The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-06-21
HAS TROUBLE
IN GETTING
TTLEMENT
Industrial Board Tells of
Hardships Placed Upon
Working Men.
TIMES BUREAU AT STATE cApIrAL1

1ND1ANAROL1S. Ind. June 21.-Tne
state Industrial board has been expert
enoins difficulty in getting prompt and
E satisfactory settlement of compensation
cleans from several insurance compan-
les who are writing compensation in
surance in Indiana. Occurrences are be-
coming too frequent where the secretary
or the board has 70 explain 10 injured
workmen VINO come to the state Office
to get settlement with the insurance
company" that this company or that
company does not maintain a claim de-
partment in this state. and consequent
y the handling of CLAIMS by these COM
. panies takes little longer time. There
+ is no excuse why compensation claims
cannot be paid within the prescribed
time. The Law provides that the board
be notified OF an accident within seven
! DAYS and that on the fourteenth day
after the accident compensation pay
ments shall commence.
Generally the insurance companies re-
= ceive notice from their assureds within
very few DAYS after the accident has
happened. In the majority of cases. the
company has a week or ten days 10 make
all necessary inyesti cations before the
day which the payment is due. BY
delaying com ensation, the hardsips at
tending 3 injury are greatly increased
Long delays. sometimes running into
= months. has caused the board 70 warn
2 several companies that II will exercise
its power TO revoke it's approval Of
policy terms if the companies do not
pay their claims more promptly. The
Zurich Insurance Company, Chicago Of
" fee; Southern Surety Co. Des Moines.
Ia: American Mutual Liability Insur-
ance Co. Chicago Office: Integrity Mu-
tual Liability Insurance Co. Chicago Of
: fee; and Western Indemnity Co. Dennit-
ton. Tex were among some Of the com
panies that the board called 10 task for
failure TO make prompt settlements.
The chief difficulty in getting the in
surance companies TO take better care
OF their claims. is the fact that some Of
them do not have claim Office in Indi-
ana. Investigations by mail are slow
and unsatisfactory both to the insurance
carrier and 10 the injured party. but as
some companies do not have a claim
office nearer than Chicago. they attemp:
to handle claims by correspondence. re-
sultlng in unnecessary delay and poor
service. Personal Investigations from
the offices OF tho insurance companies
who maintain claim departments here.
result in prompt payments 10 the in
jured person, in every case where liabil-
lty is not denied. and materially lessons
the number of cases which would go
before the board in those instances
where the accident Is given a desultory
investigation by mail.
The companies have been urged by
the board to establish claim Offices in
Indiana in order 70 expedite the hand
ling of claim matters and getting
quicker relief to the injured workman.
The following letter was sent 10 Chi
cago office by one OF these companies.
and few days afterward the company
established local claim ONCE:
we wish TO advise that the industrial
board Is contemplating exercising the
authority conferred upon IL by the
amendment of Section 10 Of the COM
pensation act IN the revocation of it's
approval of your policy form. The
board contemplates this action for the
reason that your service in this state
does not meet with its approval. The
method of long waiting payment Of
compensation in this state does not and
has not given the injured employee COW
cred by your policies. the benefit OF the
Indiana workmen's compensation law.
Your procrastination is absolutely un-
pardonable. II you wish 30 avoid this
action on the part of the board. 1t will
be necessary for you. without delay. 10
take steps to install within the state a
capable claim department which will re-
deem your company from its present
record"
Similar letters TO other companies
will be sent out if the proper attention
10 claims Is not manifest within a very
short time.