Missouri Insurance Lawyer Blog

Sooner or later, it may become necessary for someone else to drive your vehicle and you want to make sure that there is insurance if they are involved in an automobile accident.

Generally, insurance follows the vehicle, not the driver. If it is your car, then the insurance coverage you have purchased for your vehicle would provide primary coverage. Any insurance policy your friend has purchased would become secondary. Primary simply means that your insurance company should pay the claim first. Then if your liability limits are exhausted, your friend's insurance should pay additional amounts up to his limits.

Please understand that if your friend is involved in an accident with your car, your rates could go up. Also, in some circumstances, if you are aware that your friend is not a safe driver and you allow him or her to drive your car, you could be held personally liable if they cause an accident that seriously injures another person.

Continue reading "Does My Friend Have Insurance Coverage If She Drives My Car?" »

It is a common scenario that insurance companies who have sold you a disability policy attempt to terminate benefits claiming the disability is no longer present, or severe enough to prevent employment. This most commonly occurs between two to four years after receiving the benefits depending on the type of language in your contract. Most disability insurance policies include a time period ranging from two to four years after which the definition of total disability changes. The definition typically narrows which is generally bad for the policy holder. This change may take the form of either increasing the number of occupations which should be considered before determining if you are disabled, or narrowing the requirements to meet ongoing disability.

Furthermore, disability policies include the right of the insurance company to obtain your medical records, and to periodically have you examined for the purposes of determining if you are still disabled.

Continue reading "Disability Insurance Denials When Your Company Says You're No Longer Disabled" »

At Tatlow, Gump, Faiella & Wheelan, LLC, we focus on protecting the rights of injured and insured persons by aggressively prosecuting insurance claim denials and insurance bad faith cases.

People buy insurance because they want to protect their family, property, possessions, businesses and well being. Unfortunately, insurance companies often have different interests. Insurance companies want to limit the payments they make on claims so profits remain high. When an insurance company improperly limits claim payments, fails to take proper steps to timely settle claims against its insured, wrongfully denies payment, or generally acts in its own best interest rather than its insured, it has violated the intent of the insurance contract.

Continue reading "Insurance Disputes and Bad Faith Lawyers" »

Most homeowners understanding that if someone comes onto their property as a guest and they are injured because of a defect in your home or the land that you can be held civilly liable for the guests' injuries. To be liable you would have to be found to be negligent by a judge or jury and the standard for negligent acts differ from state to state according to specific laws. However, generally the law requires that people who are invited to your home be treated with reasonable care and that you maintain your property and warn guests of any hazards. You would have a responsibility to be aware of hazards on your property. If you have pets, which harm a person on your property, you may have liability to that person as a result of your pet's acts.

If someone is injured while on your property or at your home, you should contact medical authorities to get assistance for the injured guests. You should also contact your homeowners insurance company to report the incident by phone and follow up with a written report.

Continue reading "Liability For Injuries To Your Guests" »