Legal Action Against UnitedHealth Insurance Company

UnitedHealth Insurance: Company Profile
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated NYSE: UNH is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to making health care work better. Headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through seven operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare, Ovations, AmeriChoice, Uniprise, OptumHealth, Ingenix, and Prescription Solutions. Through its family of subsidiaries and divisions, UnitedHealth Group serves approximately 70 million individuals nationwide. In 2008, the company posted a net income of $3 billion.
UnitedHealth Group is the parent of UnitedHealthcare, one of the largest health insurers in the U.S. It was created in 1977, as UnitedHealthCare Corporation (it renamed itself in 1998), but traces its origin to a firm it acquired in 1977, Charter Med Incorporated, which was founded in 1974. In 1979, it introduced the first network-based health plan for seniors. In 1984, it became a publicly traded company.
In a recent insurance industry publication, Business Insurance, United was named "readers choice" winner 2007 for "Best Managed care organization".
To contrast, however, in a recent non-insurance industry survey of health care executives who have dealt with the company, United received a 91% unfavorable rating—the worst ranking among all listed.
Lawsuits Brought Against UnitedHealth Insurance

If you have recently been in an accident in which either you, the at-fault, or both have been insured by UnitedHealth Insurance, it is essential that you research past legal cases involving your insurance company if you hope successfully negotiate your own settlement or court case. Conclusive research will reduce the risk of repeating mistakes others have made when legally dealing with your insurance companies and can provide unique insight as to which legal courses of action might affect the value of your settlement. Additionally, substantial legal research helps highlight pivotal strategies and avenues that have historically helped win lawsuits against major insurance companies such as UnitedHealth Insurance.

Insurance firms are renowned for stalling the release of settlement funds until the last possible second. While the ethics of this practice are highly questionable, the practice is unfortunately implemented by an extremely high percentage of insurance companies. This strategy has been devised to improve insurance profits. Insurance companies usually have access to tens of billions of dollars due to high volume revenue and cash flow. Similar to banks, they invest these funds in order to amplify their profits. Even if they are required to pay a settlement, they will hold the money as long as legally possible in a leveraged effort to increase their own profits through the interest they earn on their investments.

In addition to delaying the disbursement of settlement funds, most insurance companies implement many of the following strategies to cut costs and generate profit:
  • Nickel and dime smaller individual clients with various charges with the knowledge they cannot afford to investigate their legal options.
  • Present clients with a very small initial settlement offer, as many policy holders do not realize they do not have to accept the insurance company’s first offer.
  • Wait until the last possible week to disperse funds, as some negotiations can last well over a year.
  • If you have sustained personal injuries that will be permanent, it is important to use an expert trial attorney.