I purchased a Occupational Accident policy from Great American Insurance - Trucking Division to cover me if I was injured. I was self employed and not covered under a workers compensation policy, so this was very necessary insurance.
When I was injured at work, GAIC accepted the claim after an investigation into its validity, and began paying benefits. During the time of my coverage, it was a full time job, just getting them to do their job, paying the bills that came up, answering emails, returning calls...these were all things that were very difficult to accomplish.
Their voicemail messages warn claimants not to leave more than one message, or your call will be delayed in being returned. Imagine not getting return calls for over a week, and being threatened when you do leave a message.
GAIC sent me for several Independent Medical Evaluations during my claim. They even sent me for a ""Truth Finding Deposition"", and wanted to video link me to a computer at GAIC, so they could watch the deposition from their desktops and ask questions when they felt it necessary. I refused video streaming and recording. I said if they had questions, they should be present in the room. (I did allow audio recording)
They were trying everything they could to stop benefits, including threats about the timely filing of doctors work notes ""Every 30 Days"". The surgeon would want to schedule every six weeks, and GAIC demanded ""Every 30 days"" eventhough there were no appointments available.
Finally they were able to get a Independent Medical Examination doctor that ""They Paid"" to say that I could go back to work (with severe limitations) stating that I had reached ""pre-accident"" condition and ""Continuous Care"" was not necessary, eventhough two respected ""treating"" surgeons, and a very reputable ""treating"" Physical Therapist strongly disagreed, GAIC stopped all benefits, leaving me unemployed and with no benefits that I paid for, and unable to return to my job. Basically...they screwed me!
My surgeon sent a letter voicing his disagreement with the IME doctors opinion, and where the IME doctor failed in his examination. The IME doctors response stated that one of my surgeons ""Agreed with him"" that treatment was no longer necessarry, eventhough that same surgeons records from that date in mention, clearly state his plan of treatment to include joint injections in the near future, and continued pain medications, and no work (due to lack of mobility) and no driving a Semi truck (due to narcotic use, and lack of mobility).
I argued that ""Continuous Care"" was necessary even for medications to control spasms and pain. This fact was ignored just like all the other evident truths in the surgeons records which they had free access to.
The same thing has happened to others in this situation. (see ""Williams vs. Great American Insurance Company Oct. 19, 2012"" in a web search) This is a common practice within GAIC's corporation, and will continue because the people who are victims of this ""Breach of Contract"" do not have the money to hire an attorney to pursue damages, and GAIC knows that.
Beware of this crooked, ripoff company. You will be taken if you fall victim to them, and there will be ""Nothing"" you can do about it without money and a lawyer.
Get your insurance somewhere else...do your research! I wish I could afford an attorney...I would file a civil lawsuit to help expose them!
Great American Insurance Company Reviews
I purchased a Occupational Accident policy from Great American Insurance - Trucking Division to cover me if I was injured. I was self employed and not covered under a workers compensation policy, so this was very necessary insurance.
When I was injured at work, GAIC accepted the claim after an investigation into its validity, and began paying benefits. During the time of my coverage, it was a full time job, just getting them to do their job, paying the bills that came up, answering emails, returning calls...these were all things that were very difficult to accomplish.
Their voicemail messages warn claimants not to leave more than one message, or your call will be delayed in being returned. Imagine not getting return calls for over a week, and being threatened when you do leave a message.
GAIC sent me for several Independent Medical Evaluations during my claim. They even sent me for a ""Truth Finding Deposition"", and wanted to video link me to a computer at GAIC, so they could watch the deposition from their desktops and ask questions when they felt it necessary. I refused video streaming and recording. I said if they had questions, they should be present in the room. (I did allow audio recording)
They were trying everything they could to stop benefits, including threats about the timely filing of doctors work notes ""Every 30 Days"". The surgeon would want to schedule every six weeks, and GAIC demanded ""Every 30 days"" eventhough there were no appointments available.
Finally they were able to get a Independent Medical Examination doctor that ""They Paid"" to say that I could go back to work (with severe limitations) stating that I had reached ""pre-accident"" condition and ""Continuous Care"" was not necessary, eventhough two respected ""treating"" surgeons, and a very reputable ""treating"" Physical Therapist strongly disagreed, GAIC stopped all benefits, leaving me unemployed and with no benefits that I paid for, and unable to return to my job. Basically...they screwed me!
My surgeon sent a letter voicing his disagreement with the IME doctors opinion, and where the IME doctor failed in his examination. The IME doctors response stated that one of my surgeons ""Agreed with him"" that treatment was no longer necessarry, eventhough that same surgeons records from that date in mention, clearly state his plan of treatment to include joint injections in the near future, and continued pain medications, and no work (due to lack of mobility) and no driving a Semi truck (due to narcotic use, and lack of mobility).
I argued that ""Continuous Care"" was necessary even for medications to control spasms and pain. This fact was ignored just like all the other evident truths in the surgeons records which they had free access to.
The same thing has happened to others in this situation. (see ""Williams vs. Great American Insurance Company Oct. 19, 2012"" in a web search) This is a common practice within GAIC's corporation, and will continue because the people who are victims of this ""Breach of Contract"" do not have the money to hire an attorney to pursue damages, and GAIC knows that.
Beware of this crooked, ripoff company. You will be taken if you fall victim to them, and there will be ""Nothing"" you can do about it without money and a lawyer.
Get your insurance somewhere else...do your research! I wish I could afford an attorney...I would file a civil lawsuit to help expose them!