Defeat for Insurance Industry; Wash. Voters Approve Referendum 67

November 7, 2007

  • November 9, 2007 at 6:28 am
    Curt in Spokane says:
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    What is good for the goose should be good for the gander. Let’s put together an initiative titled, “Legal Fairness for Washington Residents.” It will allow Washington consumers to collect triple damages if their attorney unreasonably represents them or violates BAR standards. I will wager that trial lawyers do not believe it to be a good idea if it endangers their pockets.

  • November 12, 2007 at 8:16 am
    Mike Bowman says:
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    For every $100 of P&C premium, 12% goes to attorney fees! They make as much or even more from premium dollars than most P&C insurance agents, Heck of deal, should have gone to law school, darn.

  • November 12, 2007 at 4:05 am
    caffiend says:
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    T,
    I’ll be the first to admit that Insurance agencys do collect a commission. Heck, anyone in a sales related job will admit to that.

    What you fail to understand is that the average layperson may not understand their policy, or if they direct-write their own policies (ie Geico), what they are purchasing. Insurance agents are there to help people understand what they are purchasing, translate the policy language to something they understand, and to help people get the coverages they need.

    But while agents in Washington may start to make more in commission, that will be offset by the fact that they themselves will have to pay more for insurance. Also they will be having to answer questions from thier insureds as to why the insurance rates went up.

    I suspect that you if you asked, you would find a fair number of agents in the 43% of the voters that said no to this Referendum.

  • November 14, 2007 at 1:28 am
    mark says:
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    I have never understood the “frivolous lawsuit” lie. The last thing a lawyer on a contingent fee wants is a frivolous lawsuit, or maybe a lot of them. It’s a ticket to bankruptcy. Does anyone really believe that insurance companies just roll over and pay frivolous claims? Do people think that only claimants have lawyers or that only plaintiffs have good lawyers or that only plaintiffs’ lawyers are so tricky that they can fool jurors, or that regular people become idiots when they become jurors?

    This haws nothing to do with lawyers. It is insurance companies being infuriated by juries. They don’t like being held accountable by regular people they can’t buy. Remember, this is America.



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