LUKE S. BROWN
© INSURANCE RUMINATIONS--INTRODUCTION
To say that insurance can be complex is a gross understatement.
As mentioned in my biography, trial law was my profession before the brain tumor. Much of my former practice involved the litigation of insurance disputes. I also represented insurance regulators, insurance entities, and others involved in the insurance industry (although not at the same time…). Along the way, I learned a fair amount about how insurance works, how it is regulated, and developed more than a few opinions about the intersection of insurance and health care. I wrote about it, taught it, and continue to ponder it. Call me weird, but sometimes it comes in handy, and has always been interesting.
I can no longer practice trial law, but do have an accumulation of general insurance knowledge that I have been asked to share with you; hopefully it will be helpful. That said, neither this, nor anything else that I write should be construed, or is intended as legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created or intended. It is offered only as general information, a roadmap if you will, to assist you in your dealings with insurance. It is hoped that it will provide some general guidance and support at a time when you or a family member are also dealing with the serious health issues that attend brain tumors.
We don’t know what your insurance policy provides. For the most part, the “four corners” of the policy, along with certain legally mandated provisions, define the scope of the coverage. Therefore, “Is that covered?” questions cannot be answered in this series of articles. However, there can sometimes be differences in interpretation or meaning of policy language, and questions may arise as to whether a policy meets statutory requirements. That is what insurance disputes can be made of, where your insurance agent may be able to help, and in worse case scenarios, with what (horrors!) lawyers may be able to assist.
We are a community of brain tumor survivors, families dealing with the many issues, including financial, implicated by brain tumors, and those who are facing the prospect of surgery. Therefore, the primary kind of insurance that we will address is health insurance. Yet, because we cannot define ourselves only by our tumors, and must go on with our lives, it is my hope that this helps you in other insurance venues as well.
You are urged to read your policy and get a general idea of the coverage provisions, and mechanics of asserting a claim, before the need for doing so is upon you. If this series of articles then helps you gain a better understanding, it will have served its intended purpose. Now, onto the matters at hand.
