Preferred Auto Insurance Company Prefers to Pay It’s Lawyer Rather than Victims

On February 12, 2013, I obtained a jury verdict on behalf of my clients for $500,000 stemming from a wreck that happened in 2010.  The wreck occurred when the driver of an SUV lost control and crashed into a column supporting an over-passing bridge.  The crash left the driver and passenger dead.  Unfortunately, the family members will never be able to collect the full amount of the verdict. 

The driver of the SUV had an insurance policy with Preferred Auto Insurance Company.  The limits of the policy were only $25,000, which was clearly not enough to compensate the family of the passenger.  However, the driver had no other assets that could be used to pay the family of the victim.  As a result, the family of the victim offered to settle with Preferred Auto for $25,000. Preferred Auto refused and never offered the family a single penny before trial. 

READ MORE ABOUT INSURANCE COMPANIES BEHAVING BADLY . . . Progressive Defends the Person Who Killed its Customer

Instead, Preferred Auto told the family it would not pay anything unless the family went to trial and got a favorable jury verdict.  Rather than pay the family the paltry sum of $25,000, Preferred Auto chose to pay an attorney thousands of dollars to defend the case.

Preferred Auto mistakenly believed that our firm would not spend the time and resources necessary to go to trial over $25,000.  Hopefully the next time Preferred Auto will behave more responsibly but I have my doubts.

This case also highlights the need for everyone to obtain uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.