General

Texas And Uninsured Drivers

September 20, 2014 | Mark S. Humphreys

Texas insurance lawyers see lots of uninsured drivers. The Insurance Journal published an article addressing this issue. The title of the article is, “Number Of Uninsured Drivers On Texas Roads Drops.” Here is what the article tells us.

The number of uninsured drivers in Texas has dropped more than 38 percent from a year ago, state statistics show, and officials attribute the decline to a program focused on getting those drivers either insured or off the road and a clean-up of the database of the state’s licensed drivers.

Statistics compiled in June indicate 13 percent of motorists, or about 2.6 million Texans, are driving without minimum insurance coverage, which is a violation of state law. One year ago, the state reported that about 22 percent of all drivers, or 4.2 million people, had no insurance.

Uninsured Motorists Out There

September 18, 2014 | Mark S. Humphreys

Dallas lawyers handling insurance cases can tell you there are a lot of uninsured motorists in the Dallas – Fort Worth area. It is also true across the nation. The Insurance Journal published an article titled, “IRC: Uninsured Motorists A Perplexing Pervasive Concern.” Here is what the article tells us.

A new report shows there hasn’t been much ground gained in the battle to reduce the number of uninsured motorists on the road, and there’s nowhere experts can point their fingers as an explanation of the pervasive problem.

From a percentage point of view, the nation’s uninsured motorist dilemma is easing, but the bad news is that the cost of uninsured motorist claims has risen dramatically in the past decade, according to a report from the Insurance Research Council.

Insurance Attorneys – Here’s One For You

August 26, 2014 | Mark S. Humphreys

Tarrant County insurance lawyers who keep up with what is going on in the world of insurance coverages will find an article published by BloombergBusinessweek in July to be entertaining. The title of the article is, “Even Pot Dealers Need Insurance. The Problem Is, Where to Get It?” Here is what the article discusses.

Pot dealers of yore never had to worry about this, but here it is: Even in states where selling marijuana is legal, pot retailers are finding they can’t get standard-issue business insurance.

Big insurance companies aren’t writing policies because the category is so new, it’s hard to price the risk, Carole Walker, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, told the Denver Business Journal. The fact also remains that the sale and distribution of marijuana remains illegal under federal law, which puts insurers in a tricky spot.

Insurance For Granny Scooters?

August 24, 2014 | Mark S. Humphreys

Irving insurance attorneys as well as all lawyers in the Dallas – Fort Worth area need to be aware of the changes in law related to insurance issues. BloombergBusinessWeek published an article in July that is interesting. The title of the article is. “Insurers Claim Granny Scooters Must Be Covered – Just Like Cars.” Here is what the article says.

Two insurance companies have made an unusual argument in a Michigan case: They’re insisting that the drivers of motorized mobility scooters should be required to get the same insurance as car and truck owners.

The case involves the claims of a paralyzed man who was hit by an SUV while crossing the street on his way to a doughnut shop. The insurance companies’ position? Because the man didn’t have auto insurance on his scooter, they shouldn’t have to pay for any damage caused to him by the SUV.

Insurance Company Backs Down

August 7, 2014 | Mark S. Humphreys

Parker County insurance attorneys need to keep up with events happening in the insurance legal world. An article from The Texas Tribune titled, “Insurer Drops Suit Against Tyler Widow” is worth knowing about. Here is what the article tells us.

Crystal Davis, a stay-at-home mom from Tyler, got some welcome news in her battle against an insurance company that sued to cut off the workers’ compensation benefits she got after her husband was killed on the job.

Davis’ lawyer called to inform her early Thursday evening that ACE American Insurance had dropped its lawsuit against her and her children. Davis’ story was featured in The Texas Tribune’s four-part series published this week, Hurting for Work, about the struggles people face after they or their loved ones are hurt or killed on the job in Texas.

Death Benefits Denied

August 5, 2014 | Mark S. Humphreys

A Fort Worth life insurance attorney will want to know the best way to handle a situation where death benefits are denied a beneficiary. The Texas Tribune ran an article that shows how bad some situations can be. Here is what the article says.

Crystal Davis was headed to the grocery store when the text message popped up on her phone. It was from her next-door neighbor.

“Can you come home?” it said. “Something has happened.”

Insurance Kickbacks To Banks

July 26, 2014 | Mark S. Humphreys

Texas insurance law attorneys need to keep up with what is happening in the world of insurance. The Washington Examiner ran an article in June 2014 that is interesting. The article is titled “US Weighs Lawsuits On Alleged Insurance Kickbacks.” Here is what the article tells us.

The government is considering suing banks and other mortgage servicers over alleged insurance kickbacks that may have cost government-controlled mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac hundreds of millions, according to an internal federal report.

The agency responsible for guarding the mortgage giants’ finances told its inspector general’s office that it will decide over the next year whether to sue.

BP Claims

July 6, 2014 | Mark S. Humphreys

Dallas and Fort Worth insurance lawyers need to keep up with events happening in the world of insurance claims. The Southeast Texas Record published an article of general interest recently. The title of the article is. “BP Files Emergency Appeal To U.S. Supreme Court To Intervene In Suspension Of Claims Payouts.” Here is what the article tells us.

BP has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene after the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court Appeals disallowed maintaining a temporary stay in claims payouts following allegations of fraud within the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill claims process.

BP has already paid out an estimated $3.7 billion to more than 38,000 claimants. The company successfully received a stay on the claims process in December following several revelations that businesses who were not actually harmed by the oil spill were receiving claims.

Insurance Fraud Cases

June 7, 2014 | Mark S. Humphreys

Hudson Oaks insurance attorneys need to be able to distinguish between real insurance claims and fraud claims. The Insurance Journal published an article in April that discussed insurance fraud in Texas. Here is what the article tells us.

Texas Department of Insurance Fraud Unit opened investigations into more than 550 insurance fraud cases in 2013.

More than $10.3 million in insurance fraud was identified in criminal cases referred for prosecution in 2013, the department said. Court-ordered restitution for cases that reached final adjudication during this same period totaled more than $7.5 million.

Pre-Existing Condition And Health Insurance

May 31, 2014 | Mark S. Humphreys

Fort Worth insurance attorneys will get calls from people who have been denied benefits by their insurance company because the insurance company claims the person has a pre-existing condition. KSAT recently posted an article about this practice. Here is what the article tells us.

The KSAT 12 Defenders uncovered a little-known fact that insurance companies consider a person’s weight when awarding settlement monies for accident claims.

Maria Vasquez was in a wreck caused by the other driver in May 2013 and found out State Farm is considering her weight while deciding how much to award her in damages.