I Despise Insurance Companies

[anotherbob]

my favorite insurance story from when I worked in billing. Had a patient on a motorcycle get rear ended at a red light. Not the worst injuries but still not nothing. His motorcycle insurance tried to deny payment claiming that they didn't have to pay because he was being reckless. How by riding a motorcycle at dusk. Or how every time a kid would have a serious illness they'd pull out any trick to not pay. First step is demanding every single medical record for every encounter. To make sure it's not a preexisting condition. Then questioning every time the kid went to the doctor for a sniffle. Another fun one are the companies that got tiny fines for lying to patients and telling them that because of new laws they now have to take shittier more expensive insurance (when it wasn't true). (side note it is completely ineffective and only an operating cost when a fine is significantly smaller then the profit made by violating that rule).
Anyone remember that kid that sucked to play games with because they'd change the rules as they went to whatever worked for them? Well I can say that those kids grow up to run insurance companies.

 

[Philosopiper]

Empty husks of human beings.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Just in case you care, here's one article on Allstate. Allstate Bad Company If you care to research Allstate, you may be shocked at the crap they have pulled and the measures they have taken in the past 30 years to pay claims. If you are insured by Allstate, you may wish to review options.

You think State Farm is a Good Neighbor? That's laughable. Check this link from 2019 and believe it not, they have gotten far worse since that time. Not a Good Neighbor Why would an upstanding company pay a $250M fine for tampering with the election of a State Supreme Court Judge? Well, maybe for the executives to avoid RICO charges and face prison time and to avoid a $10B judgment if they went to court. SF Pays $250 M fine.

My area of expertise is Homeowners but the automobile side typically follows the Homeowner's side in terms of good and bad. I'd also avoid Liberty Mutual/Safeco, Erie and QBE. Who are the good insurance companies? If you have a higher end property, Chubb is the best I've worked with. Pure is decent. For most people, I'd say Nationwide and Amica are decent. Travelers so so. I've found IC's are like bourbon and wine. If you've heard a lot about them, they're probably not that good. The really good companies don't have to spend billions on advertising. They spend their money on customer service and taking care of their clients. There are smaller, state and regional IC's that may be a good choice for you. Thoroughly research them before signing on the dotted line.

By the way, I'm sure many of you can report a good experience with the companies I mentioned. Lucky you. It's not possible for them to deny every single claim. I don't have an ax to grind with any of these companies, this is more of a public service announcement based upon 14 years of experience working with these companies on hundreds of claims each year.

 

[cigrmaster]

Mark, next time you need business insurance check out a company called CNA. I had a claim against Chubb, St Paul and Selective , all good companies. They poured money into CNA allowing me to skim ten percent off the top which was not a small number. They let my lawyer (Robbw)bill the shit out of CNA as they knew the other companies would cover it.. CNA was freaking great as they also denied every slip and fall some asshole would try in my parking lot. They never paid a dime as slip and falls is an industry inn R.I

If anyone has some free time, first person who puts two to the back of my head gets aged tobacco. I was just on the phone with United Health Care trying to buy my supplemental plan D prescription plan and after over 2 hours the girl tells me I am early and cannot buy it until October 1st. Over 2 freaking hours question after question and she couldn't figure out why I couldn't get it now.


All she could say was she was sorry and couldn't admit she was a dumbass who knew nothing. That didn't include the 3 times I was transferred.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Mark, next time you need business insurance check out a company called CNA. I had a claim against Chubb, St Paul and Selective , all good companies. They poured money into CNA allowing me to skim ten percent off the top which was not a small number. They let my lawyer (Robbw)bill the shit out of CNA as they knew the other companies would cover it.. CNA was freaking great as they also denied every slip and fall some asshole would try in my parking lot. They never paid a dime as slip and falls is an industry inn R.I

If anyone has some free time, first person who puts two to the back of my head gets aged tobacco. I was just on the phone with United Health Care trying to buy my supplemental plan D prescription plan and after over 2 hours the girl tells me I am early and cannot buy it until October 1st. Over 2 freaking hours question after question and she couldn't figure out why I couldn't get it now.


All she could say was she was sorry and couldn't admit she was a dumbass who knew nothing. That didn't include the 3 times I was transferred.

The the rules for the IC - Delay, Deny, Defend. They purposefully make it extremely difficult because they know most people will give up and go away. They are mostly despicable.

 

[sittingbear]

This is one of the reasons why I smoke. With the way things are going in the medical field, I don't want to be around in my 80s.... maybe even my 70s.

That, and I'm a prime candidate for Alzheimers disease.

 

[warren]

This is one of the reasons why I smoke. With the way things are going in the medical field, I don't want to be around in my 80s.... maybe even my 70s.

That, and I'm a prime candidate for Alzheimers disease.

So, you've conceded to an early death. I'm a fan of fighting aging tooth and nail. Conceding abilities only by inches. At 77 years. I'm still having fun and learning. My sympathies to you sir. Oh, and I smoke for the sheer enjoyment, satisfaction and, of course the nicotine. I'm looking forward to being as sentient and active as possible at ninety. Time, of course, will tell. I'll be happy as long as I'm able to keep my mind expanding with new learning.

New meds and medical techniques will be of assistance, of course. I've seriously abused my body over the years, smoking, violent athletics, poor eating habits, a sometimes violent career, etc. Paying the price in some ways but, my mind is still functioning well. My body? Not so well but, almost daily medical advancements counteract the steady decline a bit.

 

[georged]

How did H. sapiens prevail?

They were slow and weak, didn't have big claws or big teeth, couldn't climb or burrow or fly, weren't venomous, nothing like that. They weren't special in any way.

Except for two things: permanently attached manual manipulators on articulated stalks, and high speed/large capacity CPUs.

And they quickly learned to work in groups.

A single human on its own was a merely a squirmy, loud, tasty snack; a pack of them could dispatch the largest and fiercest land animals on Earth and eat them.

How, exactly, did that work? How did the pack operate to be so effective?

Through ruthlessness, deception, treachery, deceit, greed, acquisitiveness, brutality, ruthlessness, vindictiveness, aggression, ambition, selfishness, organization, power-lust, manipulation, and so on.

Since day one, and every day for millions of years thereafter, those behaviors were the ones that Mother Nature rewarded. (The Second Law of Thermodynamics is not sentimental.)

Then, all at once (figuratively speaking), assorted inventions and tools converged in combinatorial ways that caused layered, complex societies with vast, sophisticated infrastructures to spring into existence, and those behavoral traits were no longer necessary to survive.

But, because evolution works the way it does, we still HAD those traits.

And here we are.

 

[cigrmaster]

I have no idea when it started but there came a time when human beings began to become one of two types of people.
You have the people who are natural givers. They care about their friends, relatives, neighbors, the world in general.

Then we got the takers of society. They feel they are owed at all times. They put themselves before anyone including children and spouses, never mind strangers they might have to deal with for work. They have a self centered gene that runs things, they have no concept of being selfish. It is sad to witness. The words gratitude and empathy are totally foreign to them.

We all know both types of people. It is sad when some of the takers are family members and you have to deal with them too much for your liking.

Which type of person ruled the cavemen? Pretty sure most would be the nasty kind. It would be interesting to find out time wise when things began turning. I don't think it was that long ago as what we did to the American Indians was disgusting. Maybe it was only after World War 2 that people realized we can be better than we are.

 

[warren]

I believe there have been predators and prey for as long as there have been humans. It's nothing new, simply human nature at it's worst/best.

 

[cigrmaster]

I believe there have been predators and prey for as long as there have been humans. It's nothing new, simply human nature at it's worst/best.

I agree with you but I wonder what kind of genes make for predators in this world. What kind of demented gene does Putin have. Hopefully years from now we will be able to rid humans of that gene and give a shit about each other.

 

[instymp]

Am on medicare, Blue and AARP (united health) for prescriptions.
Saved me tons, have some medical issues and some 6 digit medical bills in the last year and no out of pocket.
Wife won't even let me look at new/different policies.

 

[warren]

Many prey can also be predators, often at the same time. It's neither a good thing nor a bad. It's simply humans being human. People always look out for themselves and, sometimes, kin before considering others. It's a matter of survival. But, there are others who are solely dedicated to self. They are the most destructive to others. It's just how humans are wired. Some are badly "mis-wired." Not a matter of genes. It's a matter of the brain being wired differently, in my opinion with, a smattering of psycho-babble. And, of course, a career where I dealt with the mis-wired, almost exclusively. So, I may be a bit cynical on the subject. In my opinion humans are not born humane, they must be taught to obey. Babies are entirely self1concerned. They have to be to survive. Proper social behavior must be taught. That's why the human race requires referees.

 

[warren]

An example: A robber looks at your Rolex. Determines that it's his watch and takes it from you. The robber is only taking what he perceives as his. Unsociable behavior to be sure. But, he doesn't see it as such. It's his watch, not yours. He is "wired" differently than you and I.

 

[georged]

An example: A robber looks at your Rolex. Determines that it's his watch and takes it from you. The robber is only taking what he perceives as his. Unsociable behavior to be sure. But, he doesn't see it as such. It's his watch, not yours. He is "wired" differently than you and I.

Wired?

Here's how such creatures should be wired:

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

An example: A robber looks at your Rolex. Determines that it's his watch and takes it from you. The robber is only taking what he perceives as his. Unsociable behavior to be sure. But, he doesn't see it as such. It's his watch, not yours. He is "wired" differently than you and I.

I believe this. So it’s not really a matter of morals, it’s very warped perceptions. I also agree it’s not genetic to the greatest degree. But I also think some people, sociopaths and psychopaths, that were born with the wiring already screwed up at birth.

 

[warren]

But I also think some people, sociopaths and psychopaths, that were born with the wiring already screwed up at birth.

For certain. That's my point. I was not writing about those, who through a lack of socialization, make corrections as required after a term of incarceration or other corrective training.

 

[sittingbear]

So, you've conceded to an early death. I'm a fan of fighting aging tooth and nail. Conceding abilities only by inches. At 77 years. I'm still having fun and learning. My sympathies to you sir. Oh, and I smoke for the sheer enjoyment, satisfaction and, of course the nicotine. I'm looking forward to being as sentient and active as possible at ninety. Time, of course, will tell. I'll be happy as long as I'm able to keep my mind expanding with new learning.

New meds and medical techniques will be of assistance, of course. I've seriously abused my body over the years, smoking, violent athletics, poor eating habits, a sometimes violent career, etc. Paying the price in some ways but, my mind is still functioning well. My body? Not so well but, almost daily medical advancements counteract the steady decline a bit.

Well, I think "conceded" is a bit defeatist. I've just accepted that I am mortal, and being a chaplain in the ER and ICU, along with other life experiences, has convinced me that there are worse things than death.

 

[warren]

there are worse things than death.

Of course! Such is a matter of one's perspective. I've been clinically deceased and resurrected. (If you must have a heart attack, have it in a hospital with a dedicated nurse who won't let her crew quit!) Death? Wasn't so bad. I never even noticed it.

 

[alan73]

I am compelled to respond. I work for an insurance company, and I like it and they are not evil.

Generalizing about insurance companies covers a wide gamut of realities.

Health insurance companies are very different than P&C, tractor insurance , motorcycle insurance , etc . The healthcare insurance industry has exploded higher in the stock markets , look at UNH it has outperformed virtually everything . Parasite company on the Tit. Healthcare summary… Highest cost per capita in world , 20th best outcomes at best

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