| Every year, car insurance companies pay out | | | | If a person is held liable for ALL the costs of a |
| millions of dollars in fraudulent claims. The claims | | | | lawsuit if they lose, there would be much less |
| can range anywhere from staged pedestrian | | | | tendency to bring the lawsuit in the first place. |
| accidents to inflated injury claims stemming from | | | | Given that, insurance companies would be much |
| a real accident. While the vast majority of us do | | | | less willing to settle if they knew they had a |
| not engage in such dishonest behavior, we are still | | | | chance of winning in court at less cost. |
| affected by them. How? | | | | Second, pressure your insurance company to |
| Every fraudulent claim raises the cost of doing | | | | fight out any claim against you that you feel does |
| business for the car insurance companies, and | | | | not have merit. Threaten to change companies if |
| therefore raises the price of car insurance | | | | they will not cooperate. Insurance companies, like |
| premiums. For every claim made that has no | | | | any other business, will respond to customer |
| basis in reality, it is costing you money! Doesn't | | | | pressure if they feel their profits are being |
| that upset you? It should! | | | | threatened. |
| Now, admittedly the insurance companies | | | | Finally, make sure that everyone you know is |
| themselves are partially to blame for this. | | | | informed of the issue and takes the same actions. |
| Shysters who game the system know that most | | | | One person is not likely to make that much of a |
| insurance companies will settle a claim quickly | | | | difference in reducing fraudulent claims and the |
| rather than pay the high costs of litigation in court. | | | | resultant higher costs of insurance, but many |
| It's really a numbers game for them. Why pay | | | | people taking the same actions will make a |
| the high costs of court fees and lawyers when | | | | tremendous difference. Remember this article as |
| they can easily settle for a fraction of the cost? | | | | you fill out the check for this month's installment |
| How, then, can we fix this very broken situation. | | | | on your car insurance premiums. You can make a |
| First, put some pressure on your elected officials | | | | difference! |
| to change the way litigation is done in this country. | | | | |