15%, which it intends do accomplish by raising deductibles from $300 to $500, as well as lowering maximum interest rates and forbidding increases on premiums because of “minor, at-fault” accidents.

“Our government, under the guise of protecting victims, is proposing to cut over a $1 million dollars in coverage for the most seriously injured among us while pretending that they are fiscally responsible,” said Rhona Desroches, FAIR Board Chair. “You don’t have to be an accountant to see that the government is doing the industry a big financial favour and doing it on the backs of some of the most disabled individuals in Ontario. It’s a disgusting and unacceptable way to treat these vulnerable individuals.”

http://www.insurancebusiness.ca/news/ontario-budget-2015-the-divisive-industry-reactions-190698.aspx

Insurance companies reaping profits

Cambridge Times
 

A few years ago when I commented in the Times on the 50 per cent reduction in benefits for people injured in car accidents, my letter was responded to within days by Ralph Palumbo. 

Ralph Palumbo is the vice-president of the Insurance Bureau of Canada and he spends his time lobbying on behalf of insurance companies for higher premiums and lower benefits. He does not represent the average person. He represents insurance companies. 

Auto insurance companies in Ontario are making huge profits right now. Mr. Palumbo is trying to take the spotlight off of this fact by making the nonsensical argument that lawyers are driving up insurance costs. Nothing could be further from the truth. 

The government took away the right to sue your own auto insurer this year and your right to sue the at-fault driver’s insurer has been severely curtailed for decades. 

Mr. Palumbo is supporting a petition presented by a Conservative MPP to have the government cap the fees of lawyers in motor vehicle accident cases. However, it is the incomes of insurance executives that should be scrutinized. 

The chief executive officer of Economical Insurance spent $28,435 for limousine service in one year. She also earned $2.9 million. I don’t know of any lawyers who ride around in limousines. 

The largest auto insurance company, Intact, paid its CEO $5.1 million last year and as of last December, he had share holdings worth $17.5 million. 

Mr. Palumbo and his clients have been fear mongering at Queen’s Park for years and governments of the day keep listening to them. 

The end result, as we can now see, is higher profits than ever before for insurance companies. Since 2010, when our benefits were cut in half, auto insurance companies have made $3 billion in profits. Case closed. 

Robert Konduras

Cambridge

 

Editor’s note: Robert Konduras is a Cambridge lawyer.

Comment

By FAIR | APRIL 28, 2015 04:58 PM

There were over 42,000 Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) applications last year, many of them auto accident claimants who are forced to wait many years for their benefits. There are 61,063 auto insurance cases on the docket in Ontario courts, there are over 25,000 cases at the Financial Services Commission DRS unit, and many of our members are on ODSP and CPP disability so Ontario’s insurers are already well on the road to paying less than their fair share of MVA expenses and we already have a distorted form of public auto insurance.

 

By MrKenn | APRIL 28, 2015 12:37 PM

Insurance companies never lose. Remember when they advocated better bumpers ? Well those bumpers cost more to repair so we saved nothing. How about airbags because YOU did not buckle up ? Well airbags put the cost of your car up and are expensive to replace after an accident. You saved nothing. All these "improvements" and people still kill themselves due to poor driving. As for roundabouts, all the insurance industry looks at is the number of accidents. And they are higher with those expensive #%@# things.

 

By StatusQuoContinues | APRIL 28, 2015 08:58 AM

Welcome everyone to the privatization of government mandated compulsory insurance............remember when the government proclaimed that "privatization" will create competition and LOWER premiums for Ontarians??????? - How's that working out for us so far???????. Seems these insurance companies are making record profits, while citizens continue to be gouged in the process..............Just think how the sale of hydro is going to work out for us in 20 years. The current costs are just the beginning, better get the Vaseline out - Ontarians are going to need it.

By xDEX | APRIL 27, 2015 10:46 PM

I always remember hearing a discussion on the radio about how insurance is going to be higher rates for cities with lots of roundabouts as there are more accidents with them. I also know people who were in car accidents and insurance spends more money on lawyers rather then paying out valid claims. It would be cheaper to the valid claims. There needs to be a better system put in place to minimize the waste spent on lawyers. If there is strong medical evidence, all that is needed are set fees and stop the 3 to 5 or more years of battles between lawyers and doctors. If there is going to be a payout, just work out those details and there would actually be a savings on costs. Insurance isn't hurting cause they still make profits either way.

By StatusQuoContinues | APRIL 27, 2015 09:20 PM

Banking and insurance are making record profits on the backs of citizens who are marching into poverty trying to afford it. With the grand "intensification" project in Waterloo region we can look forward to rising car/home insurance rates as crime and accidents begin to rise aswell just like Toronto. Did the grand LRT/Intensification salesman forget to tell you about the "hidden" costs of their grand scheme??????. Anyone who thinks they will see a sudden drop in insurance rates are lying to themselves............they will slowly drop across the province, but here they will remain high if not rise even higher.

Source: http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/opinion-story/5588567-insurance-companies-reaping-profits/

 

Ontario budget 2015: the divisive industry reactions

For one, the government has renewed its commitment to lowering auto insurance premiums by 15%, which it intends do accomplish by raising deductibles from $300 to $500, as well as lowering maximum interest rates and forbidding increases on premiums because of “minor, at-fault” accidents.

“Our government, under the guise of protecting victims, is proposing to cut over a $1 million dollars in coverage for the most seriously injured among us while pretending that they are fiscally responsible,” said Rhona Desroches, FAIR Board Chair. “You don’t have to be an accountant to see that the government is doing the industry a big financial favour and doing it on the backs of some of the most disabled individuals in Ontario. It’s a disgusting and unacceptable way to treat these vulnerable individuals.”

  
Source/ more:

http://www.insurancebusiness.ca/news/ontario-budget-2015-the-divisive-industry-reactions-190698.aspx

Government slashes benefits to seriously injured MVA victims and calls it “Promoting consumer protection”

It’s a sad day for Ontario consumers when our government puts the interests of big business insurance companies ahead of the health and well-being of Ontario’s injured auto accident victims. The slashes to auto insurance coverage in the 2015 budget  can only be seen as a step closer to public auto insurance when with every cost saving solution the IBC comes up with in order to curtail claims means the unsuspecting tax-payer will pay more of the costs for victims through our publicly funded programs.

View our latest media release:  FAIR reaction to Budget April 28 2015

Ontario already has an auto insurance claims disaster:  Ontario’s Auto Accident Victims in Crisis

We’ve been overpaying for years: Returns on Equity for Automobile Insurance Companies in Ontario

What are auto accident victims losing so Insurers can gain greater profit on the backs of the injured?

The definition of catastrophic is set to be severely restricted to make the definition consistent with the latest medical evidence. That will likely mean that combining physical and psychological impairments will no longer be permitted. This will see many severely accident victims without adequate coverage.

 

Coverage available for catastrophically impaired victims will be cut in half. The limit of $1 million each ($2 million right now for both) for med/rehab and attendant care will be limited to $1 million total for both med/rehab AND attendant care combined. There will be optional coverage available at an added cost.

 

The standard duration for med/rehab benefits will be reduced to 5 years instead of the previous 10-year maximum, except for children. Costs for care will then fall on Ontario’s taxpayers through OHIP and various public supports.

 

Non-catastrophic coverage will be reduced. If the budget is passed, med/rehab and attendant care coverage will be $65,000, down from the current combined total of $86,000. Consumers will have an option to increase this coverage up to $1 million at an added cost.

 

The six month waiting period for non-earner benefits will be eliminated the duration of non-earner benefits will be limited to two years after the accident.

 

The government will be introducing amendments to the Insurance Act to adjust the deductible and the disappearing deductible amount to reflect inflation since 2003 and link it to future changes in inflation. The deductible or the amount you insurer is ‘allowed’ to keep when a claimant takes the insurer to court is presently $30,000 for cases in civil court that are worth less than $100,000. This is already a deterrent to victims’ ability to hold insurers accountable. There will be further changes to allow for the effect of the tort deductible to be taken into account when determining a party’s entitlement to costs.

 

Call or write to your MPP and tell them you expect better at: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/member_addresses.do?locale=en 

Source: http://www.fairassociation.ca/