A settlement in a class action case has resulted in an agreement for payment to Massachusetts consumers who were in motor vehicle accidents but were denied PIP coverage from Progressive Insurance. You may be entitled to a refund or reimbursement.
Who is Entitled to Refund?
Massachusetts consumers who bought insurance from Progressive between May 1, 2008 and April 27, 2010 with an $8,000 PIP deductable, and were denied medical benefit coverage during that time are now entitled to monies from a class action settlement.
The maximum refund is $1,875 per claimant.
How Do Consumers Submit a Claim?
You must submit a claim form before February 28, 2016. You need to go to the official website sanctioned by the Federal Court. You can get there by clicking HERE.
For more information, see the federal information guide for this settlement by clicking HERE.
Essentially, this settlement covers consumers who were injured in car accidents in Massachusetts during that time period and had health insurance. What was alleged in the lawsuit is that Progressive refused to make any payments for medical bills notwithstanding the fact that they were obligated to pay at least $2,000 for medicals including copayments and medical services not covered by your insurance.
Class Action Case Against Progressive
A law firm in Massachusetts, on behalf of Wanda Estrada and her husband, filed a class action law suit against Progressive Direct Insurance Company. The law suit alleged that Progressive engaged in an unfair and deceptive business practice regarding their insureds and no-fault PIP payments. The lawsuit stated that Progressive’s actions were deceptive regarding how they led consumers to buy insurance on their website – they recommended that prospective customers not buy PIP insurance if they had health insurance.
What is PIP Insurance?
PIP or Personal Injury Protection is no-fault insurance that is a part of almost all Massachusetts automobile (but not motorcycle) insurance policies. It is no-fault in that you are entitled up to $8,000 of medical payments regardless of whose fault the accident was. In addition, you are entitled to 75% of your lost wages for the time period that you miss work as a result of the accident.
PIP is very helpful for folks who are in accidents and need monies to cover insurance deductibles, lost earnings, and copayments. On the other hand, the insurance companies use the rules in the PIP law to insist on insurance medical exams, denying claims if forms are not filled out in a timely fashion and other strategies that make filing a PIP claim difficult sometimes.
For a full description of PIP insurance, click HERE.
Call Attorney Neil Burns For Effective Representation Against Massachusetts Insurance Companies
Attorney Neil Burns was not involved in this class action, however, he has represented clients who were injured in motor vehicle accidents in Massachusetts since 1985 and will aggressively fight for victims rights against insurance companies. If you see what happened in this case, you understand that the insurance industry will try any angle to reduce payments and benefits, even to their own insured customers! Call for a free consultation today.