AXA and Admiral on referral fee ban

AXA UK has welcomed the Government’s decision to ban personal injury referral fees but warned that the move may not achieve all that is hope for.
The fees, which have been blamed for inflating motor insurance premiums, are the “tip of the iceberg” so far as AXA is concerned, and the insurer is demanding a reduction in the fixed fees paid through the Ministry of Justice process as well, stating:
“AXA calls on Government to additionally commission a robust review of the fixed fees earned by personal injury lawyers for minor injury claims, so as to eliminate the huge profit margins which encourage the compensation culture.”
The group also wants the Government to consider how to contain the growth in whiplash claims and to work with insurers and medical bodies to agree formal criteria for the diagnosis of whiplash.
AXA announced in June that it would no longer accept referral fees from personal injury lawyers when putting customers in contact to pursue valid claims, and Admiral has today confirmed that it has never sold customer details to personal injury lawyers or accident management companies.
However, the insurer estimates that personal injury referral fees account for around 6% of its UK car insurance profit, before tax.

source : http://www.insurancedaily.co.uk 

Government to ban referral fees

Referral fees in personal injury claims are to be banned by the Government, the BBC has reported.
The fees have been blamed for encouraging a compensation culture and for sharp rises in motor insurance premiums alongside an explosion of law firms offering no-win-no-fee services and pestering potential claimants with unsolicited approaches.
According to the Association of British Insurers, the number of personal injury claims received by insurers leapt 72% between 2002 and 2010, leaving consumers paying £2.7 million a day to claimant lawyers through their motor insurance premiums.
Commenting on the ban, Justice Minister, Jonathan Djanogly, told the BBC: “Many of the claims are spurious and only happen because the current system allows too many people to profit from minor accidents and incidents.”
However, insurers will be losing out on their income from passing details to personal injury lawyers and the like, and Admiral may be one company that particularly feels the pain.
In July, The Sunday Telegraph reported that the Cardiff-based group depends on ancillary sales for a high proportion of its UK car insurance profit, with acceptance fees making up the bulk of such sales.
News of the ban comes a day after the Office of Fair Trading issued a call for evidence on car insurance premiums, following reports that premiums have risen by as much as 40% in a year.
The watchdog wants to establish the background to accounts of soaring private motor insurance costs, so it can consider whether further work is needed to improve the way the market works.
As yet, there is no timescale for implementing the referral fee ban.

source : http://www.insurancedaily.co.uk

Americans in Support of Teen Licensing Legislation

A new survey has revealed that the majority of Americans believe that the government should standardize state programs that delay full licensure of teen motorists. According to the survey, conducted by Allstate Insurance, most adults believe teens are bad drivers and need additional time to practice before being given full driving rights.

 

GDL Programs Are Making a Difference

The study found that most adults fully agree with graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs. These programs are said to lessen the risk of auto accidents by requiring teens to gain experience in supervised and low-risk conditions before being issued their full licenses.
Existing programs around the country require teen drivers to pass through three licensing stages before being granted full driving privileges:

• A supervised learner’s permit
• An intermediate license only granted if the driving test is passed
• A full license only if the first two phases are completed

Experts say the programs make a significant difference in accident rates since it gives teens additional time to practice in real yet safe conditions. The only problem is that GDL programs vary significantly between states. This is prompting lawmakers to look into a uniform standard that all states will need to follow.

 

Lawmakers Seek Uniform Standards in GDL Laws

Federal legislation has already been introduced this year that could standardize GDL programs. One piece of legislation is known as the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection (STANDUP) Act. It would require states to meet a minimum national standard for GDL programs in order to receive full federal highway funding.
Another piece of legislation being considered is tied to funding for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It will also include benchmarks for state GDL laws.
Both laws would set aside $22 million in grants for each of the next two years. This would beef up GDL standards while setting aside money to administer teen traffic safety programs, publish information about new GDL laws and train state officials.
While the programs are being set up, it’s important for parents to ensure their families are safe by teaching them to drive responsibly and taking time to insure teens who will be behind the wheel.

source: http://www.goinsurancerates.com

Five biggest myths about car insurance

By Herb Weisbaum ConsumerMan

msnbc.com contributor

No one likes to buy auto insurance. It’s complicated. It’s expensive. And who understands how the premiums are determined? Maybe that’s why there is so much misinformation about insurance coverage and pricing.

The non-profit Insurance Information Institute helped me tackle five common auto insurance myths:

Myth 1:  Red cars cost more to insure

If you believe the owners of red cars drive more aggressively and get more speeding tickets, this would make sense. But there’s no data to back this up.

“Frankly, it doesn't matter whether the car is red or green or purple," said Loretta Worters, vice president of the Insurance Information Institute.
Insurers are not concerned about color and neither is law enforcement.
“We look at behavior, not appearance,” said Bob Calkins, a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol. “We don’t profile people, and we don’t profile cars.”
Insurance companies do care about the type of vehicle you drive, including the make, model, sticker price, engine size and year. Is it popular with thieves? Is it more costly to repair? Does it have a good safety record?

There does appear to be correlation between vehicle model and the likelihood of a traffic ticket. A recent study by Quality Planning (a San Francisco-based analytics company that works with auto insurers) found that drivers of flashy cars are often more aggressive and therefore a greater risk.
Based on this study, drivers of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class convertible are four times more likely to be cited for a moving violation than the average driver. Quality Planning’s list of Top Ten “Spirited Vehicles” includes Toyota’s Camry Solara Coupe, Scion’s TC Coupe and the Hummer H2/H3 SUV.

Other factors that go into determining your premium: how many miles you drive each year, when you drive, where you drive and if you’ve had any previous accidents. These days your credit history is also considered. Insurance companies say their data show people with a good credit history are less likely to file a claim.

Myth 2:  Older drivers pay more for car insurance 

Life insurance goes up with age, but not necessarily auto insurance. In fact, it’s often just the opposite.
Many drivers who are 55 or older can get their rates reduced — by up to 10 percent for three years — if they successfully complete an accident prevention course.
“Insurance companies look at these mature driving courses and find them to be a good thing,” Loretta Worters told me. “It helps refresh an older driver and keeps them sharp and keeps them safer on the road.”
Check with your insurance agent to find defensive driving courses that are approved by your insurer. If you are retired or no longer working full time, see if you qualify for a discount based on driving less.

Myth 3:  Your insurance policy covers any damage to your car 

It doesn’t work that way. Liability insurance (required in some state) covers you if you hurt someone or damage their property. Comprehensive and collision coverage protect your vehicle. That is why this is always optional coverage. Note: It may be required by the lender if you have a lease or car loan.

If you want to fully protect your vehicle for all types of damage, you need to purchase both collision and comprehensive coverage. But many people with older cars sometimes drop these coverages in order to save money.
“If the vehicle is worth less than a thousand dollars or less than 10 times the insurance premium, purchasing this optional coverage may not be cost effective,” Worters said.

Myth 4: Soldiers pay more for insurance
In fact, it’s just the opposite. Members of the military (no matter what branch) qualify for a discount on their auto insurance. In most cases, you’ll need to document your rank and how long you’ll be serving.
“Many insurers also provide discounts for former members of the military and their families,” Worters said. “So it’s a good thing for military families to look into.”

Myth 5: Your policy covers you if you drive the car for business
Personal auto insurance does not protect you if you are self-employed and using your vehicle for business purposes.
             A lot of young people who take pizza delivery jobs don’t know this, for example, so if you’re not an employee of the pizza restaurant, you’re not covered by the company’s insurance policy. If you have an accident while making a delivery and you’re on your own. Your personal insurance will most likely deny any claims.

source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com
  
 

atlanta personal injury attorneys

Atlanta personal injury attorney Brandon Hornsby is dedicated to pursuing justice and fighting for the rights of ordinary people. Defined by our unrelenting commitment to our clients’ cases, we believe the judicial system should work for everyone, not just the rich and powerful.
The firm’s personal injury practice is broad and embraces people with limited resources who could not otherwise pursue the compensation they deserve.
Atlanta personal injury attorney Brandon Hornsby is proficient in a wide range of personal injury claims, including:

• Motor Vehicle Accidents,
• Defective Products, and
• Slip and Fall Incidents.

In each case, Attorney Brandon Hornsby engages in a litigation strategy designed to accelerate a favorable and timely settlement, while also preparing the case for trial to maximize the opportunity for a successful verdict.
Most importantly, the law office of Brandon Hornsby is client-centered and committed to providing the highest quality representation to ordinary people.
So, please take a moment to find out what we have to offer you, the client, and why Atlanta personal injury attorney Brandon Hornsby is your right choice.

source: http://www.atlanta-personal-injury-attorney.net/

How A Cheap Debt Consolidation Loan Can Solve Your Financial Problems

Studies show that more than half of the people that reside in the world today are buried in debt. There are a lot of reasons why people tend to get in over their heads so to speak. A big reason why so many people are forced to worry about financial problems is because of the strain that the economic recession has put on the entire world. Not only were people forced to leave their jobs, but a lot of people were also forced to vacate their homes and fall into an excessive amount of credit card debt, because they could no longer afford to pay for their financial obligations. Cheap debt consolidation loans can help individuals that are buried in debt get out of this frightful monetary situation.
In order to gain a better understanding of why you would even consider taking out another loan to get out of debt, you need to consider the reasons why people are choosing to take this route. First and foremost, most people that are having financial problems do not know how to get themselves out of the situation that they have gotten themselves into.
They are stuck paying multiple creditors money on a monthly basis. Aside from repaying the original loan amounts back, these same individuals are also being forced to pay back all associated interest charges that accompany the principal amount. Interest is the one thing that forces people to remain in financial distress.
Cheap debt consolidation loans can solve monetary worries. The way that these types of monetary instruments work is they take into consideration all of the debts that you owe to different creditors. The individuals that are employed to render this type of financial assistance will get in contact with every creditor that you owe and pay them the funds that are owed to them.
After the company has paid off all of the debts, you will be left with one loan to pay off going forward. The one loan you will need to pay off will be the loan that you took out directly from the company. Since all of your other existing financial obligations have been taken care of, you will only need to worry about paying one company every single month for the bills that you accrued in the past.
The great thing about paying one company for any associated debts is you do not have to worry about fluctuating interest charges. Since only one company will be obtaining your funds, the interest rate will remain constant for the most part.
Aside from helping you pay off the debts that you accrued in the past, most of these companies will go a step further and help you come up with a budget that your entire household can stick to. The budget will allow you to review over the way that you have been spending your money, and make any changes that you need to make to your present money spending sprees.
Cheap debt consolidation loans can help you overcome your financial worries. You will be able to work closely with an experienced monetary consultant in order to determine what the best avenue for you to take is, when it comes to eliminating your excess debts.

Debt Consolidation

Everyone at some point needs help with their debt. If you find yourself sinking instead of swimming, looking into debt consolidation is an excellent option for bettering your situation. Debt consolidation involves combining your debts into one monthly payment. Instead of paying different creditors or collection agencies, you set up a payment schedule with only one source.

So, at the month end, you just have to repay one loan instead of multiple debts. It is helpful in a way that you can save that extra amount in form of late fee that you had been paying till now. Moreover, with a debt consolidation loan you can also save yourself from the embarrassment of having to face phone calls from your debtors. With debt consolidation, you can put your worries behind and get a new lease of life.

You can choose from many companies who will gladly work for you. The consolidator will work out a realistic plan for you and will address all your concerns and worries. He will inform you about the process it involves and the benefits of the plan. Nevertheless, you should fully convince yourself about the debt consolidator before you sign up for debt consolidation. There are all sorts of people in the marketplace. Where there are legitimate agencies there are many scams also who are waiting to catch an unwary customer and make their bucks. Beware of them. Take your time and think carefully and dont sign till you are fully satisfied with the credentials of the consolidator.

You can easily search for a debt consolidation company on the Internet. Many websites also provide tips on debt consolidation and its advantages and disadvantages. There are a plethora of articles on the Internet and you can easily access them. You can gain invaluable knowledge by reading the articles and be a good judge while applying for loan. Besides, you can always consult your friends, relatives or colleagues who have faced a similar situation before. You can also meet such people on the Internet.

There are a lot of fake organisations out there so make sure that the finance company you apply to is legitimate.

This can be done by contacting the Better Business Bureau to check if any sort of complaint has ever been lodged against the company. Some companies have official websites, but that does not guarantee that they will be legitimate and fair. Creating a website is not a challenge, what is difficult is to back the claims that are made on the website with action. Do not send your credit card number or bank account number to any company before knowing its whereabouts. First contact the company and know the modus operandi of the company. With a thorough research, you will only be helping yourself further.

Mortgage Market Fear

The dramatic reaction and domino-like effect of the sub-prime mortgage market is spreading to the prime market. At its root is a general fear-over-faith knee jerk reaction to rising mortgage defaults, or in some cases, simply fear of defaults. In the summer of 2005, The Chicago Tribune quoted me as saying the 'zero down mortgages were bad for our industry' and bad for consumers - my fellow bankers booed my sentiment. People loose their homes when they can't make the payments and no longer believe they have any equity to in their homes. So is it any wonder that a home buyer who put nothing down, and saw his home value dip even a minute percentage, would consider 'giving it back to the bank' when the payments get tough to make?
For several years we encouraged lenders to consider condo hotel or fractional second home loans, which require substantial 20%+ down payments, and are often borrowed by high-net worth borrowers. For several years, most lenders have opted to go 'up the risk curve' and make sub prime loans with zero down payments, instead of even considering new forms of real estate. The current panic in the mortgage markets is new, but wholly expected by even many of the participants. "We knew we were taking ever greater risks" says an anonymous banker now "but the machine needed the higher yielding mortgages to keep running." Vacation Finance is still making condo hotel, fractional and second home loans at the same terms without interruption.
Why Second Homes are a Safe Haven
                                     Condo hotels produce revenue that help a home owner afford to make the payments. Fractionals are small bites of luxury second home properties, that cost less than owning the whole. Second home buyers typically put 20%+ down payments and intend to someday turn their cottage into a primary home. The emotional home is the cottage, home is where the heart is, not necessarily the home near your job.
                                    The 'contagion' is rolling from sub prime to prime mortgages but share one key element - little to no equity invested by the borrower. If the consumer put significant money down, they have means to ride out the storm, and they won't loose. We predict, if the mortgage woes continue, interest rates are going to be cut shortly, and this will pull the mortgage market out of a nose dive, and breath new life into the real estate market.

Mesothelioma treatment methods

There are several methods of treatment for mesothelioma although none of these have a high success rate. In general, the chances of curing a mesothelioma patient depends on how much the cancer has developed and matured when treated. If tackled aggressively in its early stages, there is a good chance...

                       There are several methods of treatment for mesothelioma although none of these have a high success rate. In general, the chances of curing a mesothelioma patient depends on how much the cancer has developed and matured when treated. If tackled aggressively in its early stages, there is a nice chance of survival. Due to the difficulty of diagnosing mesothelioma in its early stages, plenty of mesothelioma treatments focus on improving the quality of life for patients.

                     Before a patient is treated on, a doctor will pick what the best work of treatment is by thinking about the patient's age, medical history, general well being and even weight. From here, the doctor will pick which of the two most common treatments are most suited to the patient's condition. These treatments are surgical procedure, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Surgical procedure

Surgical procedure comes in six different types. Aggressive surgical procedure is treatment which aims to gain long term control against the cancer and palliative procedures which aims to relieve the patient of signs.

                            Aggressive surgical procedure involves removing the pleura, the lung, the diaphragm and the pericardium. This procedure is named additional pleural pneumonectomy. The aim of this is to remove as much of the tumour as feasible without harming the patient. However, this is a dicy type of surgical procedure and the chances are high of patient fatality within a month. Due to this, only young, fit individuals are referred to this sort of treatment. Palliative procedures involve removing the pleura in order to control the signs of the cancer. This is performed when mesothelioma is in an advanced form and is impossible to cure.

Chemotherapy

This is the most often known cure of cancer. Chemotherapy makes use of drugs to treat mesothelioma although plenty of of these drugs have a poor success rate on patients. Combinations of drugs are often used to improve their effect. Some of these combinations have proved to be effective. Chemotherapy of mesothelioma is being improved regularly as research labs and pharmaceutical companies are discovering new and more effective drugs.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy makes use of radiation to kill the tumour which mesothelioma creates. However, this procedure is difficult because of where the tumour grows. Due to the closeness of the tumour and plenty of vital internal organs such as the heart and lungs, doctors must be cautious as to the doses of radiation they use. Lower radiation doses can be used however this lowers its effectiveness.

Dual Therapy

This is often used and is a combination of surgical procedure, chemotherapy and radiation therapy combined. Surgical procedure removes all of the tumour cells while chemotherapy and radiation therapy work on removing the remainder. This is an effective process and also diminishes the signs of the cancer.

Mesothelioma facts

                                                  pharmacy online mesotheolima is under intense research for several decades and the new cases of mesothelioma patients are on a high rise. As explained in the previous article that the main cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. It is but in 90% cases that the major cause if asbestos expos

pharmacy online

mesotheolima is under intense research for several decades and the new cases of mesothelioma patients are on a high rise. As explained in the previous article that the main cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. It is but in 90% cases that the major cause if asbestos exposure. But the other causes that are quite uncommon and that still are a risk to mesothelioma patients are highlighted here. But fortunately these are still unproven and insignificant.

Genetic Cell Mutation

The genetic causes of mesothelioma can be associated to genetic mutations. These mutations turn the healthy cells into cancerous ones which multiply randomly and at a rapid pace. These cancer cells don't die as the normal cells generally do. So the accumulation of such cells forms a tumor. These tumors in turn invade the other body tissues and thus spread further within the body and leads to mesothelioma.

In this regard not much can be said because it is not known about what causes genetic mutation leading to mesothelioma. Still an interaction between several risk factors seems to be the reason.

These factors include ones Inherited conditions, the environment where one lives, overall health conditions and smoking with other life style choices.

Mutation initiated by exposure to asbestos

There are many a chances of genetic mutation due to asbestos. The asbestos fibers apparently cause an initiation of mutations in genes of the person who comes in contact with asbestos fibers. This happens when asbestos fibers lodge in the lung mesothelium or the mesothelium of other organs where it has access.

Such mutations can be the cause that leads to mesothelioma, while the mesothelioma patients go unaware of the situation at hand.

The researchers conducted some animal studies in relation to the cause of mesothelioma. There they found the simian virus of the type SV40 to be associated with the cause of mesothelioma. Also some early polio vaccines in the 1950s were found to be contaminated with this SV40. But it was not proven to cause mesothelioma as no link was established in this regard.

It is also documented that a handful of cases of mesothelioma patients were associated with exposure to x-rays. It was thorium dioxide that was used in x-ray imaging which these patients had underwent during their lifetime. But these are now not in use for years due to the link between cancer and thorium dioxide..

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is generally caused by the inhalation of fibers from asbestos, which is a carcinogenic material. It is commonly seen among workers in the construction industry who have long exposure to asbestos. It can also be caused by living in asbestos insulated buildings for a long period of time, Genetics plays an important role, and some people are more vulnerable to the risk than others.
                                 -This form of cancer is relatively rare, and involves the mesothelium, which is the tissue that lines an organ. This tissue secretes a liquid that enables the organs to move. Mesothelioma tumors tend to affect the lungs, the stomach, the heart and other organs.
                                 -Unfortunately, mesothelioma is a serious disease with high fatality rates. If the tumors are malignant, the survival rate is not encouraging. The average survival time after diagnosis is about a year. However, if the cancer is treated aggressively, the patient has a good chance of living at least two years, and the five-year survival rate is improving.
                                -The most common form of the disease is pleural mesothelioma, which invades the chest cavity. In these cases, the asbestos fibers travel into the pleura, which is the lining that surrounds the lungs damaging the cells, and results in cancer. Onset is slow, and the most common symptom is persistent chest pain. Other forms of mesothelioma are the peritoneum mesothelioma (which manifests in the abdomen) and the pericardium mesothelioma (which affects the heart).
                               -Mesothelioma is the issue in thousands of asbestos lawsuits today. Many people are coming forward with these lawasuits seeking damages for medical bills, wages lost, pain and suffering, and so on.

Mesothelioma provides detailed information on malignant mesothelioma, asbestos and mesothelioma, mesothelioma, mesothelioma research and more. Mesothelioma is affiliated with Malignant Mesothelioma Diagnosis