– By Robert T. Trautmann, Esq.
If you have spent time handling your own insurance claim or are fortunate enough to represent policyholders in claims with their insurance carriers, you know that not all insurance companies are created equally. Some treat their customers very well. Some don’t. Likewise, not all states are equal when it comes to laws that protect policyholders in their fight to get their claims paid properly.
The goal of United Policyholders and the Center for Risk and Responsibility at Rutgers Law School is level the playing field in insurance laws with the Essential Protections for Policyholders project. Essentially, the project aims for minimum standards in insurance laws to protect the consumers throughout the entire interaction with insurance companies, from purchase of the policy through litigation over a denied claim, if necessary. The project outlines essential protections necessary for insurance consumers. They are:
- Protections when purchasing an insurance policy
- Minimum coverage requirements
- Fair and reasonable claims handling
- Increased protections for victims of disasters.
These are exactly the types of protections that are necessary to make sure claims get paid properly. When I received this announcement via email, I became very excited about the prospects of additional protections for insureds and immediately reached out to Professor Jay Feinman at Rutgers to see if I could be of any help. Find out more information about the project here https://epp.law.rutgers.edu/, or visit United Policyholders online at http://www.uphelp.org/.