Insurance company not paying bills

tralu

Is anyone having trouble getting their Travel Insurance Company to pay outstanding bills.
I am at he moment having terrible trouble getting Axa Insurance to pay outstanding hospital bills, from last October when i was taken gravely ill in florida usa.
I am now being threatened by a debt collector based in Orlando,and will be placed on a creditors black list, if i do not pay these outstanding bills, which Axa London are meant to be paying.
If anyone has any advise on this matter would you please reply to this post.
Tralu

Oscar_The_Grouch

First bit of advice: GET THE BILLS

Get copies of all the bills that the insurers have not paid. You may need these later.

Next bit - NOTE THE TIME & SEND A FAX

Find a letter from Axa that gives you the fax number of the Claims Department (or call them and ask for it). Then fax them all the copy bills, taking a note of the time that you do this.

Phone the Claims Department and ask them to confirm receipt of the fax. Get the name of the person you are speaking to and their extension number and note the time you called them. If they ask you why you want their name and number, tell them it is so that when you speak to the complaints department if the bills remain unpaid, they will be able to track down the call and confirm that they had all the paperwork.

3rd bit - GET THEM TO MAKE THE CALL

Explain to the person that you expect them to phone the debt collector and confirm that they are dealing with the case. Say that you expect them to complete the call that afternoon (time difference means that there is probably no point in them calling the debt collector before 2pm - you might want to remind them of that). Ask that they then call you back to confirm that everything is in hand and when they will be processing the payment.

If the person you are speaking to cannot do that, ask them to put you through to someone who can (be nice about it - if they can't help it's not their fault and they are far more likely to be helpful if you are reasonable).

Final Bit - COMPLAIN WHEN ITS SOLVED

Do not complain until everything has been dealt with, but keep notes of names, dates, times and everything so that when you do complain you have enough information. The problem with complaining before the payments are made is that the handler will probably pass their whole file of papers to the complaints department to deal with and it will sit on someone elses desk, unpaid, for weeks!!

When you do complain, stress how anxious they have made you feel about this debt and that you feel they have failed to deal with their obligations under FSA Regulation ICOBS 8.1.1 part 1 (to handle claims promptly and fairly) and part 4 (to settle claims promptly once settlement terms have been agreed).

Hope this helps.

FH_Brit

Tralu – see my thread elsewhere in the forum (http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1011487&highlight=florida+travel+insurance')

I am a Debt Collector in Orlando and by the sounds of it you may be one of my ACTUAL customers. If you went to Kissimmee or Celebration hospital and your surname starts with A through L then you are mine!!! See my thread and the people I’ve helped I am nice really and will help you.

First, we cannot help unless you contact US. We are bound by privacy laws, call the Debt Collector they are there to help. If you do not call or do as they ask then YOU are bound by Florida law to pay YOUR bills.

As they are your bills the Debt Collector is quite entitled to place you as a bad debtor with credit reporting agencies among other “tools” available to them. (our office policy is to credit report after 90 days from the date your account has been placed with us) legally there is nothing stopping debt collectors doing more.

Check the Consent form that you signed at the hospital (I bet you have never read it like most people) legally it is not AXA’s bill it is yours, you are responsible under Florida Law and then AXA are responsible to you not the medical service providers.

Where Oscar is slightly wrong: - The bills you are sent do not carry the medical procedure and diagnosis (CPT codes) that your insurers will need to justify your claim – CALL THE DEBT COLLECTOR – he will send these direct to AXA if not done already.

AXA calling the debt collect is no good – under FDCPA (Fair Debt Collections Practices Act) we cannot speak/deal/discuss/disclose information without your DIRECT PRIOR consent.

DO NOT WAIT TO COMPLAIN – Under Florida law a medical insurer (such as AXA) must either deny the claim in writing or pay within 140 days from the submition of a valid claim – waiting until “it’s solved” will just delay everything. Call the FSA Ombudsman if you feel they are not dealing with your claim promptly or properly.

The Ombudsman service can be contacted on 0845 080 1800 or 020 7964 1000.

BUT REMEMBER – CALL THE DEBT COLLECTOR – it may be me!!!