LawCash Links

Recommended

A class action has been filed against the Hartford Financial Services Group (NYSE: HIG) and certain of its officers and directors by stockholders who purchased the company’s common stock between November 5, 2003 and October 13, 2004. The action claims that the defendants violated federal securities laws by issuing a series of material misrepresentations to the market over this time period, thereby artificially inflating the price of the company’s securities. The stockholders seek to recover compensatory damages for the loss of value of their stock.

The parties have reached a final settlement apparently valued at $3 million in an action filed against Safeco Insurance Company of America and related companies on behalf of Montana customers who filed uninsured, underinsured and medical claims against the company from 1996 to the present. The action alleged that state insurance provisions prohibiting "stacking'' of multiple insurance policies were unenforceable. Persons eligible to participate in the settlement should contact attorneys for the class for more information as soon as possible.

"Reasonable and customary" provisions in healthcare policies often determine how much the insurer will pay on claims. The parties have reached a tentative $630,000 settlement in a class action against Educators Mutual Life Insurance Company on behalf of all persons who allege that. since September 1, 1998, the company reduced benefit payments for anesthesia services in violation of its contract with them.

A settlement in a longstanding lawsuit against Shelter Life Insurance Co. could mean refunds for thousands of policyholders. The lawsuit alleges that Shelter improperly raised premiums to increase profits by more than $10 million and concealed the rate hikes from policyholders.

Holders of certain annuities may be entitled to compensation based upon information and belief that New York Life Insurance and Annuities Company may not have paid the holders of the annuities all amounts due them as agreed under the annuity contracts.

Medicare is a benefit that most Americans work a lifetime to receive. A class action has been filed against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its secretary, Tommy Thompson, on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries in Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester and Rockland counties in New York who allege that disparities in Medicare+Choice coverage between New York City and its suburbs are the result of unconstitutionally unequal treatment. The action asks the court to make the government to pay back seniors in the four suburban counties for premiums they paid into the Medicare Plus Choice program since January 1, 2001.

IT'S FREE