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Premiums now bordering on $3000.00 per year for our three 9 year old vehicles. All of which are driven way less than 6000k/year! We continue to be penalized, due to the fact that we have two sons that are under the age of 21 who have always carried a minimum of a B average and above in school with no violations.

My son was struck by a car while working on the highway. The workers compensation carrier has not of yet paid for any home modifications including ramping, roll in shower, etc. It has been over four years now since my son suffered his severe, traumatic brain injury, which left him unable to talk or walk. We have had to take out loans to cover most of the expenses. Despite my sons obvious disabilities and the problems we have faced it took the insurance company two years to admit that my son was permanently disabled.

My house was broken into in August 2002. When I claimed the insurance company requested copies of receipts, bank statements, loan documentation. They also engaged a private investigator to try to get information that would help them refuse my claim. I have complied with everything that they wanted. Its now January 2003 and they still haven't paid.

My complaint is general - why won't someone do something about the ability of insurance companies to use personal credit history to rate auto insurance premiums? In my case, I filed bankruptcy over 8 years ago, and have since had perfect credit and I have not had a single citation for anything in 12 years - yet I continue to have high rates! It is unfair and discriminatory. I was unaware in those days that this would become a factor in insurance rating 8 years later, and it has no reflection on my worthiness as a safe driver or my ability to pay premiums today. I personally believe it is ridiculous that my perfect driving history means less than an investment mistake made almost a decade ago when it comes to how likely I am to be involved in an auto accident.

1 car had three responses from major car insurers:

- Not insurable

- Unreasonable $3,500 premium

- More reasonable $1,300 premium

This car is worth $25,000, 4 years old and a performance car. Why then would a $70,000 performance car have a $1,200 premium?

I took this insurance out before our overseas trip. During the vacation, my father in law became critically ill and died before we could get back home. I filed a claim including a cover letter explaining the circumstances. I also enclosed all documentation including receipts, copy of death certificate, etc. It has been three months and I still have yet to receive any benefits. My receipts are from online credit card accounts. I do not receive statements mailed to the house. I sent copies of these statements with all items pertaining to the vacation highlighted so that a 4 year old could understand this claim. Everything that exists as far as statements have already been sent. Yet I still keep getting Access America's "form letter" wanting receipts. I have tried in vain to contact them by phone and email and am always told "we will look into it."

I took out car insurance that included the cost of a hire car if mine was off the road for 5 days or more after an accident. I had a crash and the repairs were going to take 4-6 weeks including the time to get parts. When I claimed for the hire car, they tried to stiff me by quoting some fine print that said they only pay for a hire car if I drove my car to their assessment centre! I had driven it to the approved repairer as directed by the insurance company. I would have driven it anywhere they wanted but I feel they were delibeately trying to pick any fine print they could to avoid paying. I forced them to conceed but I am sure there are plenty of people who have cars so badly damaged that they can't comply and who get shafted all the time.

I'm angry and unhappy about stamp duty being calculated on and including GST for insurance policies I have for my house, contents and motor vehicle. This is in the Northern Territory and may be different elsewheon anythre. While I don't mind paying GST OR NT Govt Stamp Duty, I'm really pissed at having GST added to the cost of insurance and then stamp duty calculated afterwards. It's obscene to pay two taxes ing ... paying a tax on a tax is a disgrace.

I phoned my insurer to make some changes to my home contents policy to add some jewellery. This was done but after I had my expensive camera stolen and made a claim, they refused to accept it. They said that when I made the changes, I dropped off the cover for all other unspecified valuables and therefore the camera wasn’t covered. It was their word against mine so guess who won.

We own small shopping centres. We recently went to renew one of the policies. The premium was $12,500.00 three years ago and is now $66,000.00. We have never had any claims in the past.

To reduce the premium I suggested that the level of public liability cover be reduced from $10 million to $5 million. But they only offered us a negligible premium discount for a 50% cut in the amount of the cover. We tried other ways to reduce the premium. I asked about raising the excess in respect of any claim from the amount of $1,000.00 to $100,000.00. They agreed to this but only gave a 10% premium reduction: 10% premium reduction for 99% reduction in cover!!

Our voluntary association has never had a claim. Surely we are a safe risk for insurance. But they are ripping us off by charging us nearly twice what we used to pay last year.

When we took out commercial building insurance I asked the broker for a monthly contract because the annual premium was so high ($88,000.00). This was ok and after a few months we cancelled the policy with monthly premiums paid in advance.

Now the insurance company says it’s okay to cancel the policy but that we have to reimburse it for the huge commission they paid the broker (15% of the annual premium!) and won’t refund other amounts they can’t justify. They are threatening to sue.

It was a straight monthly contract and we were not told of any penalties. Neither the broker nor the insurance company disclosed that more than $13,000.00 of the annual premium was being paid as commission.

We had a business interruption policy and when the landlord closed the building for repairs after a flood, we couldn’t conduct business. We produced all records to the company including an accountant’s report establishing the business loss. The insurer is doing everything to avoid paying my claim. They made me go to court. I resent hostile treatment like this from an insurance company I have dealt with for over twenty years.

My complaint is about insurance brokers. With premiums doubling or tripiling, insurance brokers still get 10% or more of the premium. That’s a pay increase to all brokers of double or triple. It also contributes to escalating premiums. Aren’t there any fixed fee insurance brokers out there?

Last Year I paid $10,000 for my professional indemnity premium as an engineer that was for $10 million cover with a $10,000 excess. I am a solo outfit and also have a construction business that has separate insurance. I do only 3-4 jobs a year that need professional indemnity cover. I have never had any claims.

This year they hit me with a premium of $32,000 for $2 million cover with a $50,000 excess!! Had I wanted the same cover a last year the premium would have been nearly $50,000 still with a $50,000 excess. That’s a 500% increase in premium with a 500% increase in the excess – effectively a 1000% overall increase and I have never had a claim and only do 3-4 jobs a year.

My mother’s health insurance was at the top level of cover. The insurer dropped the level of benefits and kept charging the same premium without telling her. When she made a claim for something she thought she was covered for – she was told “too bad”. She is an elderly woman who has always had the top level of cover and been with the same insurer for years.

I had disability cover through my superannuation fund. I was injured and my specialist says I won’t be able to continue in the same job. This means less income for my family. The insurance company told me that my injuries aren’t serious enough for them to have to pay. I can’ t return to my work. The insurance company has been like a brick wall.

There was a fire in our building and I lost profits and business. The insurance company who we had been with for years offered me less than a quarter of what my accountants calculated as the actual loss. They made it so hard hoping I would go away. I have had to take them to court. Now they are being just as unreasonable through their lawyers.

When I took out disability insurance, I disclosed a tendon problem in my thigh I got from running. The insurance company put an ‘endorsement’ on the policy that will prevent them having to pay if I stop work from any reason at all related to any past or future condition of my spine, back, legs or hips. I am fit and healthy – they sent me to a doctor to confirm this. Their ‘endorsement’ has effectively limits the scope of the policy by about 50% and they have given me no premium reduction at all. I tried to discuss it with them and they just about told me to ****.

I bought travel insurance for my cruise in October 2004 through my travel agent with Access America, but my neck and shoulder developed bad pains before my departure, so I had to cancel my travel arrangements.

Incidentally, Access America Travel Insurance is not paying my claim, and is repeatedly asking for information when I have given it. I was initially denied payment after they saw my doctor’s statement had an incorrect date that made the 72-hour notice-of-cancellation invalid. I was told that all I need to do is to appeal and have my doctor resubmit the form and letter explaining why the mistake in the date was made. I received another form letter asking for a second time a letterhead from Princess Cruise Lines for cancellation date and what payment they gave, and penalty. When I called about this the person on the other end said they had all the information and it was a matter of 7-10 days to get my claim. Instead of payment, I received yet another letter requesting a letterhead from Princess Cruise Lines. It seems to me they don't want to pay up and they will find any legal or illegal way of not paying, using excuses they have drawn up in the contract. They are now asking for information they don’t need and did not ask for before. This has been going on for over 8 months now. It's ridiculous.

I have just recently learned of the "credit formula" and its discriminatory reasoning. If I were to use the same criteria when hiring employees my company and I would be devoured by attorneys. Any attempt to run my business in the model of the insurance industry would lead me directly to the nearest State Correctional Facility.

Totally exhausted from attempts to find adequate health care, which would protect my ability to provide for my family (which is all I really want) if I became ill, and ensure everything we have worked and sacrificed for would not be lost, I have come to the conclusion that to rely on my health insurance for anything would you a foolish mistake.

The money I've wasted on bogus policies is better invested in life insurance: This is the only way I can protect my family. In doing so, they have forced me to choose DEATH OVER ILLNESS as a means of family survival. Health insurance guarantees me nothing but illness.

My business provides a service, if I do not perform as advertised my customer is under no obligation to pay me or I must refund their money. I'm going to go get my money back.

I am appalled at what I feel may be a common and unfair practice by insurance companies. Is everyone aware of the practice of car insurance companies to reduce their payout by the amount due for refund by the government for residual registration and CTP insurance?

For example: a car is insured for $20,000 agreed value. The insurance company determines that the car is written off and they send you $19,650, leaving it to you to make a claim for the $350 refund with the government for unused registration and CTP insurance.

It is the first motor vehicle claim I have made and I was appalled when this was told to me. Is this another "read the fine print" example or does this practice apply to all insurance companies?

Having had continuous Income Protection for 34 years, made a claim for a broken kneecap in January 2001. Complications with recovery, dispute with surgeon, 9 months later insurance payments ceased. Continually advising insurance company of my inability to work and my dissatisfaction with their service, further surgery, submit another claim, investigation ensues.

Ultimately in February 2003, I instigate legal action. May 2004, discover Financial Industry Complaints System (FICS) on the net. They were unable to assist as legal action was pending. What was probably a $40k claim in 2002, has by then escalated to more than $200k, so it is upgraded from the County to the Supreme Court. Blackmailed by the insurance company to pay THEIR COSTS TO DATE for them to agree to allow me a stay to apply to FICS.

Current situation - it is the First month of the FIFTH year and I am just now in the FICS system - which I now know was my right four years ago.

Why isn't there enough information for consumers to find EASILY when they are having problems with insurance companies?

The financial struggle is appalling, yet the advertising when selling such policies is to ease your mind if you are hurt????????

Cobra Insurance through Dollar Tree Store Inc. canceled our insurance policy after they were notified of a pending surgery. We paid every month in a timely manner, and even contacted the benefits specialist at Dollar Tree to make sure that our payments were on time. The month that they were notified of the surgery, they canceled our insurance.

We were notified on Jan. 29th that they did not receive the payment for Dec. They sent back the check for Jan. saying that our coverage was no longer in effect. It ended in December, and the surgery was Jan. 10.

We didn't know about the insurance lapse until we received the check back on Jan 29. We had 30 days to correct the problem, if we had known about it!

WHY aren’t insurance companies required to notify us when our coverage is in danger of lapsing? Because of this precise example!

They can claim that our check was never received and therefore cancel our policy at any time, IMMEDIATELY. AND this COBRA insurance CANNOT be re-instated for ANY reason. So we’re now out of pocket THOUSANDS of dollars.

THERE SHOULD BE A LAW THAT INSURANCE COMPANIES SHOULD HAVE TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR INSURANCE IS ABOUT TO LAPSE. WHY ISN'T THERE? BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS SET UP IN FAVOR OF THE INSURANCE COMPANIES.

Allstate Insurance dropped our coverage after 10 years for a late payment, AFTER they had CASHED our check (it showed up on our online bank statement). They did not notify us that our coverage had lapsed until a month later.

Why isn't it a LAW that these insurance companies should notify you in writing that your insurance is in danger of being lapsed. We were driving with no insurance for a month.

We just received in the mail our escrow shortage information from SunTrust Mortgage. We owe them $1136.43. The reason is the increase in our insurance from Allstate Floridian. Last year we paid $1127.00; this year it is $2681.00. We called SunTrust about the difference and she called Allstate at (972)915-xxxx (a Texas number) to verify the increase.

We then called our local Allstate agent, V O'Donnell at (386)767-xxxx and they told us some people's insurance had tripled. They gave us a number for the Insurance Commissioner's Ofc., (386)254-xxxx, to complain about the increase. We were also told to go on the internet to complain some more.

So, here we are. We have had the same insurance for about 20 yrs. The biggest check they sent us was $6000 for the recent hurricanes (2004 & 2005). We are not in a flood zone. Please help... One lady I talked to has had to sell her home of 8 years because of these outrageous increases.

Thank you for reading our complaint.

Recently, I have had to deal with BC/BS regarding three of my employees. The first was admitted to a hospital in Orange County and the released because the hospital admin - could not get in touch with BC/BS office as it was closed for the weekend. The 2nd was with an employee who got married in Feb of this year and called to get his new bride on his policy. They told him that he had to wait till the end of the year when he reapplies for 07. I called them and was told the he was misinformed. The 3rd was another employee who submitted a claim for shots for his children before the school year started. They rejected the claim. When he called them they played dumb and said that all they saw was a claim for an ear test and they do not pay for ear tests. After reviewing the claim, they told him the missed the rest of the claim and to resubmit.

These are just the tip of the iceberg as far as problems I have encountered over the years with insurance companies. I have a list a mile long including questions about premium increase justifications. These questions have never been responded to.

As many of you know, Hurricane Katrina caused massive property damage along the Gulf Coast. Many insurance companies have yet to pay homeowners what they are due from their policies. Insurance companies such as State Farm, All State, Republic, Triple A, etc... are refusing to write new policies for homeowners insurance. We can get flood insurance because that is a federally funded program, but people who want to sell their flood damaged homes can not find buyers because the potential buyers cannot get builders risk or new homeowners policies. If I wanted to buy a home in New Orleans today, unless the present homeowners policy could transer to me as the new buyer, I could not get insurance. If by some miracle I could get insurance, it would cost $4000yr+. Moderate income families cannot afford this cost.

The rest of the country does not understand how the recovery of New Orleans and other towns and cities in this region are being held back because of the insurance industry. Disasters can happen anywhere! Tornados, wild fires, earthquates, floods have occured all throughout the US. We have to have some type of insurance reform to keep the insurance companies from being able to control and deny any of us the right to own property or businesses.

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