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Has Colossus Cheated You?
Posted on Mar 16, 2011 11:33am PDT
Colossus is a computer program insurance companies use to
reduce the compensation they pay to accident victims up to 20%. As reported in the book
From 'Good Hands' to Boxing Gloves, insurance companies like
Allstate simply input the "savings" they want and Colossus goes to work. Allstate wants higher profits? Sure, just tell Colossus how high you want profits to go and Colossus will squeeze it out of the settlements paid to accident victims!!
Colossus works by generating "low" and "high" values for a particular claim. For example, Colossus may generate a "low" value for your claim of $8,000 and a "high" value of $10,000. Remember, even the "high" value is lower than it should be because Colossus has figured in the savings amount set by the insurance company. Claims adjusters then uses these "low" and "high" values to try to settle your case within that range. Some industry analysts believe insurance companies rewarded claims adjusters by paying incentives when they settled a claim within the Colossus range, but of course the insurance companies generally deny this.
Consumer advocates have struck back at the big insurance companies using Colossus, including Allstate. Multiple investigations and class action lawsuits over
Allstate's claims handling practices revealed the following:
Allstate used Colossus in more than 50% of all auto claims and
settled over 90% of all auto claims within Colossus guidelines!
As part of the settlement agreement with 47 states, Allstate agreed to p
ay $10 million toward a fund designed to monitor computerized claims handling practices; agreed not to pay
incentives to claims adjusters who settle injury claims within Colossus' acceptable range; and agreed to tell accident victims
it uses Colossus with the following disclosure:
"One of the tools that our claim personnel may use in evaluating the claim is a computer program known as Colossus, licensed by Computer Sciences Corporation. Colossus uses a
broad range of information about your injury, treatment, and prognosis to determine the severity of your injury. Based on this information, Colossus makes a
recommendation as to the value of your injury. The Colossus recommendation is
only one factor among many that our adjusters consider in reaching a decision as to the
overall evaluation of the claim. It is their goal to reach that decision promptly, fairly, and
based on an appropriate investigation of the facts and circumstances of your client's claim.
"
The settlement affects Allstate, and its Deerbrook, Encompass, and Northbrook subsidiaries.
Other insurers that use Colossus or similar software include
AAA Mid-Atlantic, ACE INA, American Family, American National, Atlantic Mutual, California State Auto, CNA, Grange, Great American, Hartford, HDI, Horace Mann, ICW, Motorists, Nationwide, Ohio Casualty, Safeco, State Auto, USAA, Utica, Westfield, White Mountain, Winterhur Swiss, Allianz, Fireman's Fund, GEICO, Automobile Club of CA, Liberty Mutual, and Progressive.
If you suspect your injury claim is being undervalued by an insurance company using Colossus or a similar claims settlement program, it's important that you contact an injury attorney who knows how to fight for your right to fair compensation. Feel free to call my office anytime
to schedule a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your case.
Categories:
Aggressive settlement tactics, Low ball offers, How much is my case worth?, Settlement value, Allstate Insurance Co., State Farm Insurance, Farmers Insurance, AIG Insurance, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Knowing the Value of Your Case, Colossus, Claims handling practices, Hartford Insurance, Safeco Insurance, Progressive Insurance
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