USAA is in hot water over allegations of unethical ‘cost containment schemes’ to avoid paying out on insurance claims. USAA is being accused of delaying, denying or reducing medical payouts to faithful policyholders who have been injured in auto accidents. According to San Antonio Express News, the company has been defending similar allegations for over a decade. Recently, a judge in Montana certified a class-action lawsuit against the insurance company.
USAA Facing Class-Action Lawsuits
This is far from the first lawsuit of this kind. Last fall, USAA agreed to pay up to approximately $4.2 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by three Washington state health care providers and a USAA member. Although they denied the allegations, they did pay the multi-million-dollar settlement. Similar lawsuits have been filed in Florida, Arizona, Illinois, Oklahoma and Oregon.
Delay, Deny, Defend
Sadly, this practice is not unique to USAA alone. It has become commonplace for big insurance companies to delay, deny and defend in order to avoid paying out on accident and injury claims. In fact, the American Association for Justice has rated Allstate as one of the worst insurance companies in the nation. For many of these large insurance companies, there has been a consistent and dedicated effort to put profits over policyholders. It’s all about the bottom line. These insurance companies are putting shareholder profits over the coverage their policyholders are entitled to.
What to do After a Car Accident
While you might think you’re in “good hands,” the truth is that you might not find your insurance company as easy to deal with as you had hoped. Although many of us think that because we faithfully pay our premiums for insurance coverage, that in the event we need that coverage, it will be there. For many Americans, that’s just not the case. This is just one of the many reasons why it’s important to not try and handle your accident claims on your own. Big insurance gets away with even more when the individuals aren’t represented.
If you have been injured or if you have lost a loved one in a car accident in Wichita Falls, Lawton or the surrounding Texoma communities, contact the skilled team at the Altman Legal Group at 940-761-4000 for a free case consultation. Don’t let your insurance company deny and delay your claims until you’re out of options. Let a professional be your advocate during this difficult time.