A big expensive study from a well known firm proves that retention is important during hard economic times. Its tough not to get a little cynical about this one.
The reality is that its important all the time. And beyond retention is working toward the likelihood of referral, or loyalty.
As millions of U.S. households face financial hardship in the current U.S. recession, retaining existing customers has never been easier. Just visit http://www.evenbetteryet.com.
To state.THE UNTOUCHABLES. Edward B. Rust, Jr., will be happy to tell you that he is the Chief Executive Officer of State Farm Mutual Insurance Company. He has deep family ties to State Farm, as his father and grand father have both served in that capacity. He will also tell you that he is an educated man who has been to law school and is a past practicing attorney. In addition, he was the chairman of the Coalition for Excellence in Education and a member of George W. Bush’s transition advisory team on education. So with all of that education why will he not deal with his company’s inbred greed. Does he not know that we are in the 21st century where anyone can look on the internet and see the billions of dollars that are being spent to protect their empire from the consumer? In Utah, the company was fine $25 million in punitive damages, in part for the “systematic destruction of documents and systematic manipulation of individual claim files to conceal claim mishandling”. An Idaho appeals court fined the company $9.5 million in punitive damages for making use of “a completely bogus” outside bill review company that helped lower the cost of medical bills. In October of 1999, an Illinois jury rendered a $456 million judgment against State Farm and an additional $730 million in punitive damages for the insurer’s breach of contract with auto policy holders by relying on generic replacement parts. Rust was adamant in his insistence that fraud had not been committed. A class action law suit in the name of State Farm policy holders was filed in 2003 for breach of contract and statutory consumer fraud in which $1.1 billion was awarded to plaintiffs. When a company is misleading the public, should that not be considered fraud? A consumer would go to prison for that type of behavior. State Farm will let you know that, in several states, fraud and abuse is pushing up the cost of auto insurance. A court in late 2001 reached an unfriendly consumer decision that could have the effect of reaching deep into the pockets of the consumer. Sharply higher jury awards in vehicular liability cases are putting additional upward pressure on auto insurance rates. The average jury award in auto liability cases rose from $187,000 to $269,000 in 2000, an increase of 44%. I question if any of the lawsuits would be necessary if the company would just fairly pay their claims. The company represents on their web-site that consumer protection is one of their most important goals, but do they really think that courts would be awarding multiple millions of dollars in bad faith claims if that were their emphasis? State Farm’s ratings are based on their financial strength. State Farm states that their high ratings are also based on strong claims paying ability. With this ability, why is it necessary for their policy holders to allege that the claims department was directed, in evaluating their cases, to take them to trial instead of settling within the limits of the policy? This practice exposed policyholders to judgments above the limits of their policies, when the company was attempting to make an effort to win smaller decisions. Two former in-house attorneys for State Farm contend that they were often called upon by the insurer to represent its’ policy holders and were forced to commit “unlawful and unethical activities, including requiring the two to stay silent about the rights of the policyholders”. State Farm seems to have reckless indifference for the truth for the purpose of corporate and personal economic gain. State Farm should know that continued scrutiny of their claims paying practices will continue especially with the advent of new claims that are surfacing from lawsuits revolving around Hurricane Katrina. A message to Mr. Rust, and any employee of the company that is acting in bad faith for its policy holders.Chief MOST BE RETAIN OR THERE WILL BE NO MORE CUSTOMERS.
$456 million judgment against State Farm and an additional $730 million in punitive damages for the insurer’s breach of contract . WOW THIS IS WHY THEY PUT PEOPLE THEW HELL.
Subject: RE: RE: Complaints”As I was watching these tapes
Posted On: March 8, 2009, 10:18 pm CDT
Posted By: The biggest Ponzi Scheme
Comment:
By Anita Lee
McClatchy Newspapers
Advertisement
BILOXI, Miss. (MCT) — In some cases, State Farm’s top leadership prefers not to share or even keep records that offer insight into how policyholder claims are handled, according to court records.
Chairman and CEO Edward B. Rust Jr. said in sworn testimony earlier this month that no minutes are kept of quarterly meetings held by the company’s top management, the Chairman’s Council, and that policyholders have no right to information about an investigation State Farm Insurance Cos. has ordered of its relationship with Haag Engineering Co.
State Farm spokesman Phil Supple said the company doesn’t “intend to-;try this-;case in the media.”
“State Farm stands by testimony given by President and Vice Chairman Vince Trosino, who said when asked about these allegations, ‘It’s not part of our system. It’s not part of our core values. It’s not what made us the most successful property and casualty insurer, life insurer, in the country.'”
Juries in two states, Texas and Oklahoma, have found Haag provided biased reports to State Farm to minimize or deny policyholder claims. Mississippi’s attorney general currently is conducting a grand jury investigation to determine whether State Farm and other insurers denied Hurricane Katrina claims through the use of fraudulent engineering reports.
Haag denies bias, but State Farm suspended business with the company in June and ordered an independent investigation after an Oklahoma jury awarded a total of $13 million to a policyholder over tornado damages. Subsequent trials are set to determine damages for 70 other policyholders, all of whom had claims investigated by Haag.
In past court cases, judges have chastised and even fined State Farm for withholding records the company was ordered to produce. Evidence the company destroyed documents has been presented in several cases.
In the Oklahoma case, after State Farm finally turned over to the court a “claims legal research” DVD and other records, Judge Richard G. Van Dyck told company attorneys
“As I was watching these tapes I just want to say this for the record, the hair on the back of my neck did — did stand up because I was seeing things there that early on in this case I was told by (State Farm) defense counsel didn’t exist and couldn’t be produced. So I’m not real happy with that and I want to remind all counsel that their ethical responsibilities as attorneys outweigh the wishes of their clients.”
Gary T. Fye, an expert in the analysis of disputed insurance claims who lives in Nevada, often testifies in insurance cases. Fye, who said he has testified on behalf of policyholders and insurance companies, has provided the courts information on State Farm’s history of destroying and withholding records.
In 1998, Fye wrote in a Florida case
“I have been witnessing document destruction, concealment, and obstruction of discovery by State Farm for many years in connection with my review of internal claim practices documents of the insurer. I have accumulated certain Exhibits which show the company’s goals and objectives for document handling by its employees. The documents show close to 28 years of intentional destruction, concealment and distortion of claim practices records.”
In some cases, company executives did not keep records.
Jeff Marr, the attorney suing State Farm in Oklahoma, took sworn testimony Sept. 6 from Rust. Topics included Rust’s Chairman’s Council, made up of top State Farm executives. The group, which includes the company’s general counsel, meets quarterly.
Marr was fishing for records of those meetings that he could subpoena for his lawsuit.
“Certainly,” Marr asked Rust, “you keep records of the quarterly meetings where the entire Chairman’s Council is present?”
“We have an agenda,” Rust said, “but minutes in that, no.”
“Why not?” Marr asked.
Rust replied, “Never felt a need to.”
Marr later asked, “Are there any written agendas that are available should I choose to request them in the lawsuit?”
“I’m not sure what might be available,” Rust said.
Rust also said policyholders, who essentially own the private mutual company, are not entitled to know what the Chairman’s Council discusses or decides about litigation against State Farm, citing attorney-client privilege.
Marr questioned why the company would withhold information from policyholders, who own State Farm.
“Well, again,” said Rust (who has a law degree), “I’m not an expert in the area, but I think as you find — even if I’m a shareholder in a publicly traded company, there are things that are not — you know, I do not have access to.”
Marr later asked if policyholders have a right to see documents from State Farm’s investigation of Haag.
This a tough business to manage. The larger a company becomes the harder it is to keep focus. State Farm is a great, great company that, in its heart, I am sure wants to do what’s best, right, fair. I can say this because I have become familiar with many different carriers all across the country.
When you get that big, almost invisible defects can begin and grow and until something like a court decision that cant be overturned happens, eyes arent opened.
This is why, I believe, defining your culture and core principles are so important. Every decision made should be considered from the customers viewpoint before acted on and then tested before it becomes policy.
” DVD and other records, Judge Richard G. Van Dyck told company attorneys
“As I was watching these tapes I just want to say this for the record, the hair on the back of my neck did — did stand up because I was seeing things there that early on in this case I was told by (State Farm) defense counsel didn’t exist and couldn’t be produced. So I’m not real happy with that and I want to remind all counsel that their ethical responsibilities as attorneys outweigh the wishes of their clients.”
Kuehn v State Farm: From a simple *** to an ***-clown. Team State Farm …
… correspondence between their attorney, Earl Denham, and those representing State Farm, Lawrence Tucker … Exhibit “E,” E-mail chain between Earl Denham and Lawrence Tucker. Mr.
If all as you folks are saying is true, the co needs a culture check. Bad press is building for SF and thats the stuff that detriorates brands… evven very strong brands like SF.
This is what State Farm wants to be able to cherry pick.
Not paying for floods, fires and denying tornado coverage—BUT will sell renters policies, except in Jackson, Harrison
and Hancock counties. Except, except, except—give us a break.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – State Farm says it will resume selling
renters insurance in parts of Mississippi away from the Gulf Coast.
Company spokesman David Majors said that State Farm
will still not selling new homeowners policies anywhere in the
state, but will sell renters policies except in Jackson, Harrison
and Hancock counties.
Illinois-based State Farm stopped selling new homeowners and
renters policies in February 2007, citing the avalanche of legal
challenges that followed 2005’s Hurricane Katrina.
Majors says some existing policyholders, mainly north of
Interstate 10, will be allowed to reduce their hurricane deductible
from 5 percent of their policy value to 2 percent, if the customer
had auto insurance with State Farm as of Nov. 1, 2008, and agrees
to pay extra……State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
By NICK SULLIVAN, Andrews Publications Staff Writer
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
By NICK SULLIVAN, Andrews Publications Staff Writer
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
By NICK SULLIVAN, Andrews Publications Staff Writer
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
By NICK SULLIVAN, Andrews Publications Staff Writer
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
By NICK SULLIVAN, Andrews Publications Staff Writer
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
By NICK SULLIVAN, Andrews Publications Staff Writer
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
devastating storms.
The investigators, Haag Engineering Co. and E.A. Renfroe Co., were not parties to the case.
Haag is one of the engineering firms State Farm has hired to assess damages from Hurricane Katrina
Somehow this blog about retention has become a State Farm Sucks commercial. Lets take a step and look at this SF thing objectively.
State Farm is the largest carrier in the country with, arguably, the strongest brand ever for any insurer. A company doesn’t get that way by doing things poorly to the scale that some suggest. This brings us to the really difficult task of staying #1, retaining customers and growing by positive word of mouth.
The challenges large companies in America face are really the same as those that smaller companies face. However, those large companies, because of their size, have a much more difficult task when it comes to maintaining a culture of true customer focus. When the focus becomes even a bit fuzzy, small problems or mistakes get brushed under the carpet when they really should be revealed, investigated and learned from. Those small problems stay alive and fester – sometimes for years or even decades until they blow up. I suspect thats what happened in the case of this verdict.
So as we see problems within our own companies and in others, we need to ask what the root cause of the problems are. Is it the mistakes made in the field? Were the mistakes REALLY mistakes or were they done out of greed or ‘the need to get ahead’? And if the latter, what can be done to bring the company back to the values that got it to be successful in the first place?
I recently learned that the Toyota Motor Company has both a 50 and a 200 year strategic plan. Their strategy way back when was to become the largest car manufacturer in the world…and to get there by staying true to quality, customer and ensuring that the front line employees in both manufacturing and sales, had a way of communicating value vs. waste (as seen by the customer). They think about increasing value and removing waste at all levels of the organization once activity, one widget at a time. Its a great org., and one that our industry might be able to learn some things from. GM didn’t – and look where they are now.
BILOXI, Miss. (MCT) — In some cases, State Farm’s top leadership prefers not to share or even keep records that offer insight into how policyholder claims are handled, according to court records.
Chairman and CEO Edward B. Rust Jr. said in sworn testimony earlier this month that no minutes are kept of quarterly meetings held by the company’s top management, the Chairman’s Council, and that policyholders have no right to information about an investigation State Farm Insurance Cos. has ordered of its relationship with Haag Engineering Co.
State Farm spokesman Phil Supple said the company doesn’t “intend to-;try this-;case in the media.”
“State Farm stands by testimony given by President and Vice Chairman Vince Trosino, who said when asked about these allegations, ‘It’s not part of our system. It’s not part of our core values. It’s not what made us the most successful property and casualty insurer, life insurer, in the country.'”
Juries in two states, Texas and Oklahoma, have found Haag provided biased reports to State Farm to minimize or deny policyholder claims. Mississippi’s attorney general currently is conducting a grand jury investigation to determine whether State Farm and other insurers denied Hurricane Katrina claims through the use of fraudulent engineering reports
DEBBIE FOLTZ, Plaintiff, vs. STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, an Illinois corporation, CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, INC., dba COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL REVIEW, and RALPH HOUSEHOLDER, Defendants.
No. CV-94-6293-HO
AMENDED
PROPOSED INTERVENORS’ REPLY TO PLAINTIFF FOLTZ’S AND DEFENDANT STATE FARM’S JOINT RESPONSE IN OPPOSITION TO PROPOSED INTERVENORS’ MOTION TO INTERVENE AND MOTION TO UNSEAL COURT RECORDS
——————————————————————————–
State Farm’s memorandum in opposition to intevenors’ motion to intervene and motion to unseal is an astonishing document. First, State Farm does not contend or even attempt to argue that the sealing of the record in this case was legal. Instead, it attempts to justify the secrecy in this case on the sole basis it bought and paid for the secrecy. This argument is invalid under the law. Moreover, defendant attempts to further bolster this argument by pointing out that there are other cases in this Court and other courts that were similarly settled in secret and also apparently expunged from the public record. There may be other cases where similar questions should be raised.
A. Defendant’s argument that unsealing the record would unravel the settlement in this case is without merit because the sealing provision and order are illegal and should not be enforced.
THE PRAYER FOR AMERICA
Comment:
ONE THING STATE FARM FORGETS TO TELL ALL OF YOU IS THAT IN FLORIDA WHEN THE WIND HIT HOMES PEOPLE WERE COVERED, BUT STATE FARM JUST DECIDED IT WAS ALL WATER SO NO CLAIMS WERE PAID. THEN THEY CRIED TO THE GOVERNMENT TO COVER ALL FLOODS AND HAVE PASSED LAWS SO THE GOVERNMENT WILL COVER WIND DAMAGE AS WELL. I SAY IF YOU TAKE ALL THE BILLONS IN PREMIUM AND THEN CONVENIENTLY DO NOT COVER ANYTHING—WHAT A RACKET. STATE FARM MUST STOP HIDING THE TRUTH BY SEALING RECORDS IN OUR COURT ROOMS. THIS BIG GIANT HAS SCREWED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR TO DARN LONG. WE SAY PLEASE LEAVE ALL 50 STATES MY GOOD NEIGHBOR, AND TAKE YOUR BS COMMERCIAL OFF THE AIR. I THINK ITS HIGH TIME THE ETHICS BOARD OPENED UP THEIR EYES AND TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT STATE FARM AND ANY INDUSTRY THAT CAN RAPE PEOPLE AT THE LOWEST TIMES OF THERE LIFE AND THE LITTLE JUNIOR OF A CEO ED RUST WHO HAS TAKEN A GREAT COMPANY THAT HIS GREAT GRANDFATHER STARTED AND TURNED IT INTO HIS LITTLE BANK. WAKE UP PEOPLE AND LOOK AT THE HISTORY. I DID NOT MAKE IT UP. I WISH THAT I DID NOT KNOW THE TRUTH, BUT I DO SO I AM TRYING TO TELL YOU. I HOPE WITH ALL HOPE AND THE LOVE OF THIS GREAT AMERICA SOMEONE ELSE MAY CARE
The Irish Times takes no responsibility for the content
or availability of other websites
Actress Mia Farrow, a UN goodwill ambassador, has announced her intention to begin a hunger strike next week to show solidarity with the people of Sudan’s conflict-torn Darfur region.
“On April 27th I will begin a fast of water only in solidarity with the people of Darfur and as a personal expression of outrage at a world that is somehow able to stand by and watch innocent men, women and children needlessly die of starvation, thirst and disease,” Farrow said in a statement.
A spokesman for Farrow said she would stick with the hunger strike as long as possible, which her doctors estimate is a maximum of around three weeks given Farrow’s slim build.
Farrow, who was appointed goodwill ambassador for the UN children’s foundation Unicef in 2000, has been actively campaigning for years to raise funds and awareness for children in conflict zones like Darfur, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Chad and Nigeria.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir last month, charging him with masterminding mass killings and deportations in Darfur in western Sudan.
Since then, Sudan has expelled 13 foreign and three domestic humanitarian aid agencies, accusing them of collaborating with The Hague-based ICC.
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said in his latest report on the joint U.N.-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur, known as Unamid, that the expulsions had put “over one million people at life-threatening risk” in Darfur.
A joint UN-Sudanese assessment of the situation in Darfur found that the removal of roughly half of the aid personnel there had created a gap in the delivery of supplies and services across Darfur, an area roughly the size of France.
“I undertake this fast in the heartfelt hope that world leaders who know what is just and right will call upon the government of Sudan to urgently readmit all of the expelled agencies or otherwise insure that the (aid distribution) gap is filled,” Farrow said.
She added that she hopes other “human rights advocates and citizens of conscience around the world will join me in some form of fasting, even if for one day.”
Sudanese UN ambassador Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem said that Farrow should use her fame instead to help persuade rebel groups to stop boycotting peace talks with Khartoum.
“We advise her rather to ask those who are in a position to do so to put pressure on the rebel groups to come to the negotiating table,” he said. “The government is committed to the welfare of its own citizens and doesn’t need anybody to remind it of that.”
I will not look away how about you?
A big expensive study from a well known firm proves that retention is important during hard economic times. Its tough not to get a little cynical about this one.
The reality is that its important all the time. And beyond retention is working toward the likelihood of referral, or loyalty.
Anyone interested in learning more, please contact me directly or just visit http://www.evenbetteryet.com.
Just FYI!
As millions of U.S. households face financial hardship in the current U.S. recession, retaining existing customers has never been easier. Just visit http://www.evenbetteryet.com.
To state.THE UNTOUCHABLES. Edward B. Rust, Jr., will be happy to tell you that he is the Chief Executive Officer of State Farm Mutual Insurance Company. He has deep family ties to State Farm, as his father and grand father have both served in that capacity. He will also tell you that he is an educated man who has been to law school and is a past practicing attorney. In addition, he was the chairman of the Coalition for Excellence in Education and a member of George W. Bush’s transition advisory team on education. So with all of that education why will he not deal with his company’s inbred greed. Does he not know that we are in the 21st century where anyone can look on the internet and see the billions of dollars that are being spent to protect their empire from the consumer? In Utah, the company was fine $25 million in punitive damages, in part for the “systematic destruction of documents and systematic manipulation of individual claim files to conceal claim mishandling”. An Idaho appeals court fined the company $9.5 million in punitive damages for making use of “a completely bogus” outside bill review company that helped lower the cost of medical bills. In October of 1999, an Illinois jury rendered a $456 million judgment against State Farm and an additional $730 million in punitive damages for the insurer’s breach of contract with auto policy holders by relying on generic replacement parts. Rust was adamant in his insistence that fraud had not been committed. A class action law suit in the name of State Farm policy holders was filed in 2003 for breach of contract and statutory consumer fraud in which $1.1 billion was awarded to plaintiffs. When a company is misleading the public, should that not be considered fraud? A consumer would go to prison for that type of behavior. State Farm will let you know that, in several states, fraud and abuse is pushing up the cost of auto insurance. A court in late 2001 reached an unfriendly consumer decision that could have the effect of reaching deep into the pockets of the consumer. Sharply higher jury awards in vehicular liability cases are putting additional upward pressure on auto insurance rates. The average jury award in auto liability cases rose from $187,000 to $269,000 in 2000, an increase of 44%. I question if any of the lawsuits would be necessary if the company would just fairly pay their claims. The company represents on their web-site that consumer protection is one of their most important goals, but do they really think that courts would be awarding multiple millions of dollars in bad faith claims if that were their emphasis? State Farm’s ratings are based on their financial strength. State Farm states that their high ratings are also based on strong claims paying ability. With this ability, why is it necessary for their policy holders to allege that the claims department was directed, in evaluating their cases, to take them to trial instead of settling within the limits of the policy? This practice exposed policyholders to judgments above the limits of their policies, when the company was attempting to make an effort to win smaller decisions. Two former in-house attorneys for State Farm contend that they were often called upon by the insurer to represent its’ policy holders and were forced to commit “unlawful and unethical activities, including requiring the two to stay silent about the rights of the policyholders”. State Farm seems to have reckless indifference for the truth for the purpose of corporate and personal economic gain. State Farm should know that continued scrutiny of their claims paying practices will continue especially with the advent of new claims that are surfacing from lawsuits revolving around Hurricane Katrina. A message to Mr. Rust, and any employee of the company that is acting in bad faith for its policy holders.Chief MOST BE RETAIN OR THERE WILL BE NO MORE CUSTOMERS.
$456 million judgment against State Farm and an additional $730 million in punitive damages for the insurer’s breach of contract . WOW THIS IS WHY THEY PUT PEOPLE THEW HELL.
Subject: RE: RE: Complaints”As I was watching these tapes
Posted On: March 8, 2009, 10:18 pm CDT
Posted By: The biggest Ponzi Scheme
Comment:
By Anita Lee
McClatchy Newspapers
Advertisement
BILOXI, Miss. (MCT) — In some cases, State Farm’s top leadership prefers not to share or even keep records that offer insight into how policyholder claims are handled, according to court records.
Chairman and CEO Edward B. Rust Jr. said in sworn testimony earlier this month that no minutes are kept of quarterly meetings held by the company’s top management, the Chairman’s Council, and that policyholders have no right to information about an investigation State Farm Insurance Cos. has ordered of its relationship with Haag Engineering Co.
State Farm spokesman Phil Supple said the company doesn’t “intend to-;try this-;case in the media.”
“State Farm stands by testimony given by President and Vice Chairman Vince Trosino, who said when asked about these allegations, ‘It’s not part of our system. It’s not part of our core values. It’s not what made us the most successful property and casualty insurer, life insurer, in the country.'”
Juries in two states, Texas and Oklahoma, have found Haag provided biased reports to State Farm to minimize or deny policyholder claims. Mississippi’s attorney general currently is conducting a grand jury investigation to determine whether State Farm and other insurers denied Hurricane Katrina claims through the use of fraudulent engineering reports.
Haag denies bias, but State Farm suspended business with the company in June and ordered an independent investigation after an Oklahoma jury awarded a total of $13 million to a policyholder over tornado damages. Subsequent trials are set to determine damages for 70 other policyholders, all of whom had claims investigated by Haag.
In past court cases, judges have chastised and even fined State Farm for withholding records the company was ordered to produce. Evidence the company destroyed documents has been presented in several cases.
In the Oklahoma case, after State Farm finally turned over to the court a “claims legal research” DVD and other records, Judge Richard G. Van Dyck told company attorneys
“As I was watching these tapes I just want to say this for the record, the hair on the back of my neck did — did stand up because I was seeing things there that early on in this case I was told by (State Farm) defense counsel didn’t exist and couldn’t be produced. So I’m not real happy with that and I want to remind all counsel that their ethical responsibilities as attorneys outweigh the wishes of their clients.”
Gary T. Fye, an expert in the analysis of disputed insurance claims who lives in Nevada, often testifies in insurance cases. Fye, who said he has testified on behalf of policyholders and insurance companies, has provided the courts information on State Farm’s history of destroying and withholding records.
In 1998, Fye wrote in a Florida case
“I have been witnessing document destruction, concealment, and obstruction of discovery by State Farm for many years in connection with my review of internal claim practices documents of the insurer. I have accumulated certain Exhibits which show the company’s goals and objectives for document handling by its employees. The documents show close to 28 years of intentional destruction, concealment and distortion of claim practices records.”
In some cases, company executives did not keep records.
Jeff Marr, the attorney suing State Farm in Oklahoma, took sworn testimony Sept. 6 from Rust. Topics included Rust’s Chairman’s Council, made up of top State Farm executives. The group, which includes the company’s general counsel, meets quarterly.
Marr was fishing for records of those meetings that he could subpoena for his lawsuit.
“Certainly,” Marr asked Rust, “you keep records of the quarterly meetings where the entire Chairman’s Council is present?”
“We have an agenda,” Rust said, “but minutes in that, no.”
“Why not?” Marr asked.
Rust replied, “Never felt a need to.”
Marr later asked, “Are there any written agendas that are available should I choose to request them in the lawsuit?”
“I’m not sure what might be available,” Rust said.
Rust also said policyholders, who essentially own the private mutual company, are not entitled to know what the Chairman’s Council discusses or decides about litigation against State Farm, citing attorney-client privilege.
Marr questioned why the company would withhold information from policyholders, who own State Farm.
“Well, again,” said Rust (who has a law degree), “I’m not an expert in the area, but I think as you find — even if I’m a shareholder in a publicly traded company, there are things that are not — you know, I do not have access to.”
Marr later asked if policyholders have a right to see documents from State Farm’s investigation of Haag.
“No,” Rust said.
“Why not?” Marr asked. “Is it privileged?”
Rust said, “I believe so
State Farm seems to have reckless indifference for the truth for the purpose of corporate and personal economic gain.
This a tough business to manage. The larger a company becomes the harder it is to keep focus. State Farm is a great, great company that, in its heart, I am sure wants to do what’s best, right, fair. I can say this because I have become familiar with many different carriers all across the country.
When you get that big, almost invisible defects can begin and grow and until something like a court decision that cant be overturned happens, eyes arent opened.
This is why, I believe, defining your culture and core principles are so important. Every decision made should be considered from the customers viewpoint before acted on and then tested before it becomes policy.
knowledge leads to the truth .
” DVD and other records, Judge Richard G. Van Dyck told company attorneys
“As I was watching these tapes I just want to say this for the record, the hair on the back of my neck did — did stand up because I was seeing things there that early on in this case I was told by (State Farm) defense counsel didn’t exist and couldn’t be produced. So I’m not real happy with that and I want to remind all counsel that their ethical responsibilities as attorneys outweigh the wishes of their clients.”
Kuehn v State Farm: From a simple *** to an ***-clown. Team State Farm …
… correspondence between their attorney, Earl Denham, and those representing State Farm, Lawrence Tucker … Exhibit “E,” E-mail chain between Earl Denham and Lawrence Tucker. Mr.
If all as you folks are saying is true, the co needs a culture check. Bad press is building for SF and thats the stuff that detriorates brands… evven very strong brands like SF.
This is what State Farm wants to be able to cherry pick.
Not paying for floods, fires and denying tornado coverage—BUT will sell renters policies, except in Jackson, Harrison
and Hancock counties. Except, except, except—give us a break.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – State Farm says it will resume selling
renters insurance in parts of Mississippi away from the Gulf Coast.
Company spokesman David Majors said that State Farm
will still not selling new homeowners policies anywhere in the
state, but will sell renters policies except in Jackson, Harrison
and Hancock counties.
Illinois-based State Farm stopped selling new homeowners and
renters policies in February 2007, citing the avalanche of legal
challenges that followed 2005’s Hurricane Katrina.
Majors says some existing policyholders, mainly north of
Interstate 10, will be allowed to reduce their hurricane deductible
from 5 percent of their policy value to 2 percent, if the customer
had auto insurance with State Farm as of Nov. 1, 2008, and agrees
to pay extra……State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
By NICK SULLIVAN, Andrews Publications Staff Writer
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
By NICK SULLIVAN, Andrews Publications Staff Writer
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
By NICK SULLIVAN, Andrews Publications Staff Writer
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
By NICK SULLIVAN, Andrews Publications Staff Writer
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
By NICK SULLIVAN, Andrews Publications Staff Writer
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
State Farm Hit With $13 Million Verdict for Denying Tornado Coverage
By NICK SULLIVAN, Andrews Publications Staff Writer
An Oklahoma couple has won nearly $13 million after a jury failed to buy State Farm’s argument that high winds did not damage their tornado-wracked home
devastating storms.
The investigators, Haag Engineering Co. and E.A. Renfroe Co., were not parties to the case.
Haag is one of the engineering firms State Farm has hired to assess damages from Hurricane Katrina
Sometime you have to just keep repeating over and over and over again so that people will see what this company is doing!
Somehow this blog about retention has become a State Farm Sucks commercial. Lets take a step and look at this SF thing objectively.
State Farm is the largest carrier in the country with, arguably, the strongest brand ever for any insurer. A company doesn’t get that way by doing things poorly to the scale that some suggest. This brings us to the really difficult task of staying #1, retaining customers and growing by positive word of mouth.
The challenges large companies in America face are really the same as those that smaller companies face. However, those large companies, because of their size, have a much more difficult task when it comes to maintaining a culture of true customer focus. When the focus becomes even a bit fuzzy, small problems or mistakes get brushed under the carpet when they really should be revealed, investigated and learned from. Those small problems stay alive and fester – sometimes for years or even decades until they blow up. I suspect thats what happened in the case of this verdict.
So as we see problems within our own companies and in others, we need to ask what the root cause of the problems are. Is it the mistakes made in the field? Were the mistakes REALLY mistakes or were they done out of greed or ‘the need to get ahead’? And if the latter, what can be done to bring the company back to the values that got it to be successful in the first place?
I recently learned that the Toyota Motor Company has both a 50 and a 200 year strategic plan. Their strategy way back when was to become the largest car manufacturer in the world…and to get there by staying true to quality, customer and ensuring that the front line employees in both manufacturing and sales, had a way of communicating value vs. waste (as seen by the customer). They think about increasing value and removing waste at all levels of the organization once activity, one widget at a time. Its a great org., and one that our industry might be able to learn some things from. GM didn’t – and look where they are now.
Bernard Rosauer
President
Evenbetteryet, LLC
State Farm dose all it can to seal records.
By Anita Lee
McClatchy Newspapers
Advertisement
BILOXI, Miss. (MCT) — In some cases, State Farm’s top leadership prefers not to share or even keep records that offer insight into how policyholder claims are handled, according to court records.
Chairman and CEO Edward B. Rust Jr. said in sworn testimony earlier this month that no minutes are kept of quarterly meetings held by the company’s top management, the Chairman’s Council, and that policyholders have no right to information about an investigation State Farm Insurance Cos. has ordered of its relationship with Haag Engineering Co.
State Farm spokesman Phil Supple said the company doesn’t “intend to-;try this-;case in the media.”
“State Farm stands by testimony given by President and Vice Chairman Vince Trosino, who said when asked about these allegations, ‘It’s not part of our system. It’s not part of our core values. It’s not what made us the most successful property and casualty insurer, life insurer, in the country.'”
Juries in two states, Texas and Oklahoma, have found Haag provided biased reports to State Farm to minimize or deny policyholder claims. Mississippi’s attorney general currently is conducting a grand jury investigation to determine whether State Farm and other insurers denied Hurricane Katrina claims through the use of fraudulent engineering reports
Press Release
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF OREGON
DEBBIE FOLTZ, Plaintiff, vs. STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, an Illinois corporation, CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, INC., dba COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL REVIEW, and RALPH HOUSEHOLDER, Defendants.
No. CV-94-6293-HO
AMENDED
PROPOSED INTERVENORS’ REPLY TO PLAINTIFF FOLTZ’S AND DEFENDANT STATE FARM’S JOINT RESPONSE IN OPPOSITION TO PROPOSED INTERVENORS’ MOTION TO INTERVENE AND MOTION TO UNSEAL COURT RECORDS
——————————————————————————–
State Farm’s memorandum in opposition to intevenors’ motion to intervene and motion to unseal is an astonishing document. First, State Farm does not contend or even attempt to argue that the sealing of the record in this case was legal. Instead, it attempts to justify the secrecy in this case on the sole basis it bought and paid for the secrecy. This argument is invalid under the law. Moreover, defendant attempts to further bolster this argument by pointing out that there are other cases in this Court and other courts that were similarly settled in secret and also apparently expunged from the public record. There may be other cases where similar questions should be raised.
A. Defendant’s argument that unsealing the record would unravel the settlement in this case is without merit because the sealing provision and order are illegal and should not be enforced.
State Farm’s
secrecy in this case on the sole basis it bought and paid for the secrecy. This argument is invalid under the law.
Court should grant Intervenors’ motions and unseal all the records to show the history of STATE FARM INSURANCE…
Question:How Much coastal or Mississippi Home Insurance does JD Power and associstes winner AMICA write?
Does anyone know that answer?
Thank you
THE PRAYER FOR AMERICA
Comment:
ONE THING STATE FARM FORGETS TO TELL ALL OF YOU IS THAT IN FLORIDA WHEN THE WIND HIT HOMES PEOPLE WERE COVERED, BUT STATE FARM JUST DECIDED IT WAS ALL WATER SO NO CLAIMS WERE PAID. THEN THEY CRIED TO THE GOVERNMENT TO COVER ALL FLOODS AND HAVE PASSED LAWS SO THE GOVERNMENT WILL COVER WIND DAMAGE AS WELL. I SAY IF YOU TAKE ALL THE BILLONS IN PREMIUM AND THEN CONVENIENTLY DO NOT COVER ANYTHING—WHAT A RACKET. STATE FARM MUST STOP HIDING THE TRUTH BY SEALING RECORDS IN OUR COURT ROOMS. THIS BIG GIANT HAS SCREWED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR TO DARN LONG. WE SAY PLEASE LEAVE ALL 50 STATES MY GOOD NEIGHBOR, AND TAKE YOUR BS COMMERCIAL OFF THE AIR. I THINK ITS HIGH TIME THE ETHICS BOARD OPENED UP THEIR EYES AND TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT STATE FARM AND ANY INDUSTRY THAT CAN RAPE PEOPLE AT THE LOWEST TIMES OF THERE LIFE AND THE LITTLE JUNIOR OF A CEO ED RUST WHO HAS TAKEN A GREAT COMPANY THAT HIS GREAT GRANDFATHER STARTED AND TURNED IT INTO HIS LITTLE BANK. WAKE UP PEOPLE AND LOOK AT THE HISTORY. I DID NOT MAKE IT UP. I WISH THAT I DID NOT KNOW THE TRUTH, BUT I DO SO I AM TRYING TO TELL YOU. I HOPE WITH ALL HOPE AND THE LOVE OF THIS GREAT AMERICA SOMEONE ELSE MAY CARE
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Actress Mia Farrow, a UN goodwill ambassador, has announced her intention to begin a hunger strike next week to show solidarity with the people of Sudan’s conflict-torn Darfur region.
“On April 27th I will begin a fast of water only in solidarity with the people of Darfur and as a personal expression of outrage at a world that is somehow able to stand by and watch innocent men, women and children needlessly die of starvation, thirst and disease,” Farrow said in a statement.
A spokesman for Farrow said she would stick with the hunger strike as long as possible, which her doctors estimate is a maximum of around three weeks given Farrow’s slim build.
Farrow, who was appointed goodwill ambassador for the UN children’s foundation Unicef in 2000, has been actively campaigning for years to raise funds and awareness for children in conflict zones like Darfur, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Chad and Nigeria.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir last month, charging him with masterminding mass killings and deportations in Darfur in western Sudan.
Since then, Sudan has expelled 13 foreign and three domestic humanitarian aid agencies, accusing them of collaborating with The Hague-based ICC.
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said in his latest report on the joint U.N.-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur, known as Unamid, that the expulsions had put “over one million people at life-threatening risk” in Darfur.
A joint UN-Sudanese assessment of the situation in Darfur found that the removal of roughly half of the aid personnel there had created a gap in the delivery of supplies and services across Darfur, an area roughly the size of France.
“I undertake this fast in the heartfelt hope that world leaders who know what is just and right will call upon the government of Sudan to urgently readmit all of the expelled agencies or otherwise insure that the (aid distribution) gap is filled,” Farrow said.
She added that she hopes other “human rights advocates and citizens of conscience around the world will join me in some form of fasting, even if for one day.”
Sudanese UN ambassador Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem said that Farrow should use her fame instead to help persuade rebel groups to stop boycotting peace talks with Khartoum.
“We advise her rather to ask those who are in a position to do so to put pressure on the rebel groups to come to the negotiating table,” he said. “The government is committed to the welfare of its own citizens and doesn’t need anybody to remind it of that.”
I will not look away how about you?