Colossus Saves Allstate Billions in Handling Automobile Accident Claims: So What's $10 Million?

Allstate, the evil empire, is the worst insurance company anyone could have for automobile insurance coverage. They are even worse when you are injured or harmed by one of their negligent insureds traveling on the roadways in South Carolina.  They have spent good money on formulating software that helps minimize the human interaction in claims adjusting and at the same time limit the monetary payout.

In comes New York State Insurance Superintendent James Wrynn, leading four other states into an investigation into Allstate's Colossus software. As reported by the New York State Insurance Department:

 “Allstate has agreed to implement procedures to ensure transparency and fairness for consumers who have bodily injury claims,” Wrynn said. “The new processes ensure that claims will be handled consistently in different regions of the country, and consumers will have the right to get the information they need in order to understand how Allstate evaluates their claims and make sure they are fairly treated.”

More importantly Allstate has to modify their claims handling process in the following manner:

 

  • Providing notice to claimants that the Colossus software program may be used in the adjustment of their bodily injury claims;
  • Enhancing its management oversight of Colossus to ensure that it adheres to established criteria and a uniform methodology in selecting claims to be used to “tune” or modify the software to reflect recently settled claims;
  • Strengthening its internal auditing of Colossus and bodily injury claims handling to ensure adherence to written guidelines and procedures;
  • Consolidating its bodily injury claims handling practices into a single claims handling manual; and
  • Not establishing a policy or rule requiring claims adjusters to settle bodily injury claims solely on the value recommended by Colossus and not providing incentives for claims adjusters to settle claims at or near the value recommended by Colossus.

You can see the full article entitled:

 

Allstate Agrees to $10 Million Regulatory Settlement Over Bodily Injury Claims Handling Processes

 

To read more articles about Allstate, please see:

Moped Deaths in Greenville and Anderson Bring Focus on Laws and Insurance

The rash of moped fatalities, hit and runs, and just plain moped accidents have been on the rise this year in South Carolina. The Greenville News brought focus on this issue in their article, "Moped Deaths Raise Safety Concerns." I don't think I realized how flexible South Carolina laws are on moped drivers:

Drivers with suspended licenses can ride mopeds for up to six months before they have to get a moped license. The minimum age for driving a moped is 14, a year younger than in Georgia and two years younger than in North Carolina.........only moped drivers under 21 must wear helmets under South Carolina law.

None of the moped drivers involved in the fatal accidents wore helmets and all were under 21. I guess that goes towards the old saying that, "the only good laws are those that are enforced."

Another interesting point is that all these moped drivers are not required by law to carry liability insurance on their mopeds.  Although they havent been the ones causing the accidents there are little to no options if they were to cause accidents or were involved in accidents with vehicles that have no insurance.

How Watching Pawn Stars Can Help Plaintiff's Lawyers

My fiancee and I are avid fans of the History Channel's -"Pawn Stars".  The more I watch the reality show about people bringing in unique, bizarre, and rare things they want to sell or pawn the more applications I see in my day to day activities as a plaintiff's lawyer in South Carolina

Negotiating 101 may be taught at law schools but it wasn't taught at mine. There were classes about the history of law and other BS classes to help you think, read, and write but nothing to integrate the application of the present situation that wonderful history of law has brought upon us.

In comes a better application than my clients references of "Law & Order"-- "Pawn Stars". Law students, new lawyers, and inexperienced plaintiff's lawyers save yourself some time and money and just watch the show. You can learn a lot of things about negotiating with evil insurance companies by watching the interaction between the pawn store employees and the customers:

  1. Never start at the price you eventually want to get. You can always go down in a negotiation but you seldom can go up and expect talks to continue.
  2. Research your case before you go try and sell it. If you don't know what you have, how can you know what it is worth?
  3. If neither side knows the true value of the case, get experts involved. Experts can help you both come to a conclusion about the value. (Although when both sides get one it is almost guaranteed they will say opposite things). 
  4. Body language is important in face to face negotiations. The term "poker face" was popular for a reason. (Even before Lady Gaga).
  5. Know when to walk away from the bargaining table. Sometimes you are not going to get the price you want or even reach a compromise. It's alright to leave the table and seek greener pastures or avenues.

 

Pawn Stars Haggling 101