Insurers, contractors can hike Ike woes

Bad faith insurance companies will no doubt add to the misery Hurricane Ike left behind. Gulf Coast residents are facing power outages, gas shortages, flooded homes and destroyed property. Sadly, some may also face insurance companies that don’t want to pay off on policies. Ask anyone who lives in Florida. That state had eight hurricanes in 24 months. Insurance companies owed a cool $36 billion to customers when they had taken in only $15 billion in premiums. Needless to say, some companies tried to avoid paying policy holders for damaged property.

If an insurance company starts nitpicking your claim, enlist Jim Adler’s help. He’s been successfully fighting insurance companies for 30 years, forcing them to pay victims what they deserve. Jim S. Adler & Associates does not charge to evaluate your case or charge until the firm wins. Even then, clients may pay nothing at all. The courts can order insurance companies to pay all attorney fees.

The Texas Department of Insurance wants to protect you, too. Check out its advice about predators: Crooked contractors often arrive in unmarked vehicles, going door to door offering to do repairs. They may be unlicensed, untrained or dishonest, “trying to make a quick dollar at your expense.” Do not pay the entire repair bill in advance.

Crooked public insurance adjusters ask for a large upfront fee and then disappear without handling your claim. They have been known to refer victims to dishonest contractors for a kickback. They may file false or inflated claims against your policy. They may use your Social Security number or other personal data for identity theft scams.

Cookies on Federal Recall List

Is Anything Safe Anymore? The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled 28 items in June. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) recalled 12 in June, 13 in May and 8 in April. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has several web pages devoted to salmonella tainted tomatoes. Non-profit agencies trying to protect the public also have recall lists. What are they warning the public about? The lists are amazing: fake cancer cures, and oversized morphine pills! They also include Double Chocolate Chip Cakes, a “S’Morestick Kit, mouthwash, girls’ sandals with a choking hazard, ATV’s and playground swings. It’s hard to protect yourself these days from harmful drugs and defective products and devices and the accidents they can cause. www.jimadler.com is a good way to keep up.

Distracted Teen Drivers

While teens are having fun, they must not forget that certain common sense safeguards still apply. Teen drivers already have a high accident rate, and it could get even worse when they’re all abuzz about summer activities and forget to take driving seriously. The fact is, teens can be injured or killed — or injure or kill someone else – in a split second while driving. And that single second with a single mistake could be all because they engaged in something that almost always could wait: phoning, texting, eating and taking eyes and attention off the road around them.

If anything, driving deserves a teen’s complete attention. Imagine how bad it can be when a teen fixates on a cell phone, placing calls or even sending text messages instead of glancing in the rear-view mirror before changing lanes. Teens also should be especially wary of fatigue. It’s a major factor in many auto accidents. Teens need more sleep than adults. If teens drive when they are sleepy, it could be fatal.

Teens are also known to disregard seatbelts far more than adults. Speeding teens who drink and get behind the wheel also contribute to accidents. In fact, automobile accidents are the No. 1 killer of teens in America. But it doesn’t have to be that way – not with the right attitude. It may not seem cool, but what’s cool about being injured or killed? The bottom line: Driving is an enormous responsibility, not just an annoyance to be tolerated while having fun multi-tasking. Sometimes, the best way to have fun is to wait and have it at the proper time.

PET DEATHS RESULT IN $3.1 MILLION DEAL FOR OWNERS:

A South Carolina company that sold pet food tainted with mold agreed to the multi-million settlement in January 2008. Diamond Pet Foods will set up a fund to reimburse owners for the loss of their pet, vet bills and other costs. Under the deal, the company admits no wrong doing. The tainted pet food was sold in 23 states.