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Mediocrates
April 18, 2009 9:14 PM
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Fuck AIG.

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mallen462
April 20, 2009 7:58 PM
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@Mediocrates: I couldn't articulate a better response AIG is a soulless corporation

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CRCError1970
April 18, 2009 11:49 PM
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@supercereal: What? Do you see a vote button somewhere?

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katieoh
April 18, 2009 10:15 PM
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@Mediocrates: this is pretty much all i can say anymore. i just can't waste any more energy on being pissed off.

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your new nemesis
April 18, 2009 9:24 PM
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\"Help us America, help us to fail at the very reason we exist, it's the most profitable way. Then, when you help us, please don't bother us again.\"
You know what, I want my bailout back. I'm sure the money could be better spent, you know, taking care of people who need it.
Fuckers

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HogwartsAlum
April 19, 2009 12:03 AM
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@skizsrodt:

I agree with you completely. I sent this to the President just now:

Dear President Obama,

Regarding AIG, see this story, posted on ABC and The Consumerist blog:
[abcnews.go.com]
[consumerist.com]

Why are we bailing out this company? Why not just let them die? Why are companies being allowed to steal money from people and lie to them? And why don't we just let them go out of business? They don't know how to do honest business. They have become giant evil thieves.

I don't understand this at all. I was so excited about this administration that I risked getting in trouble at work to watch the Inauguration online. But how can these people get away with this? We need to get these evil insurance companies under control, or get rid of them. They are both bankrupting people and killing them by denying needed medical care. This guy may not die, but why should he have to fight like this just to have quality of life?

Shut them all down. Thank you for listening.

Sincerely,

My/real/name

If I could have posted a picture of a crying baby, I would have.

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your new nemesis
April 19, 2009 12:07 AM
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@HogwartsAlum: I think the crying baby would have added a nice touch

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WOPDingo
April 18, 2009 9:53 PM
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You'd think AIG would have realized they're a bunch of douchebag-fuckups when they had to distribute that internal memo about how its employees can avoid getting their asses beat...repeatedly...by the public while leaving work.

Superfuck AIG.

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RodAox
April 18, 2009 9:56 PM
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For gods sake...I wonder who the hell qualifies if this guy doesnt. Sir for us to approve your claim you should have lost both your eyes and an arm.....

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Mike8813
April 18, 2009 11:08 PM
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@RodAox: I suspect that it's common practice among insurance providers to randomly deny claims for no good reason. A percentage of people who are turned down never fight the outcome, and AIG (or any insurance company) saves money.


I'd have to take my shoes off to count how many of my family's doctor visits weren't covered by our insurance at first (bluecross and cigna). They make you jump through hoops to get what is rightfully yours.

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RodAox
April 19, 2009 4:17 AM
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@Mike8813: well the whole incentive is wrong... and people complain about socialism.....idiots have an incentive to deny claims....go figure...

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mbnovik
April 18, 2009 9:59 PM
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Fuckers... some people try to pull a fast one on the insurance companies. And some people are just trying to make it. It's good to be vigilant, but this is beyond responsible...

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Possinator
April 18, 2009 9:59 PM
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They can't give the money to their Executives if they give it those pesky claimants.

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gStein_*|bringing starpipe back|*
April 20, 2009 6:15 AM
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@Possinator: can someone tell me what AIG actually does? i mean, they're so essential to our economy that we had to bail them out (3 times i think)

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snowburnt
April 20, 2009 3:54 PM
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@gStein: They are the largest insurers in the country. Anything from car insurance, disability insurance, life insurance, MORTGAGE INSURANCE (CDS). The main problem they ran into was the Credit Default Swaps. There was a post with the guy with accent describing CDOs and CDSs, but here's a quick rundown:

Banks wanted to make more money than just the interest of a loan. So they packaged up what was at the time a safe investment (Mortgages) and sold them to another bank or company. People would also invest in these grouped mortgage packages (called Collateralize Debt Obligations). You put money in at a particular risk tier and you'd make a percentage based on the risk, the safer the group of mortgages the less money you'd get back, the riskier, you get back more money.

In order to entice investors, they got the top tier CDOs insured, so that if they failed they would get most of their money back. Over time people made billions off of basically made up money. Life was good.

(other stuff happens: banks, wanting more money, encourage brokers with huge commissions to make more loans so the banks can sell them, they lower loan qualifiers, sub prime lending begins)

Sub prime borrowers start getting foreclosed on, and people start getting worried about their money, so they invest less. To keep interest they get insurance on the 2nd tier of mortgages. More foreclosures, banks call in their insurance, AIG starts losing money like crazy. only 2 years of premiums at 200 a month will not cover thousands of claims at 300k each. AIG still has a lot of claims and policies out there propping up the banks...I think there's probably a lot more to it than that, but that is the main cause I believe.

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windycitygirl68
April 18, 2009 10:01 PM
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Having worked in the insurance industry for 10 years, I know some people sent in claims for things like hot tubs (for sore backs), golf carts (for mobility), CraftMatic adjustable beds etc. This man needed things to help him perform activities of daily living. He was not asking for a hot tub. God help us. Like Navin Johnson in \"The Jerk,\" I want AIG to send a check for $1.09 to every taxpayer in America as repayment for the squandered bailout we so foolishly gave them. They can apply my share to getting Mr. Woodson the things he needs to live his life.

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RodAox
April 18, 2009 10:06 PM
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@windycitygirl68: I will gladly send him my share of 1.09 as well.

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HogwartsAlum
April 19, 2009 12:05 AM
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@RodAox:

I'll send him mine too, and my thermos.

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Clay Gann
April 18, 2009 10:08 PM
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So sad,where is the oversight of the billions of dollars they have received.

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humphrmi
April 19, 2009 12:07 AM
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@Clay Gann: What does bailout oversight have to do with this story? If there was oversight, should those overseers review each claim? Wow, that'd be quite a job.

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Canino
April 18, 2009 10:17 PM
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@Clay Gann: There was no requirement for oversight in the bailout of AIG. It was just a giveaway of your money.


You can thank the democrats for that.


\"We hate big business and constantly make big business out to be the enemy of the people, so we're going to give big business trillions of taxpayer dollars with no requirement they actually do anything specific with it. Have a nice day, citizen.\"

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BlackMage66652
April 19, 2009 3:52 AM
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@Canino: If I'm not mistaken, AIG was bailed out by your good ole Republican Hero George W. Bush.

Maintaining all that ignorance must be stressful for you.

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Canino
April 19, 2009 7:53 PM
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@BlackMage66652: If I'm not mistaken, AIG was bailed out by your good ole Republican Hero George W. Bush.


So, I see you believe the president passes laws and appropriates money, and not congress. Interesting. How did you come to that conclusion?

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Trai_Dep
April 19, 2009 9:05 PM
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@Canino: Sigh. Don't make me pull out the voting chart showing 98% of our Congressmen voting against the bailouts were Dems. Again.

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Rugbydan
April 19, 2009 12:47 PM
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@BlackMage66652: It's hysterical that you guys think one of the major parties is any better then the other.

Keep on blindly supporting the Dems, keep on thinking they care about the people. That's EXACTLY what they want. At least the Repubs are open about hating regular citizens.

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JulesNoctambule
April 19, 2009 3:25 PM
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@Rugbydan: Political paranoia -- love it! Surely you have some detailed and curious conspiracy theories you'd like to share, too.

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Rugbydan
April 20, 2009 1:58 AM
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@JulesNoctambule: Call me paranoid if you like, but last time I checked it's not paranoia if it's actually happening.

The sooner people move beyond Republican vs. Democrat, the sooner the country can begin to recover. You really think that our elected officials care one whit about us? It must be amazingly comfortable in your little world.

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Cassius98
April 18, 2009 11:56 PM
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@Canino: Trillions??? They've gotten quite a bit but don't spew misinformation. It gets repeated and some poor sap who doesnt pay attention will read it and believe it to be true.

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The_IT_Crone
April 19, 2009 1:56 PM
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@Cassius98: I believe you are responding to that \"poor sap.\"

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DH405
April 18, 2009 11:53 PM
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@Canino: You must work awfully hard to maintain that ignorance.

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Trai_Dep
April 18, 2009 11:17 PM
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@Canino: Good to know both Paulson and Bush were Dems. Thanks!

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TheObserver
April 18, 2009 10:26 PM
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Sad, looks like there's something even worse than some of these private contracting companies in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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shepd
April 18, 2009 10:31 PM
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It's insurance, what did you expect?

It's the exact same model as gambling. How many casinos make it super-easy to keep on winning after one or two half-decent payouts? How many of them will boot anyone counting cards?

This doesn't come as a surprise to me. I have yet to have found a single form of insurance that is actually worth it. This includes:

- Car insurance. (My province has a legal maximum for anything that happens as a result, something insurance companies wanted, something that means insurance is obsolete). I have it because I don't live in NH.
- Renter's insurance. (Honestly, none of my stuff is worth the cost of renter's insurance, but I have to have it because the LL requires it in their lease).
- Credit insurance. All my debts are in my name, so what's the point again? Even if they were joint, my wife doesn't work and therefore is creditor-proof, anyways.

About the only thing I can think of worth the dough is possibly house insurance. But I bet there'll be a catch with that, too. I suppose (emergency) health insurance would be worth it, if I lived in the US.

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SteveZim1017
April 20, 2009 4:39 PM
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@shepd:


insurance only = bad if you dont take the time to actually read and understand your policy.


yes your car insurance has a deductible.
yes your Homeowners insurance doesnt cover specific things.


most generic policies are the same, and all can be customized to include/exclude coverages. just pay attention, and be interested in your policy BEFORE you have that giant claim...


and anyone who thinks renters insurance is a waste has no idea what they are talking about.

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tbax929
April 19, 2009 5:51 PM
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@shepd:


It's funny how everyone hates insurance companies - until they have a claim that needs to be paid. I wrote a work comp policy for a client of mine. The premium was $2,000. Within a month, he had an employee get crushed by a crane. The insurance company has already paid out $1 million on a $2K policy. But I guess you wouldn't think that was unfair to them.


You should educate yourself before posting such hyperbolic bullshit. If you do business with reputable insurers, they're not going to stiff you on a claim.

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hedonia
April 19, 2009 1:40 AM
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@shepd: Maybe your renter's insurance is much more expensive than mine, but mine was $125 for the whole year. If someone broke in and stole three things out of my kitchen, the insurance has paid for itself. I kind of feel like renters insurance is the one type of insurance where the cost of the premiums is in line with the benefits of having it, compared to the cost of not having it. They claim they'll even cover items that are stolen out of my car, off of my person, etc. $125/year is worth that IMO.

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snowburnt
April 20, 2009 4:07 PM
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@hedonia: Ya, I got a laptop replaced that was stolen from my car with it. Go USAA!

apparantly if I'd upgraded my policy I would have had no deductable and they would have replaced the device instead of sending me a check if I wanted. The upgrade would have been like $20 a month instead of $7

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johnva
April 19, 2009 2:08 AM
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@hedonia: Not to mention that renters' insurance typically also includes liability insurance, which is really really important for renters since if your mistake causes your rental place to burn down, you could be sued.

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bibliophibian
April 19, 2009 9:07 AM
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@johnva: AND if you have a good policy, it covers damages as well.

Back when my son was a toddler, he inadvertently kind of set the couch on fire by using a halogen torchiere (sp?) lamp as a \"flashlight\" to look under the couch for a toy he'd dropped, and then not moving the lamp away. There were no actual flames, but there was a big scorch/burn mark across the front bottom of the sofa. To my surprise, the insurance covered it, even when I explained how it'd happened. I would never have thought to file a claim, but my father kept pushing me to do it; I kept saying \"they'll never pay for that,\" and finally filed just to make him shut up about it. I did *not* have to pay up front; just had to get two estimates and send a photo of the damage.

I had $30,000 coverage for about $100 a year, plus a $15(?)/yr PC rider, with no deductible - which came in handy when the plant-watering mishap occurred with my monitor, ahem. Plus the aforementioned liability coverage, medical insurance if someone had been injured in my apartment, etc.

For years I'd been the \"I don't have enough stuff to bother insuring it\" type of person, then a friend got robbed - cleaned out - and just getting the bare bones together (dishes/flatware/cookware, beds, linens/towels, toiletries, kids' stuff) cost her a couple grand. It was about three years before she really got back to where she'd started from.

That changed my mind about renters' insurance, but I did make sure that my company's policy was NOT one where I'd have to replace everything first and send in receipts. For the sofa burn, they sent a check three days after I faxed the estimates; for the computer monitor, it was deposited directly to my checking account with them the day after I sent the estimates. USAA rocks like that.

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SJActress
April 18, 2009 11:41 PM
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@shepd:

Nope, house insurance is pointless, too. My friend's father had house/fire insurance and had a massive fire, with $20,000 worth of damage. While the insurance company is willing to foot the bills, HE has to pay for the repairs FIRST, then send THOSE bills to the insurance company, and HOPE they'll cover it all.

I don't know about you, but I don't have $20,000 lying around to pay for damage that is INSURED.

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snowburnt
April 20, 2009 3:56 PM
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@SJActress: House insurance is horrible. You have to have it and hope that if you do need it it's REAL bad, because you'll only be able to use it once before they drop you.

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rorschachex
April 20, 2009 2:44 PM
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@SJActress: I wish I could find a better article, but I remember hearing about this (I'm from NY) after 9/11 [findarticles.com]

I think that is the most extreme form of insurance denial / shirking...

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the_wiggle
April 19, 2009 1:31 AM
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@SJActress: you can get the same shafting with renter's insurance after theft.

sure, we'll pay. well, maybe. after you front the $$. and then only what we feel would be a real replacement cost.

like i had 10K just sitting around.

a$$es.

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TEW
April 18, 2009 10:36 PM
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Why does he need AIG? Shouldn't the VA pay for his battle wounds? If this man needs help paying where can I donate. I can always find money to help pay for a true American hero's needs.

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legotech
April 18, 2009 10:43 PM
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@TEW: He's not in the military, he was working for KBR which is a soldier of fortune outfit like Blackwater.

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rorschachex
April 20, 2009 2:48 PM
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@legotech: KBR aren't 'soldiers of fortune' they're contracted workers, usually engineers, etc that were rebuilding oil lines, etc. Blackwater USA is a PMC (Private Military Contractor) - they are soldiers of fortune. Say what you will about Blackwater, and even KBR, but the latter definitely does not actively engage in combat.

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Chris Walters
April 18, 2009 10:53 PM
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@TEW: I've added \"as a contractor\" to the line \"while working in Iraq\" in the first paragraph to avoid future confusion. Thanks.

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bohemian
April 18, 2009 10:38 PM
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It is not just AIG doing this crap. Almost all of the big disability insurers do it. They pay the little dollar amount claims and fight the big dollar amount ones ignoring the facts and merit of the claim. So those who need it most have to fight tooth and nail then end up with a fraction of what is owed.

The insurance companies have lobbied for deregulation just like the banks so they can get away with doing this on a large scale. Most disability insurance is practically worthless. If it is employer provided even more so because you can't sue for damages.

The insurance industry has a can of worms just as messed up as the one we opened on the banking industry.

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mac-phisto
April 19, 2009 3:22 PM
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@bohemian: yeah, i don't see how \"bailout\" & \"aig\" really even matter to this story - insurance companies have been pulling this crap for years.

it just as easily could have been anthem or uhc or aetna or one of a dozen other insurance cos. that ultimately expect you to pay in but never withdraw out.

perhaps the connection to taxpayer funds can finally shed light on the abusive practices of insurance companies as a whole, but otherwise it's really just not relevant. aig would be doing this even if they hadn't received a dime from us.

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webreacher
April 18, 2009 10:40 PM
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This is terrible. How can anyone, with a conscience, keep denying valid claims?

(Thanks God I live in Canada, I have enough stress in my life, I don't need to worry about health insurance on top of that.)

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evarga
April 19, 2009 4:29 AM
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@webreacher: We met a couple of Canadian doctors while on our last vacation....while you don't have to worry about paying for your health care, you have to worry that you'll get your test/scan/operation performed in a reasonable amount of time.

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MisterE
April 19, 2009 2:48 AM
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@webreacher:

Ask any Veteran who has been injured in the service and I'm sure you'll hear a similar tale of woe of not getting benefits either from the service branch or the Veteran's Administration. Please understand: I am not making less of this guy's problems. They are real and he needs help.

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sodomanaz
April 19, 2009 12:50 PM
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@MisterE: \"Ask any Veteran who has been injured in the service and I'm sure you'll hear a similar tale of woe of not getting benefits either from the service branch or the Veteran's Administration.\" Please stfu.


Counties have veteran's service officers for just this reason. Is there red tape? There sure as hell is, but there are also people in government that are there to help file those claims for/with you at the local level. If any veteran has these issues, contact your VSO immediately.

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Phexerian
April 19, 2009 1:02 PM
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@sodomanaz: You are a moron. You obviously have not seen the news pieces on the VA and how they screw people out of disability because the people who decide what kind of disability you get are barely high school educated with two weeks of training, yet are expected to decipher a medical chart and make complex medical decisions.

My family has had to fight the VA for twenty years to get disability for my father. It has been a long long battle involving two law suits as well.

You don't seem to know a goddamn thing about the VA, so please shut the fuck up.

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MisterE
April 19, 2009 2:13 PM
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@Phexerian:

I think Sodomanaz was trying to give the standard cookie-cutter advice for dealing with the red tape of the VA. He was trying to help. Please, Please, Please, you're right: He obviously is ignorant of the trials we vets face. However, his advice is legit for getting a form filled out. No advancement will be made in telling him to shut up.

With that said, I feel for your father. I had to go through in suing the VA for benefits. I also won.

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johnva
April 18, 2009 10:42 PM
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Prosthetic devices are often a huge point of contention with insurance companies (who like to claim that old, crappy, obsolete devices are adequate). It's an area that needs some more regulatory attention.

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katstermonster
April 19, 2009 4:05 AM
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@johnva: It's an area that calls for execs getting limbs cut off and trying to make do with obsolete devices.

Although they might like having hooks for hands better. There's always that risk.

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vildechaia
April 18, 2009 10:50 PM
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Send the aig executives to Iran. And take back the bailout. Is there some way to donate to help this poor guy?

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Alisha Young
April 18, 2009 11:02 PM
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@TEW: Shouldn't Cheney pay for it then?

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SabrinaFaire
April 18, 2009 11:06 PM
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So, just to clarify, don't most insurance policies exempt \"acts of war\"? Or did theirs include that? Assuming it was an employee policy.

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The_IT_Crone
April 19, 2009 2:01 PM
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@SabrinaFaire: It is an insurance policy bought by the US government specifically FOR these \"acts of war.\"

Woodson is covered by AIG under a government-mandated program that provides medical and disability benefits for employees working for U.S. contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Also from the article:

In Woodson's case, when his fuel truck hit the hidden bomb outside Baghdad, he was blown through the roof of his cab and thrown about a hundred feet away, also damaging his back and breaking his pelvis.

Woodson says he was told by an AIG representative in the hospital that he would be fully covered by AIG, but that when he returned home, he quickly discovered AIG was prepared to challenge almost all of his medical needs.

Reading. It's amazing what you learn.

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pgh9fan1
April 19, 2009 12:52 PM
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@SabrinaFaire: This is exactly what I thought when I read it. If his policy read that way then AIG is--and I hate to say it--correct.

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hedonia
April 19, 2009 1:42 AM
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@SabrinaFaire: That's an interesting point. Is there someplace where we can find out more information about exactly why they're denying his claim?

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Trai_Dep
April 18, 2009 11:10 PM
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The evils of trying to run a foreign policy using mercenaries for fodder: much of the \"savings\" are by neglecting the long-term obligations owed people we ask to risk their lives for our country. Let alone the loss of control/accountability/good order & discipline.
It it's truly our national interest, we shouldn't do it on the cheap. We should use our military (and State and Commerce, d'accord).
I really feel for these guys being shafted.

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TEW
April 19, 2009 4:45 AM
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@Trai_Dep:
Sadly it was this or the draft. I have no idea who should pay because on one hand it was a way to avoid the draft and the VA system should pay but on the other hand you have a privet company with its own benefits plan. The problem is now heroes like him are SOL while we try to figure out what to do.

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Trai_Dep
April 19, 2009 9:07 PM
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@TEW: The Draft would have been vastly preferable. The political costs of even saying the word aloud during the run-up to the Iraq quagmire would have strangled Shrub in the crib.

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Trai_Dep
April 18, 2009 11:13 PM
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@Trai_Dep:

ABC News says that AIG also \"fought to keep from paying for a wheelchair or glasses for the eye in which he has 30 percent vision.\"

So the insurance company offered a stem and 1/4 of a lens? Would have loved to see the adjuster explain they only covered a third of a pair of glasses since, y'know, he's able to utilize only 30% of his eye.

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Alisha Young
April 18, 2009 11:11 PM
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@Canino: The first giveaway started in the LAST administration, don't forget that. What's next, this administration hid Iraqs' \"weapons of mass destruction\"?

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Alisha Young
April 18, 2009 11:22 PM
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How about when Bush pushed through the first TARP and refused to allow any legislation that would have called for the corporations to be held accountable and that it all had to be done transparently? Did you protest then?


This came from an article I found online talking about the teabagger movement (didn't they also try to make chickenhawk a term of pride?)

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TEW
April 19, 2009 4:50 AM
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@Alisha Young:
You are right and if you ask many conservatives you will find that they dislike bush for this reason. Before you write off the tea parties you need to know that they booed off a front runner of the republican governor race in South Carolina because of these bailouts. He voted for them. The people at the tea parties are mad at anyone who spent like there was no tomorrow.

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redkamel
April 19, 2009 6:47 PM
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@TEW: ...except WHILE they were spending like there was no tomorrow for the last 8 years? Great timing teabaggers; its no problem getting into a mess, but as soon as we need to get out then its time to protest.

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HiPwr
April 18, 2009 11:59 PM
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@Alisha Young: Revisionist history at its best. In case you missed it in civics class, the President can't force Congress write legislation to suite his needs any more than he can force the Supreme Court to rule a certain way. The Democrats in Congress and most of the Republicans voted for this crappy bailout. Bush, Congress, and now Obama; they're all to blame and they all suck.

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Trai_Dep
April 19, 2009 9:10 PM
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@HiPwr: Ah the predictability of Conservatives parroting their Fox talking points and the wonders of copy & paste:
Sigh. Don't make me pull out the voting chart showing 98% of our Congressmen voting against the bailouts were Dems. Again.
(ibid, above)

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HiPwr
April 19, 2009 10:51 PM
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@Trai_Dep: By the way, if your news source is telling you that Congress is controlled by the President whenever there is a Republican in office, you might want to consider getting your news elsewhere or at least picking up the U.S. Constitution.

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Trai_Dep
April 19, 2009 11:35 PM
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@HiPwr: Reading is fundamental. Try again?

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HiPwr
April 20, 2009 1:15 PM
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@Trai_Dep: Ok, READ the U.S. Constitution. It lays out our form of government with the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches.

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HiPwr
April 19, 2009 10:39 PM
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@Trai_Dep: Of course you resort to attributing anything you disagree with to Fox News (the Boogie Man Network). Very predictable. If 98% of Democrats voted against the bailouts, they never would have passed. Democrats have controlled Congress for going on three years now and during every bailout vote.

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Jackmojo
April 18, 2009 11:28 PM
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While I have no sympathy for AIG, I also have little for someone who profiteered over in Iraq (what did we hear these truck drivers were making, something like 25k a month there?) and not being prepared to deal with the consequences of the risks they were being paid for.

Jack

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u1itn0w2day
April 19, 2009 4:03 PM
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@Jackmojo: But he supposedly was prepared for the consequences with the AIG insurance .


And if the private contractors weren't doing as much you would have had a draft by now , reservist's and regular military over there with no breaks in deployment and a way over stretched military that couldn't even do things like chase pirates . Wether you agree with the war/the use of contractors or not they definately have their place in this war .

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Justin Larson
April 19, 2009 7:59 PM
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@u1itn0w2day: Their place just happens to be pulling away vets who would otherwise re-enlist. Never should have overstretched the military like this.

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u1itn0w2day
April 19, 2009 11:40 PM
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@Justin Larson: Oh I don't doubt that . I don't think the military was ever intended to take the full brunt . And that's the thing it all comes down to an over stretched military . One way or another we pay in the end .

@JohnAllison: Even if it's not politically correct work it was still legitimate work . Most of these contractors are doing support work . Should the factory workers,supervisors and white collar engineers that manufacture the tools of war be considered mercenaries as well since they profited off this war . Alot of corporations profited off this including AIG that handled these policies since the invasion started . Half the reason these polices exist because they're mandated coverages by the government .

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HogwartsAlum
April 19, 2009 12:08 AM
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@Jackmojo:

The insurance racket is in the business of denying claims, not paying them. If you got the same injuries getting innocently hit by a drunk driver, I'd bet real money they'd deny you too.

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Jackmojo
April 19, 2009 4:56 AM
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@HogwartsAlum:

I don't doubt it. I just lack sympathy for the driver..much as a I would for the drunken driver having problems later on in your scenario...

Jack

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HiPwr
April 18, 2009 11:55 PM
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Kudos to Senator Coburn. He's one of the good ones.

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JiminyChristmas
April 19, 2009 3:26 AM
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@HiPwr: If you ask me, he's batshit crazy. This is one of the few decent, and useful, things I've ever heard of him doing.

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Mike Mogolis
April 19, 2009 12:12 AM
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I will never, I repeat never have anything to do with AIG.

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larry_y
April 19, 2009 3:13 AM
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Propublica reports on others with insurance difficulties: \"Injured War Zone Contractors Fight to Get Care From AIG and...\".

The insurance companies make millions of dollars from policies (ultimately paid for by tax-dollars) and then routinely deny serious medical claims. AIG dominated the market while the regulators couldn't keep up.

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Meathamper
April 19, 2009 3:26 AM
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I almost cried when I saw this. To go to Iraq with a full-working body, and to come back blind, and a limb lost... if that's no legitimate claim for insurance money, I don't know what is. Does AIG even know which is up anymore?

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Michael Mayes
April 19, 2009 12:13 PM
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Coburn could kick in some scratch to help the guy out too right? He's got plenty...

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TCTH
April 19, 2009 1:37 PM
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The simple fact is that no matter how much some might want to think or at last claim otherwise... AIG sucks in every conceivable way any entity could ever possibly suck. In fact they suck in ways that are NOT conceivable by normal human beings not wearing pods.

A mere mortal could toil for a thousand years and never come up with a way to suck that these people haven't already found and put into action. AIG has been pushing the envelope of suckosity for so long that they now have this huge department, staffed with the lowest dregs of legal scumbaggery they can possibly scrape from the bottoms of barrels and the dirt beneath them, devoted solely to finding new ways to suck and to profit thereby.

These people are the Sultans of Suck, the Titans of suck. a Mt. Olympus style pantheon of the veritable gods of suckery. They exist at the apex of a mountain of suck, having trod roughshod on the backs of countless competitors to get there.

Oh yeah... did I mention that AIG sucks?

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DonkeyJab
April 19, 2009 1:48 PM
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Why is a plastic leg so much money? I mean $8,000? Do companies inflate these prices to make a killing and in turn make it look like insurance companies are paying out a good ratio? I imagine if the leg and other AIG expenses were accurately quoted their profit to payout ratio would be way lopsided?

The only thing I do know is most insurance only wants to pay the minimum, cheapest route available--if they pay at all. I'm surprised they didn't send this guy the $20 JaipurKnee with a nice fruit basket.

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u1itn0w2day
April 19, 2009 3:44 PM
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Perhaps it's letter writing time to :


Kristian P Moore
Executive Vice President
AIG Property & Casualty
70 Pine St
New York , New York 10270


or


Nicholas Walsh
Executive Vice President
AIG Foreign General Insurance
70 Pine St
New York , New York 10270


I guess the real question is are these people actually in control let alone in charge . If AIG's Finance Division blew it what's to say the Insurance division didn't as well .


From AIGs Annual Report on Yahoo Finance

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Munchie
April 19, 2009 4:00 PM
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He went the easy route. Notify the media and all of a sudden his problems are no more.

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FuryOfFirestorm
April 19, 2009 4:48 PM
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AIG produces more suck than a porn star in a black hole.

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Thorny
April 19, 2009 6:29 PM
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Unfortunately this happens quite often to people who need assistive devices to walk. If it's this hard for someone coming back from Iraq, imagine how difficult it is for your average Joe trying to get help from his insurance company.

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JohnAllison
April 19, 2009 6:32 PM
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1. This person is no hero. He is a mercenary.
2. He chose to enter a war zone for a private company so he could personally profit from war.
3. He had some sort of insurance policy.
4. Consumerist has no facts concerning this policy, and the coverages mutually agreed upon between this person and AIG. We don't know if he paid to only have one leg paid for each year, or to pay for anything the Doctor prescribed. Without the contract and without knowledge of the agreement any argument being made above is fruitless.

This person should have made sure that these kinds of injuries would have been explicitly covered before he made the decision to go into a war zone. The injuries sustained in Iraq are not new. The press has done a phenomenal job reporting on all of the injuries our Troops suffer. Any mercenary should have done their due diligence before hopping on a flight to charge the American taxers an arm and a leg for his services.

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Christopher Greer
April 20, 2009 12:54 AM
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@JohnAllison: Well, your first point is a matter of opinion (Though stated a bit childishly.)
Your second point, I don't know if this is news for you or not, but American military members aren't there for great patriotism. We're there to do a job and get paid.
Three, yep.
Four, considering that my taxpayer dollars are paying for both sides of this policy now, I think I should get to weigh in. And my two cents is that I don't give a shit if the policy only covered his left nut, decent human beings, people with souls, do not behave the way that AIG is.

And to top it off, he was a damn truck driver, not a combat troop, professional military or merc. He went to drive a truck and lost a leg. You're acting like he's a video game character merc who was being payed to slaughter children.

(And let me go ahead and head off the LOL Faux News viewer crap. I'm former Air Force Security Forces, a registered democrat, voted for Gore, voted for Kerry, voted for Obama, and utterly despise KBR/Blackwater. But I'm not going to hold an individual grunt responsible for the behavior of his employers.)

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NeverLetMeDown
April 19, 2009 9:39 PM
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Well, since we're all owners of AIG now, I'm glad to see that they're taking good care of our money.

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Dave Watkins
April 20, 2009 4:37 PM
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\"Health Insurance\" should be called \"Health Maintenance\". It is complete b.s. Ask Joe Cassano from AIG, who got terminated in Feb. 2008, yet last fall was still receiving $1 million / month as part of his golden umbrella. Who NEEDS that kind of money? No one. Who NEEDS a fraction of a fraction of that kind of money? The contractor whom this story is about. I'm sure Cassona drives a Mercedes, and probably an SUV at that, with his false sense of security. Put a person on a bicycle and watch them to tell you to get out of the road, doesn't happen most of the time, people are selfish and insecure and they think, because they're in a 'big' car, they're tougher. Basically it boils down to money, as does everything. This country is run by people that just want money because they use the money to buy bigger houses and other materialistic garbage to make themselves feel better because they're really just insecure and self centered. I hope some day, mankind will get past all the b.s. and help out their neighbors. You get these selfish, rich jerks talking down to the rest of us, only because they have money and think they're special. Take away their money and they can't function because they're so self absorbed. It is pathetic, AIG pays out bonuses, meanwhile one of their 'customers' suffers. They're eating caviar while some of their customers eat ramen noodles, all because those up top, have swindled their way there.

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teke367
April 20, 2009 6:29 PM
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In work for a competitor of AIG, our claims theory (at least in our training) is to just pay. I don't know how much the stuff this guy needs costs, but I'm sure its actually much less than the punitive damages. Thousand dollar claims turn into billion dollar lawsuits for things like this.

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Anonymous
April 21, 2009 12:49 PM
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My boyfriend is currently battling them over a knee injury at work. It took them 6 weeks to reply so he could see the orthopedist (constantly referring him to other departments). Now he's been waiting 4 weeks for approval of an MRI. These people should be lined up and shot. I hope there is a God, and I hope he's vengeful.

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