Need some advice and info

[Vonniea613]

What is the name of your state? Florid
I made a posting sevaral days ago - been veiwed several times but no replies.
So here is the revised question:
Can the company I am leased to legally make me pay for contingent liability?They are in Alabama - I am in Florida
My understanding is that this > contingent liability < protects them from us sueing them - so why should I pay for that?
is it legal for them to "sell" me insurance and not have a copy of the policy handy? I have bought plenty of Ins. in my life and ALWAYS got a policy that showed my charges and coverages. They actually thought I would go for that idea?
On that sme note is it legal for them to payroll deduct for this policy that they cannot show me or any other of their drivers as they have no copy of the Policy in their office ( they have to call the agent...)
Was it legal for them to tell me to cancel a policy I had with another agent
but with the same company (AIG). They said I had to take theirs because it included the contingent liability. They even called my agent to explain that if I didn't cancel my policy and take their Ins that my lease would be cancellled and since doing this they have not gotten back to me because I argued with them over the contingent liabilty inclusion and price increase becasue of that inclusion, so now we have no coverage (this is for occupational ins.)
This now leaves me with no Policy at all, and no coverage for myself because they made me cancell- are they liable if something happens?
After raising heck with them for 2 - 3 days they decided this week not to payroll deduct anybody - I almost think they didn't have a policy to start with but are in the process of getting one but that still leaves me with the fact that they want me to pay for their contingent liability Ins and I really don't think I should have to - that would be like me paying for their building Ins, or their company car Ins. We own our truck and we pay all expenses and all our Ins. policies and they get 30% off every load we pull for them, I think they can pay their own Ins.

 

[shortbus]

Perhaps you haven't gotten a reply because it's extremely difficult to figure out what your question is.

 

[Vonniea613]

does this make it clearer for you to answer

I asked several questions and I need several answers becuase I believe we are getting screwed by the company we are leased to. We own a tractor/trailer. The leaseholder told us we had a week to get Occupational Ins. He offered a plan through AIG for $43 a week. We found a plan through AIG the was almost 40 a quarter ( for 3 months) cheaper and we took it and got it all done before the week passed. End of the week he says our policy is not good enough - so I go through the routine of comparing the piece of paper he gave us (not an actaul policy) to my actual policy and my policy is a whole lot better for us and cheaper too, he then says we have to take the one he is offering because HIS includes "contingent liablility". He tells me I must cancel my policy and he knows the peole who hold my policy and he speaks to them and tells them the deal about my having to have their policy or I lose my lease. My Ins. company refunds all my money in full - no prob there. But, I am still "iffy" about the contingent liability because I do not think that is an expense we should bear.So I questioned the matter again, the man is now angry - I ask him to fax me a copy of the policy so I can compare it to what I HAD - he doesn't have a policy - I asked was the contingent liabilty listed on the policy for the occupational ins. or was it separate policy - he doesn't know - I tell him if I am paying for it that it better be, I do not want to see it rolled in as "administrative fees" or hidden as some other cost, he'll have to call the agent he says. They had already started double deductions on some of the drivers that week and have no policy on hand to show any of us. ( That is almost 90 a week they wanted to take from us for a couple of months, they said) My policy was like 345 for an entire quarter! After my session with him and asking him if what they are doing is legal or not and him telling me he doesn't know because he is not a lawyer ... the company did not deduct from anyone this week (wonder why). That is alot of money to be taking from alot of people and not eb=ven a policy to back it up with. We have 6 drivers just at one location, that is over 2000 a month he was getting just from our location and he has more at the other location! He said the policy had to be paid a month in advance but he was going to bouble up on deductions for a few months, thats a pretty hefty sum of money he was taking. I asked for his agents number to speak with about quarterly payments like I had with my other company - he said they weren't set up to take credit cards he didn't think. but he also never gave me the number and it has been over a week and nothing else has been said about it to me.
Theses are the questions below if anyone can help - we are a bunch of truck drivers, trying to make a living to support our families, but paying for a comanys >contingent liability< to cover them so we cannot sue them is a bit ludacris.
1. If we are providing our own occupational ins in lieu of having work comp isn't that good enough??????
2. If they want "coningent liability" coverage they should get it and they should pay it yes/no?????
3. Can the company I am leased to legally make me pay for contingent liability???????? They are in Alabama - I am in Florida
4. Is it legal for them to "sell" me insurance and not have a copy of the policy handy? I have bought plenty of Ins. in my life and ALWAYS got a policy that showed my charges and coverages. They actually thought I would go for that idea?
5. On that sme note is it legal for them to payroll deduct for this policy that they cannot show me or any other of their drivers as they have no copy of the Policy in their office?
6. Was it legal for them to tell me to cancel a policy I had with another agent even though it was with the comany HE specified in his memo - it just isn't through his broker
7. This now leaves me with no Policy at all, and no coverage for myself because they made me cancel- are they liable if something happens?
8. Am I not entitled to having the Agents name and number and to pay them directly, and ask questions about the policy? I thought as a consumer that it was my right to have that info and utilize it if I felt the need.

 

[shortbus]

I can't say I follow it 100%. But, the company can put insurance requirements on you as a condition of your contract. I assume you have a lease agreement, you should look at that.

However, it's fishy that they would insist you buy a certain type of insurance -- the only possible reason is because they're making money selling it to you and working hard to conceal the real cost.

I would consult some of tractor-owning colleagues on whether they've had a similar experience. I would then complain to either the Alabama or Florida consumer protection agencies, or any agency that specifically supervises these types of businesses (if such exists)

 

[Vonniea613]

yes, things just don't seem "right" to me either but getting answers pr knowing where tofind them is not an easy thing.
Our lease says that Ins. has to be approved by them - but we went with the same carrier they have, and got it cheaper and there is nothing on paper about the contingent liability at all. They just sent a fax that said the Occup Ins is 177 a month and the Contingent Liability will be like 10.07 a month - the policy they made me give up was 135 a month - its just crazy.