The final report recommending improvements to Ontario’s auto insurance dispute resolution system raised a dispute from one broker as to where the real problem lies.
“I have seen Autoplus reports of clients applying for insurance where very large accident benefits are being paid and when asked, the clients almost 99 per cent say that they never saw any money or not even 5 per cent of the amount shown,” commented broker Prince Manickam. “(Clients) say that they went for three to 10 physiotherapy treatments to the location given to them by the lawyer or paralegals. If there is a system that is swindling the money from the insurance companies resulting in an increase in premium for everyone, how we stop that is the question that is not being answered yet.”
The report, delivered by J. Douglas Cunningham, contained 28 separate recommendations that were based on input from 35 industry stakeholders. Among the more notable recommendations was a ‘public sector administrative tribunal’ for dealing with disputes arising from the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule in the Insurance Act.
But for Manickam, a more fruitful move by the government would be who conducts the medical analysis of an accident victim.
“Why can't our government bring a law saying that any victim of an accident MUST see only their family doctor?” he asks. “Why do they have to see a doctor recommended by the paralegal or the lawyer?”
To read the original article, click
here.
