NO MORE PESKY LAWSUITS OVER AUTO CLAIMS

(07/08/2005)
Starting today West Virginians can no longer file lawsuits alleging another driver's insurance company acted in "bad faith."

For example, if the other driver's insurance company says they'll only pay $2,000 for damage that you claim is $10,000 - you're outta luck.

The insurance industry heavily lobbied the WV Legislature to pass the bill, promising to drop their rates, provided they rid themselves of such pesky lawsuits.

The insurance industry is apparently reducing the premiums, but it seems they were already prepared to do that anyway.

The State of West Virginia may very well have been hood-winked, with reductions in auto insurance going on in most states around the USA.

Those states didn't have to give up their rights to bring a suit.

There is a process, according to the bill, where the insurance commissioner could help resolve problems, provided a complaint was filed with the agency in Charleston.