February 24, 2010 09:41 PM UTC

Support Colorado House Bill 1168: People before insurance companies

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• by: Alan

It makes sense that injured people should get help as quickly and with as few hoops to jump through as possible, and deserve to be treated fairly by insurance companies. There’s an important bill before the Colorado legislature that needs your support today if you agree.

Insurance policies often include dense ‘legalese’ language that allows insurance companies to unfairly take money from injured people who get restitution for their injuries from other sources. That’s just wrong, it allows these insurance companies, who have already been paid to provide coverage, to “double-dip” by reaching into the pockets of an injured person even if the injured person has uncompensated losses such as unpaid medical bills or treatments not covered by their insurance–not to mention lost wages, or future medical expenses.

If you agree with me that this is wrong and needs to be fixed, click here to sign our petition in support of Colorado House Bill 1168:

http://progressnowcolorado.org/PeopleFirst

Insurance companies say they’re for ‘reforming’ the legal system, but because of their contract language insurance companies can interfere with the settlement process for injury claims at will. This makes voluntary settlements more difficult and leads to unnecessary, wasteful, and costly litigation–exactly what insurance companies say they don’t want.

What’s more, insurance companies in Colorado are allowed to get paid twice–once through the premiums they charge to cover people to begin with, and again by taking an up-front cut of whatever restitution victims manage to get from responsible parties. When that happens, injured people who have uncompensated losses are left hurting.

The fact is, injured people, not insurance companies, are the ones who must pursue restitution after an accident. Insurance companies sit idly on the sidelines, without helping, and then swoop in after a settlement is made to take money from the injured person–a victim who has already paid their premiums!

The solution: fully compensate the injured for their losses before insurance companies get to take their cut. Sign our petition urging the Colorado legislature to support House Bill 1168.

http://progressnowcolorado.org/PeopleFirst