Insurance Company Tactics

[Shannow]

In the last week, I've had a couple of instances with insurance companies that confirms that they are parasites.

In our state, it is compulsory that we carry third party injury cover for each car. I received my renewal for $286 and misplaced it somewhere. So I hopped on line, and chased a quote (from them). I followed all of the instructions, and was offered $271.

So they are offering the same insurance product $15 cheaper to new customers than customers who have been with them 8 years.

I clicked "proceed", intending to get the $271 price, and was rewarded with "your registration number reveals that you are a current customer. Please ring xxxxxx to pay for your renewal".


My health insuarance company sent around a "great deal" offer that has an expiry date of 30 December..."get in early, before the offer closes".

This great offer was to pay another $180 per year, and get access to dental and optical.

Read the fine print at the back, and the dental excludes wisdom tooth extractions, root canal, orthodontic surgery, tooth braces etc. etc. Optical has a pair of glasses per year, excludes surgery.

However, to get these great benefits, some of the things that we are already covered for are now excluded. e.g. knee and hip surgery. And benefits no longer include a private room (pretty handy with newborns)

 

[Marlin]

IMO most health insursnce is worthless. There are so many clauses and now lowering limts, unless you are really sick all the time or your family history is full of cancer and/or other health problems you will never get out what you put in.

I don;t smoke, I work out, don;t drink, no fast food ever, etc... so I don't have it. Only time I have been to the hospitial is after a motorcycle accidnet (and of course being born). Someone said well that is why you have health insurance. So I looked tat their policy, and it excluded things considered risky like rock climbing, etc...

And in my accidnet the insurance company is giving me the run around while I have over 30K on my CC's and its been over a 1 and a half now.

 

[XS650]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Marlin:
IMO most health insursnce is worthless. There are so many clauses and now lowering limts, unless you are really sick all the time or your family history is full of cancer and/or other health problems you will never get out what you put in.

---

Health insurance is one of the few I bother to carry. I just hit the jack-put a few months ago. The bills to take care of a kidney cancer I had ran over $40k.

I was in good health. It's one of those things that just hits for no apparant reason most of the time. Very little family history of cancer either.

Good luck.

 

[Marlin]

^

Funny you should say cancer. A friend has health insurance, BUT it did NOT cover cancer. he had to pay extra for that.

So sounds liek it worked ok for you, but for most it is not worth it.

 

[Pablo]

I'm a right wing nut....but I hate insurance company BS so much, I couldn't read your post. I'm serious. Lawyer and Insurance companies benefit no matter what.

My Auto Insurance and Health Insurance premiums from totally separate entities went up in the same week....crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[obbop]

Renounce your citizenship, leave the USA, then sneak back in.

Illegals drive w/o insurance and slip through the cracks by leaving the country to evade any personal responsibility then sneaking back in with a new identity.

The news is full of stories of illegals receiving free health care; to the point they have ran hospitals out of business, forcing those hospitals to shut down.

We are suckers to play by the rules since we are paying the costs of MILLIONS of those who don't follow the rules.

/end rant based upon personal experiences

 

[Shannow]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pablo:
I'm a right wing nut....but I hate insurance company BS so much, I couldn't read your post. I'm serious. Lawyer and Insurance companies benefit no matter what.

My Auto Insurance and Health Insurance premiums from totally separate entities went up in the same week....crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!

---

Pablo,
it's an amazing conga line in the media.

Lawyers blame arsehole insurance companies who won't pay out "reasonable claims" as the reason that there's more litigation.

Insurance companies blame arsehole lawyers on why the premiums continue to skyrocket.

Both entities post immense profits.

Meanwhile, my (former) 1987 Camira wagon cost $600 to insure for $4,000, my 1990 4Runner cost $600 to insure for $13,000, and my Navara costs (guess what) to insure for $40k.

 

[Gary Allan]

I'll give you another "story" to add to you list.

My mother was covered under AARP. It was going up every year ($180/month was the highest)..still within her fixed income (she lived with us). GE called up and said that they could provide the same "everything that medicare doesn't" coverage for $134. The guy came by, collected the check, and left. We scheduled it to take effect the time her AAPR expired. Three weeks later ..even before the coverage took effect..a notice came in the mail saying that the rate was now $154. I immediately called and cancelled the policy for a full refund. The sales rep came to house and asked what was the problem. I said that you quoted a rate ..and then raised it before you even gave coverage. He said that he can't control how the rate changes. He also said that we were still saving money. I said that someone knew that that rate was going up before he ever step inside the house. He said "we're usually the last to know". I said too bad ..whomever that is just made you an untrustworthy rep working for untrustworthy company. How do I know that you won't raise them again in 3 months?? I said I can't do business with you.

They (GE) were just trying to raid AARP's market share in this sector. They would come in with lower rates to get the accounts...for a loss...and then load the increases in the next evolution.

 

[Spector]

I have been in the peripherals of health care for way too many years and now that I am retired due to unemployment I am paying my own insurance which is 1,200/month. Prexisiting conditions for myself, spouse and daughter do not help, wife now diagnosed with a malignant tumor etc. Good eating habits, excersize etc are great but IMO it all comes down to genes. Like a car engine if the design is poor you will pay the price. the genes you inherit are 90% of the ball game. One thing for sure, of all the insurance you may have I guarantee you will use the health ins., just a question of when!!!

Now if we can stop the unscrupulous profits of managed care companies/executives and pharmaceutical companies we may have a shot for reasonable health care cost. Never happen under Bush and his pro business attitude. He gave the Medicare presciption drug plan away to the drug companies and guess what, the discount cards stink and companies are bailing out of them as well

 

[XS650]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Marlin:
^

Funny you should say cancer. A friend has health insurance, BUT it did NOT cover cancer. he had to pay extra for that.

So sounds liek it worked ok for you, but for most it is not worth it.

---

W T F would anyone buy health insurance that didn't provide worthwhile coverage?

The fact that a person who doesn't pay attention to what they are doing can do something wrong doesn't mean it can't be done right.

The catch is that good medical care in the US is only for people who can afford the $$$ for the insurance or to buy it outright. But that's what the voters want.

[ December 04, 2004, 12:10 PM: Message edited by: XS650 ]

 

[goodoleboy]

Yep i had the problems with my car insurance.Thye kept giving me excuses why my online quote was different and why i had to pay more. Looks like i be switching car insurance companies every year.

 

[Shannow]

goodoleboy,
sounds like both of us will be shopping around.

I've been doing it with the comprehensive, and home and contents. Looks like I get three years out of each product before changing companies.

 

[rjundi]

After seeing the complaints about health insurance its interesting no one seems too interested in nationalized health care, I guess its anti-republican. Just let our elderly and kids suffer, basically those without any choice in the matter.

My favorite is the long waits theory/degradation for health care if nationalized. So what people are saying I have it and deserve it and I don't want others don't deserve it because I have to wait??