Miscellaneous

CT Bans Post-Claim Underwriting

Sunday, August 12th, 2007

The Connecticut General Assembly recently enacted legislation (Public Act 07-113), signed into law by Governor M. Jodi Rell on June 12, to prohibit health insurers or HMOs from “post-claim underwriting.”  “Post-claim underwriting” occurs when an insurer issues a policy to an applicant without thoroughly reviewing an applicant’s medical records and only upon the submission of a claim, does the insurer examine the applicant’s medical records in detail and discover a medical condition that would have disqualified the applicant from coverage in the first place.  The insurer then attempts to rescind the policy, leaving the applicant uninsured.

Under the new law, Connecticut requires insurers to obtain approval from the Insurance Commissioner before it can rescind policies.  The law prohibits rescission if the grounds for rescission are based on “the insurer’s failure to complete medical underwriting” and failure to “resolve all reasonable medical questions arising from written information submitted on (or omitted from) an application,” unless the insurer proves to the Insurance Commissioner that (1) the information was false and provided by the applicant with knowledge of its falsity; or (2) the information was knowingly omitted.  In addition, the insurer must prove that the information or omission materially affected the risk it assumed.
To read the legislation, click here.

Connecticut Personal Injury Blog and Website

Thursday, May 31st, 2007

Our Connecticut Personal Injury Law Blog and Website dedicated to Connecticut personal injury law is online.  The new website and blog is devoted solely to personal injury.  By providing this website and blog we will provide a wealth of information on personal injury legal news, cases we are handling, results obtained on the behalf of injured clients, important legal decisions, and other personal injury law-related information.

Sabatini and Assocaties, LLC will continue to operate and update www.sabatinilaw.com – focusing on the other practice areas including probate litigation, commercial litigation, land use and zoning, and employment discrimination litigation.

 

Letters of Understanding

Tuesday, April 17th, 2007

Many clients come to us with help with reaching a contractual agreement to buy or sell a small business.  Typically, when the client first comes to see us, he has verbally talked to the buyer or seller and deal in principal may have been agreed upon.  However, nothing is in writing.  If a verbal agreement has been reached in principal, it is important to place it in writing.  This can be done through a letter of understanding.  A sample letter of understanding is as follows:


Dear Sir or Madam

This will confirm that which we discussed during our
telephone conversation earlier today.

It is agreed that your firm, (name of firm) , will
provide the technical support for the (name of project)
while we will provide the technical equipment, to your
specifications, and all funds necessary, up to (ceiling
amount) to complete the (intent)

If this meets with your understanding of our conversation,
please sign a copy of this letter and return it to my
office. Upon our receipt of this verified letter, we will
forward same to our attorneys for final contract drafting
and revisions.

It was a pleasure speaking with you, and I hope to join you
soon for a toast to our mutual success in the (project)