Victims of crash-induced brain injuries need service, not slick deals
When it comes to auto insurance, a survey conducted in May 2020 suggests consumers should stop looking for deals and start looking for delivery on promised benefits.
The survey of individuals who sustained brain injuries in recent Ontario car collisions was completed by McMaster University Students in partnership with Acquired Brain Injury Survivor Solutions (ABISS), a group of auto collision survivors with brain injuries.
Key themes from the findings include reports of unfair delays and denials of services, the claims process serving as a roadblock to recovery, insufficient knowledge of traumatic brain injury and service needs, and general dissatisfaction with the auto insurance system. Tellingly, 57 per cent of respondents reported their recovery was worsened due to insurance company interactions.
The report documents respondents’ views on repeated assessments, treatment by assessors and insurance adjusters, breaches of privacy, and critical delays in receiving income replacement benefits to keep them going when they were unable to return to work after injury. Many claimants indicated that, though the collision was no fault of their own, they were made to feel that they were the ones under scrutiny and made to “prove” their medically diagnosed brain injuries.
The survey report includes recommendations for insurers and claimants and can be found at the website abiss.ca. What people said:
“All I wanted was to get the help I needed … I want this solved so I can go on with my life.”
“My accident was 0 per cent my fault … still, I have been treated like a scammer.”
“These companies treat you like crap when you are vulnerable. One moment in mediation they are saying you are a liar and you were at fault, then they settle and wish you a speedy recovery.”
“They employed aggressive tactics (angry phone conversations, denying coverage, accusing me of lying, having me followed and invading my privacy and the privacy of those I was with) presumably to have me give up the case.”
So, when you are looking for auto insurance:
1. Ensure you have adequate coverage for medical treatment and rehabilitation. 2. Check out your insurer’s reputation on dealing with claims. Some are notably worse than others. 3. Ask them about their claims process and see how open they are about it; and 4. Be wary about “good deals” promised. Great when you never have a claim. Not so much if you have a claim and are injured.
If you are injured in a motor vehicle collision, be sure to go to see a doctor immediately and save all documentation of medically diagnosed injury and assessments and recommendations from registered health practitioners. You will need a lawyer too. Insurance companies are too strong to deal with on your own!
Submitted on behalf of Acquired Brain Injury Survivor Solutions (ABISS), an advocacy group of brain injury survivors of automobile collisions who have experienced the auto insurance claim process first hand. insuranceabiss@gmail.com