Insurance World

When accidents occur, whether an auto accident, slip and fall, medical malpractice, wrongful death, or any other non workplace related injury happens, structured settlements are often set up with insurance companies to pay for these tortious acts. People who are in involved in personal injury or insurance related cases elect to receive a series of payments over a sunstantial period of time rather than receive an immediate lump sum payment. These payments typically total more than the amount a person would have obtained for an immediate payment. The injured party(Plaintiff) goes through a process whereby they elect to take this protracted payment, and sign off on a “Settlement and Release Agreement” allowing the Insurer(Defendant) to purchase an annuity policy on the insured’s behalf that would provide for monthly, quartely, or yearly payments to the injured party, who now becomes what is called the Annuitant.

With the advent of new 2002 Federal Laws, and further State Protections, the injured party now has the right to get cash for their structured settlement by selling this annuity stream to an independent third party if he or she so desires. These periodic payments that flow from an insurance company annuity contract(called a structured settlement), may be
transferred at anytime in the future for a lump sum today, but great care should be taken to ensure that the injured party obtains a proper court order. The reason for the court order is one of protection for the injured party, and that protection is twofold; first to protect the annuitant(injured party) from an unscrupulous transaction, and secondly, and just as important in our opinion, to preserve the tax free nature of the transaction. Without obtaining a court order, the proceeds received would be completely taxable, a fighteningly foreboding scenario.

The structured settlement holder should be aware that these annuity sales have specific legal guidelines that differ from state to state. These specific elements must be adhered to strictly in order to complete the transaction. Typically, the injured party receiving the payment stream must execute(sign) a new transfer and assignment agreement disclosing all contractual terms and the price to be paid.

At this point the injured party may be wondering how difficult it is for them to get cash for their stuctured settlement, since the procedure seems complex. In fact, the sale of a structured settlement annuity is a simple, straightforward process that any institutional funder has done thousands of times, and will handle all the paperwork properly. The only thing the injured party need do is make certain they provide the funder with the proper paperwork required in a timely fashion. This process is really a simple cookie cutter transaction. Once in court, the potential sale is announced to all interested parties and then is submitted to the court for their approval.

Bear in mind that this procedure is a process, and typically will take at least 90 days to consummate. In order to expedite the process, the injured party needs to make certain that they respond immediately to requests for information and paperwork from the funding party. The institutional funder should have a vast knowledge of the structured settlement business, and have consummated numerous transactions, and offer you referrals. This is for your protection and an acknowledgement that all proper legal guidelines will be adhered to. If your structured settlement company doesn’t meet these requirements, use someone else.

Can you get cash for structured settlement? Yes. Provided your follow these easy guidelines.

You can’t make predictions when and where an accident might occur, but you can make plans for your protection in case of such an event. Shopping online for free car insurance quotes will enable you to gather the information you need quickly and easily in order to determine the best choice for you and your family’s needs.

The main protection against potential hazards to you and your family is insurance – an agreement in which an insurer, in exchange for money paid in advance and/or on a regular time-table by an individual, agrees to assume the risk for loss causing economic or other general hardship. The principle in the assumption of the risk is the distribution of that risk by the insurance companies to you, the policy holder. With enough people paying reasonable premiums, a large amount of money can be generated to cover occasional losses occurring to a few of those very people. Obtaining quotes online allows you to find these reasonable premiums instantly and, oftentimes, for free.

Once you have made your choice based on your comparisons of instant online quotes, your new insurance company will prepare a contract or policy which lists the amounts and types of benefits and reimbursement to you. Car insurance specifically protects against various types of loss in relation to the operation of your car, including damages to your vehicle and/or personal injury liabilities.

TYPES OF CAR INSURANCE AVAILABLE:

Bodily Injury Liability Insurance: This type of insurance provides coverage against the risk of bodily injury and/or death to both pedestrians as well as for the occupants of other vehicles which occur from the negligence of the insured driver. (Negligence is defined as the failure to do something that a reasonable person would do or doing something which a reasonable person would not do. Negligence is considered “the absence of care.”) Monetary damages are limited by the amount of insurance purchased. Insurance companies are also responsible for providing legal defense for the policy holder in case of any civil lawsuit.

Property Damage Liability Insurance: This insurance will provide protection against those bringing claims against the policy holder for property damage involving, i.e., a car or roadside fence. However, those with claims must prove the driver was at fault.

Collision Insurance: This provides against losses occurring to the policy holder’s car which have been caused by accidental collisions with another object on or a part of the road. The liability for this is limited to the insured’s car.

Comprehensive Coverage: Comprehensive coverage provides against the complete loss of the policy holder’s car or partial damage due to such events as theft, vandalism, flood, hail, lightning, windstorm, fire, or riot. However, the insurance company has limited liability based on the cash value of the car at the time of the loss.

Medical Payment Insurance: This kind of insurance will pay medical and possibly even funeral expenses which are the result of bodily injuries to anyone in the insured’s car at the time an accident occurs. Some states will pay all medical bills for all family members involved in an accident either riding in another person’s car or struck in their own car.

Uninsured-Motorist Insurance: This will provide protection against an uninsured motorist when that person causes an accident and has no bodily injury liability insurance to cover the damages. This provides protection not only for the insured, but also for all the insured’s family in the same household as well as other occupants of the policy holder’s car. Uninsured-Motorist Insurance also protects those who are injured by a hit-and-run driver, but provides no reimbursement for property damages.

No-Fault Insurance: This will allow a policy holder to collect damages as well as medical expenses from his own insurance company regardless of who caused the accident. The principle behind No-Fault Insurance is an effort to cut down on fraudulent claims as well as to eliminate expensive litigation in the determination of negligence.

In order to avoid potential legal problems, you should thoroughly review all information you have found online and in subsequent insurance purchases made. Make sure you understand all clauses in your contract. The general rule about insurance policies is that vague clauses are usually interpreted in favor of the insured. The best path in online car insurance is choosing both broad and general coverage which are restricted by few exceptions and exclusion clauses which limit the insurer’s payment obligations. Always consult an attorney or independent party for clarification. It is also important to remember that all insurance practices vary from state to state, with some statutes addressing legal residents of a state as well as those just traveling through. Please consult your insurance agent for advice when traveling out of your home state.