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 Insurance Fraud Hotline Australia

 

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156 Responses to Seen something interesting?

  1. WorkcoverVictim July 12, 2012 at 11:22 AM #

    A recent study of employer fraud published by Professor Leonard Jernigan, of {[American] NC Central University School of Law, reveals that employer fraud continues to be a major problem. Jernigan’s latest report describes The Top Ten Cases of 2011.
    “Companies are cheating the government out of billions of dollars a year. It baffles me why we never hear about this, especially when, just by prosecuting these bad actors for defrauding the system, states could close large portions of their budget deficits without raising taxes or cutting spending, the overall cost of the workers’ compensation system would be lower, and costs to law abiding employers would be less.”

    Reply
  2. workcovervictim3 July 12, 2012 at 12:05 PM #

    Victoria delivers on WorkCover premium cuts
    3 July 2012

    The Victorian Government has claimed success in reducing costs for thousands of Victorian businesses with significant reduction to the cost of WorkCover premiums that took effect at the start of the week.

    State Treasurer Kim Wells said the cuts will see almost 50 per cent of Victorian businesses benefit from a $57 million reduction.

    “WorkCover premiums have been reduced from 1.338 per cent of employers’ remuneration to 1.289 per cent,” Mr Wells said.

    “This will save three per cent on the average insurance premium rate for Victorian workplace injury insurance and will see premiums reduced by more than 10 per cent for almost 59,000 businesses.”

    Mr Wells said Victoria had the lowest workplace injury insurance premiums in Australia and the lowest rate of workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths of all states.

    “Reducing the number of injuries each year and encouraging employers and injured workers to look for opportunities to return to work are crucial in reducing the costs of running the scheme,” Mr Wells said.

    “Cost savings can then be passed on to employers in the form of reduced premiums. Like any form of insurance, good performers see the benefits, while others pay more if their own performance, or that of the industry in which they operate, deteriorates.”

    Mr Wells said WorkCover premium reduction would help attract investment to Victoria and would enhance the state’s reputation as a good place to do business.
    http://www.hrcareer.net.au/news/victoria-delivers-on-workcover-premium-cuts

    Reply
  3. workcovervictim3 July 12, 2012 at 12:06 PM #

    Queensland WorkCover gets a new board

    Email Print

    2 July 2012

    Queensland’s new Liberal-National Party government has placed its stamp on the state’s WorkCover authority and its controlling body Q-COMP with the appointment of new boards to both organisations.

    WorkCover is now chaired by former Law Council of Australia President Glenn Ferguson with new directors Justin O’Connor, Ian Winterburn, John Crittall, Ian Leavers, Barry Leahy and Melinda Bailey.

    Only Ms Bailey, a finance and strategy specialist, has survived from the old board, which was chaired by Gladstone Ports Corporation Chairman Ian Brusasco and included union heavyweights Bill Ludwig and Ron Monaghan.

    Q-COMP is now chaired by Telstra legal counsel Flavia Gobbo with Peter Dowling, Beres Wenck, Stephen Tait, David Harrison and Simon Blackwood taking board positions.

    Queensland Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie says the new boards “will bring strong business and legal experience to the table”.

    “This changing of the guard is an opportunity for the Government to better meet the needs of business and address increasing premiums.”

    WorkCover Queensland covers 89% of the state’s employees.
    http://insurancenews.com.au/regulatory-government/queensland-workcover-gets-a-new-board

    Reply
  4. workcovervictim July 12, 2012 at 12:08 PM #

    Victoria’s WorkCover board will have three empty seats to fill with chief executive Greg Tweedly leaving the authority on Friday. The state government has not filled two other seats on the board which have been vacant for more than 12 months.
    6 July 2012
    http://afr.com/p/national/vic_workcover_board_has_three_empty_pWqNxmDRyw9vIJtiXbBTyL

    Reply
  5. WorkcoverVictim July 17, 2012 at 10:42 AM #

    Now humor is being used on an even more unlikely topic: suicide prevention.

    A Light Approach to a Grim Issue: Suicide Prevention

    Read the article

    Reply
  6. WorkcoverVictim July 26, 2012 at 10:37 AM #

    Workcover and stress

    When we think of WorkCover claims we tend to think of physical injuries but there are also dozens of claims each week in South Australia that are not physical but entirely mental.

    The cost of psychological damage to workers is now a growing issue for WorkCover.

    In the last financial year there were more than 1500 claims that cost the scheme almost $50 million dollars.

    It’s prompted the former State Employee Ombudsman, Gary Collis and Greg Conner, the General Manager of Employees Mutual Limited (EML) to run series of seminars to try and alleviate the problem.

    They dropped into the 891 studios and spoke to Mornings host Ian Henschke before they headed off on a tour of South Australia.
    Listen to the audio here.

    Reply
  7. WorkcoverVictim July 29, 2012 at 9:13 AM #

    Senior officials can spy on whistleblower site: CLP

    By Jano Gibson

    Posted March 24, 2010

    The Northern Territory shadow Attorney General says it is alarming that emails sent via the Government’s whistleblowers website can be accessed by senior Government officials.

    The blow-the-whistle website was set up by the Territory Government to encourage people to expose improper conduct and corruption.

    But the website advises in bold red writing that sensitive information should only be provided face-to-face or over the phone.

    Jodeen Carney says this is because government officials can read emails sent via the website.

    “If that doesn’t ring alarm bells, I don’t know what would,” she said.

    “And importantly it does call into question the security of the NT Government email system.”

    A spokesperson for the Attorney General, Delia Lawrie, declined to comment.

    WTF!!!!???

    Thank you Trinny for sharing this one ;)

    Reply
  8. WorkcoverVictim July 29, 2012 at 9:17 AM #

    On 21 May 2012 the Victorian Government commenced an inquiry into the absence of professional standards in the Australian (including Victorian) legal profession, and at the broad intersection of the legal profession with the upper benches of all three branches of State and Federal government (benches that these days look like little more than an exclusive lawyers club).

    This unprecedented and history making trial resumes at 10.00 am on Friday 6 July 2012 and will be held at 55 King Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ..

    VICTIMS OF LAWYEROCRACY – VICTIM IMPACT REGISTER

    All Australians who have suffered loss or damage at the hands of negligent (or worse) solicitors are encouraged to download, complete and register a Victim Impact Statement (see VICTIM IMPACT REGISTER PAGE on this blog).

    This is an Australia-wide problem of inequality and privilege “above the law” status between ordinary Australians (“lay people”) and Australian lawyers. So Victims from all States and Territories are encouraged to complete and file a Victim Impact Statement.

    Since an immediate priority is to convince State Premiers and Territory Chief Ministers that lawyers cannot be left to regulate themselves (see what happens, since 2004 if they do …) “double victims” (those who have been let down by their lawyers (or worse) and then had their faces slapped (or worse) by the Legal Services Commissioner / Board in their State are especially encouraged to come forward with your stories.

    For more information, visit http://lawyerocracyontrial.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/lawyerocracy-on-trial-resumes-6-july-2012-state-of-foul-play/

    Again, thank you Trinny for finding this most interesting development.

    Reply
  9. WorkcoverVictim August 2, 2012 at 10:02 AM #

    Dentist found guilty of injury still registered

    A DENTIST who carried out nearly $75,000 worth of dental work on a patient – despite knowing it was unnecessary and would be ineffective – is still able to practise despite the NSW Supreme Court yesterday ordering him to pay more than $1.7 million in damages for intentional injury.

    Mark Phung, whose practice is in the south-west suburb of Beverly Hills, saw patient Todd Dean 53 times in one year after Mr Dean was struck on the chin by a piece of wood in a workplace accident in 2001.

    Though the court found Mr Dean suffered only ”limited damage to a small number of otherwise healthy teeth” after his accident, Phung fitted all his teeth with metal crowns, performed numerous root canals and inserted bridging.

    But despite the finding, Phung is still listed as ”registered” by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency because the issue of his registration needs to be dealt with separately before the Dental Tribunal.
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    The court described Mr Dean’s treatment as ”entirely unnecessary and ineffective to address the plaintiff’s problems” and said ”the dentist must have known that to be so when he embarked on the course of ‘treatment”’.

    In a report tabled as evidence, consultant dentist Andrew Howe said: ”All of Dr Phung’s treatment for Mr Dean would be described as inexcusably bad and completely outside the bounds of what any reputable dental practitioner might perform.”

    After the court last year ordered Phung to pay almost $1.4 million in damages, he continued to practise. Yesterday’s ruling upped those damages to nearly $1.8 million to account for non-economic costs to Mr Dean after Phung was found to have fraudulently represented procedures to him for financial gain and knowingly caused harm.

    July 26 2012

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/dentist-found-guilty-of-injury-still-registered-20120725-22r22.html#ixzz22LHiohPD

    Reply
  10. workcovervictim August 6, 2012 at 8:15 PM #

    Reexamining workers’ compensation: A human rights perspective

    Injured workers, particularly those with more severe injuries, have long experienced workers’ compensation systems as stressful and demeaning, have found it difficult to obtain benefits, and, when able to obtain benefits, have found them inadequate. Moreover, the last two decades have seen a substantial erosion of the protections offered by workers’ compensation. State after state has erected additional barriers to benefit receipt, making the workers’ compensation experience even more difficult and degrading. These changes have been facilitated by a framing of the political debate focused on the free market paradigm, employer costs, and worker fraud and malingering. The articles in this special issue propose an alternate framework and analysis, a human rights approach, that values the dignity and economic security of injured workers and their families. Am. J. Ind. Med. 55:483–486, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajim.22054/full

    Reply
  11. Pauline Pope August 8, 2012 at 1:34 PM #

    I noticed that Anthony Lamontaine from Melbourne Uni has been doing excellent research into workplace depression. His research has indicated that Workcover figures really underate the reality with as many as 30,000 claims a year being rejected – and that’s just for workplace depression, and does not include post traumatic stress, anxiety and other disorders often caused by bullying and stress.
    http://archive.uninews.unimelb.edu.au/view-58853.html

    Reply
  12. workcovervictim August 11, 2012 at 5:50 PM #

    Workcover Queensland:
    Kindly shared by Jason Dickson

    Workcover Inquiry, send this to anybody that has had any problems with the Queensland Workers’ Compensation scheme, Q-comp, Medical professionals, solicitors, employeers or anyone else that is involved in the Workcover scheme.

    This is the publics chance to be heard, so do your best to get this out there.

    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4497367839110

    Reply
  13. workcovervictim3 August 16, 2012 at 10:58 AM #

    Pain sufferer won’t leave Confederation Building

    A Newfoundland man has been sitting in his truck outside Confederation Building since Thursday morning demanding the province do something to help him deal with his chronic pain.

    Stephen Marrie said he is in pain from a workplace injury that happened in the Northwest Territories more than four years ago. He injured his neck when he fell working on a construction job in Yellowknife.
    Marrie has been outside Confederation Building since Thursday morning. Marrie has been outside Confederation Building since Thursday morning. (CBC)

    The N.W.T. Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission is technically responsible for his case but Marrie feels this province should do something to help him.

    He said he wants the government to help pay for upgrades recommended in his home that would make life easier.

    “I’m not leaving this hill until the government here can step in and help me,” said Marrie from the driver’s seat of his blue pickup truck, alongside his dog Joe.

    Marrie has had three surgeries to help his neck since the accident but, he said, the procedures haven’t made the pain go away.

    “I’ve never been so ashamed to be a Newfoundlander,” he said. “For what happened to me, I’m going to make sure it doesn’t happen to no one else in this province.”

    Marrie is from Mount Carmel, St. Mary’s Bay.

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2012/08/10/nl-pain-man-staying-confederation-810.html

    Makes me wonder if we (injured workers) should go and sit ‘somewhere’ together (i.e. insurer building) till we get what we’re legally entitled to!

    Reply
  14. WorkcoverVictim August 23, 2012 at 9:31 AM #

    Almost half of Australian workers would rather quit a job than deal with office tension, a survey shows.

    The poll, commissioned by suicide prevention group RU OK?, found bosses often lacked the skills to discuss difficult issues.

    This was also adversely affecting the mental health of employees, to the point where 46 per cent of people surveyed would rather seek a new job than deal with a workplace issue.

    A similar proportion would take a day off when work became unpleasant.
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    The Centre for Corporate Health, which carried out the survey, said unresolved workplace tension could trigger mental illness.

    “We know that once a workplace conflict occurs and if it is not dealt with quickly and appropriately, there is a much higher chance of employees developing psychological problems at work,” the centre’s director of psychological services Rachel Clements said.

    Two-thirds of the 1554 people surveyed said they were unhappy with their managers while 82 per cent said they felt uncomfortable approaching human resources about a workplace problem.

    RU OK? Foundation chief executive Janina Nearn said workplace conflict would escalate unless “seemingly small” issues were addressed.

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/management/half-of-aussie-workers-would-rather-quit-20120822-24lnz.html#ixzz24Jx12F45

    Reply
  15. workcovervictim August 23, 2012 at 11:28 AM #

    Thanks to our co-warrior, Trinny:

    Jet Fuel and F-111 Aircraft Fuel Tank Maintenance Workers

    Here’s the stuff they won’t tell you. Four years ago one of these men was treated for a blood clotting disorder on our ward. I had the privilege of reading the report from the RAAF. The list of chemicals they were exposed was pages. Some chemical I had never heard their names previously. As I was told much of these chemicals were store in glass jars on a shelf. These chemicals were used to clean out fuel tanks on planes. Un marked and poorly protected when using these “unknown substances” this guy being admitted to our hospital ward started this controversy. At that point the government was not going to compensate these men for these illnesses. Interesting reading.

    http://theaussiedigger.com/TheAussieDiggerForum/index.php?topic=114.0

    Reply
    • workcovervictim August 23, 2012 at 11:30 AM #

      WorkCover probes NSW cancer outbreak

      The NSW government’s WorkCover agency is investigating a heightened incident of cancer at a coal loading facility in the state’s Hunter region.

      A report has found that workers at a Port Waratah Coal Service site in Newcastle were three times more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than the general population.

      The University of Newcastle study of 859 people who worked at Kooragang Island between 1983 to 2006 found that 63 employees had been diagnosed with cancer. Of those, 58 were men.

      Melanoma, prostate and bowel cancers were the most common, making up nearly two thirds of cases detected, the research commissioned by the company found.

      A WorkCover spokesman said the agency had been in contact with the Department of Health and the Office of Environment and Heritage to make a preliminary assessment of the report findings.

      “WorkCover will continue its active involvement in the issues that have been raised in the report,” the spokesman said.

      Epidemiology professor John Attia, who led the research, said the risk of Kooragang Island workers being diagnosed with cancer was in the mid-range of hazardous workplaces.

      “This is probably the range where the risk can be managed,” Professor Attia told AAP.

      The report compared the Kooragang Island work site to the ABC’s Toowong studio in Brisbane where up to 18 women who worked at the site developed breast cancer between 1994 and 2006.

      It also examined the Amberley RAAF base case in Queensland, where 1400 Defence personnel had health problems linked to maintenance work on F-111 fighter bombers. {see previous comment)

      Professor Attia said workers exposed to asbestos were three times more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than workers at Kooragang Island.

      The Maritime Union of Australia’s Newcastle branch secretary Glen Williams on Friday called for an immediate investigation into the cause of the cancer outbreak.

      http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8502364/union-wants-to-investigate-cancer-cluster

      Reply
  16. workcovervictim3 August 24, 2012 at 12:13 PM #

    Messy world of union politics

    IN THE volatile and often murky world of union politics, setting up an account to fund union election campaigns is common.

    Senior union officials who spoke to The Age yesterday said the way to manage the money raised was often basic, with a bank account set up so that officials and organisers could deposit some of their pay on a fortnightly or monthly basis. That could be as little as $10 or $20 a week.

    Most unions did this on an informal basis, they said, based on trust between those who donated money.

    The idea behind it is sound – to avoid corruption and the use of union money in elections or funds from other questionable sources.
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    Another way is the creation of the sort of legal entity that is the centre of the controversy surrounding Julia Gillard and her time as a Slater & Gordon lawyer representing the Australian Workers Union in the 1990s.

    Ms Gillard yesterday strongly defended her role in the creation of the Australian Workplace Reform Association. That association was allegedly used by her former partner and AWU official Bruce Wilson to scam money from big building companies.

    ”The purpose of the association was to support the re-election of a team of union officials. It was my understanding that the association would engage in fund-raising activities,” Ms Gillard said.

    ”I had no involvement in the working of the association. I provided advice in relation to its establishment and that was it.”

    Union leaders are extremely hard to dislodge from office, often benefiting from member apathy and the benefits of incumbency. When elections do occur, they can be vicious, with large sums of money flowing in all directions.

    They can also become proxy wars for factional numbers within the Labor Party or the union movement. In some cases companies have funded an alternative – and more business friendly – union leadership. It can be a bitter and nasty environment.

    So Ms Gillard’s stated reason for helping set up the association – as a fighting fund for union officials – is perfectly reasonable and ethical.

    But less convincing were her responses to questions about the original purpose of that AWU association. Its application documents and an advertisement from The West Australian state it was for the development of safer workplaces.

    That does not sound like an election fighting fund. Ms Gillard’s response yesterday was more lawyerly than her aggressive and bluntly effective language throughout the rest of the media conference.

    She said her ”understanding” was that the purpose of the association was to fund the re-election of officials ”committed to reforming workplaces in a certain way, to increasing occupational health and safety, to improving the conditions of the members of the union”.

    No evidence has emerged that suggests Ms Gillard knew otherwise. Only a few could possibly contradict her, including her former partner, Mr Wilson. But that won’t silence the critics.

    http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/messy-world-of-union-politics-20120823-24p13.html

    Reply
  17. workcovervictim August 25, 2012 at 7:42 AM #

    Hard to believe but according to the Herald Sun A MAN agreed to be shot in the shoulder by his mate in a staged robbery at a shopping centre, in a desperate attempt to gain a compensation payout, police have claimed.

    A 20-year-old man was yesterday arrested over the June shooting outside the Park Beach Plaza at Coffs Harbour and charged with aggravated robbery with wounding, firing a firearm in or near public place, and dishonestly obtain financial advantage.

    The 21-year-old friend he is alleged to have shot is being questioned over the shooting.

    Police will allege the 20-year-old man shot another man in the shoulder so the “victim” could make a fraudulent workers compensation claim.

    He was refused bail in Coffs Harbour Local Court yesterday.

    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/man-shot-his-mate-for-compo-claim/story-fndo317g-1226456922993

    Would be interesting to hear the FULL FACT !

    Reply
  18. WorkcoverVictim August 25, 2012 at 8:40 AM #

    Workers’ comp denied because he looked for too many new jobs

    [I would not be surprised if that were to happen here in Australia too!]

    States require workers’ comp applicants to seek appropriate employment before they’re awarded wage-loss benefits. In this case, a commission ruled a worker sought too many jobs and therefore wasn’t eligible for comp benefits. The employee appealed.

    Michigan requires workers’ comp applicants to satisfy four steps before qualifying for wage replacement benefits. The injured worker must:

    disclose his work qualifications, including education, skills, experience and training
    prove what jobs he is qualified and trained to perform within the same salary range as his maximum earning capacity at the time of his injury
    show his work-related injury prevents him from performing some or all of the jobs identified, and
    show he can’t obtain any of the jobs if he is capable of performing.

    In this case, Joe Holmes was a high school graduate. He had worked mostly as a general laborer before being injured, including construction, maintenance, janitorial and assembly line work.

    The most he ever earned was $11.50 per hour. At his last job before his injury, he earned $9.50 per hour.

    He had no special qualifications or training to speak of.

    To satisfy the four steps under the state’s workers’ comp law, Holmes tried to find a new job by registering at Michigan Works and putting his resume online. He reported to Michigan Works regularly to search for new jobs and sent out resumes for all listed jobs. He also applied directly for other jobs. Some of the jobs he applied for: a truck rental agency, pet control and video stores.

    Holmes never saw jobs posted which paid what he made at the time of his injury, let alone the maximum wage he once earned.

    When he applied for workers’ comp wage replacement, a magistrate granted the request.
    Was he too ‘unfocused’?

    On review, the Workers’ Compensation Appellate Commission (WCAC) overturned the magistrate’s ruling. The WCAC said Holmes failed to establish the appropriate range of jobs required by step 2.

    Specifically, the WCAC said Holmes’ job search was “unfocused,” or, in other words, too broad. It wasn’t limited to jobs for which he could likely be hired.

    The WCAC denied the request for wage replacement. In effect, it said Holmes’ unfocused job search had caused him to look for too many jobs.

    Holmes took his case to a state appeals court.

    The court noted that Michigan case law called for denial of workers’ comp wage replacement benefits for applicants whose job searches are too restricted.

    The court said if Holmes’ job search had been too narrow, it would have been proper to deny his application for wage replacement benefits.

    But that wasn’t the case. The court said Holmes shouldn’t be punished for applying for what might be considered too broad a range of jobs.

    The appeals court sent the case back to the WCAC with an order to award Holmes wage-loss benefits.

    What do you think about the WCAC’s and the appeal court’s opinions? Let us know in the comments below.

    (Holmes v. ET4 Inc., State of MI Court of Appeals, No. 303954, 8/2/12)

    http://www.safetynewsalert.com/workers-comp-denied-because-he-looked-for-too-many-new-jobs/

    Reply
  19. Phil August 25, 2012 at 9:40 AM #

    There should be no arguement on the words focussed or unfocussed. The injury or the frustration due to the injury could be a contributing factor for being unfocussed. It is also the responsibilty of insurer or rehabilitation provider to provide a suitable appropriate plan.

    Appropriate issues should be:
    1. Whether worker sustained injury?
    2. has the worker suffered any financial loss due to the injury?
    3. Has the worker taken reasonable actions to mitigate the loss?

    The word “reasonable” does not mean “precise” actions – such as apply 3 or 4 jobs every week in the similar role and remain unemployed for the rest of your life.

    Reply
  20. workcovervictim August 28, 2012 at 7:43 PM #

    Seems that our friends at Ahhlianz are also ripping off car insurance!

    Allianz Australia Insurance Limited
    Complaint 151262 Details

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    Date Occurred:11/30/2011
    Reported Damages:$41,541.00

    Allianz Australia Insurance Limited Complaint / User Submitted Image #151262
    Allianz Australia Insurance Limited Complaint / User Submitted Image #151262

    Dispute Details
    Name of financial services provider: Allianz Australia Insurance Limited
    Type of financial service: General Insurance
    Special assistance:
    Issue: FSP Decision
    Interpreter:
    How did you find out about us?: FSP I have a dispute with
    Financial services provider’s reference type: Claim no.
    Financial services provider’s reference number: 1710129838
    Date the dispute was first lodged with the FSP: 13/12/2011
    Have you received a written response: Yes
    Has the financial services provider commenced legal proceedings: No
    Details of your dispute: There was a police report of the accident. Allianz acknowledged that their policyholder smashed into and, by their assessment, wrote off our parked vehicle. Our Vehicle is a large commercial vehicle.(Ford Transit van, LWB, High Top, Diesel motor) with only 43,000 kilometers. The Compliance plate is Stamped May 2003 VIN# WFOLXXGBFL3D13578. It also had $1000 worth of Signwriting as it was used as a critical part of our annual Christmas products sales from our warehouse which were significantly down because of the loss of use of the vehicle as a very large sign. The vehicle was in very good condtion having only been driven by our directors since we purchased it new in July 2003 and had never been involved in an accident befor. Alliance used their regular sub-contractor to provide a low ball assesment of its market value based on its age. They slyly offered around $14,500 by phone and then later increased their offer to around $16,641 saying they had taken into account its low mileage and good condition. When I again complained Alliance invited me to justify a higher current market value, stipulating that comparison vehicles could not include comparisons from vehicles offered from car dealers as such prices could be inflated. (Whist their assessor said told me he valued it based on a same year model vehicle that he said he found offered by a car dealer) A diesal Transit Van is typically not replaced untill it has done very high mileage. And new 2012 models are almost exactly the same specifications as they were in 2003 models, apart from their current Condition. EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER BEEN INVOLVED WITH SUCH COMMERCIAL VEHICLES KNOWS THAT THEIR SECOND HAND VALUE AND REPLACEMENT VALUE IS DETERMINED PRIMARILY BY THEIR MILEAGE AND CONDITION. NOT BY THEIR AGE 2003 models available for sale at the time were offered for $16000 to $18000, however they were with over 220,000 Kilometers. (IE end of normal life). Nobody would swap a vehicle with 43,000K for a clapped out o
    What do you think is a fair and reasonable resolution to the dispute?: THey offer $16,641.00. We offered to accept $32,000 + 1000 sign writing, + $2541 loss of use + current estimated $6000 net loss of business. Total $41,541

    Best Allianz (the Insurance company of the Year) could offer was
    Market Value – $19,300.00
    Less Salvage – $1,350.00
    Settlement – $17,950.00

    They require me to sell the wreck and the best offer i have has is $200. So they lied about its wreckage value

    I complaine to the so called insurance ombudsman, however it turns out that our pathetic government allows the insurance companies to provide an ombudsman totally funded by them ( a clear conflict of interest) who rejected my complaint because we are a company one of their many available reasons for not even considering complaints.
    The NSW Financial Ombudsman Service is a total scam on the Public.
    http://www.scambook.com/report/view/151262/Allianz-Australia-Insurance-Limited-Complaint-151262-for-$41,541.00

    Reply
  21. Pauline Pope August 30, 2012 at 12:59 PM #

    Here’s a song we can all relate to, thanks to my Facebook friend Viola Wilkins.

    “Oregon” longshoreman Harry Stamper wrote this song after his boss asked him to put his life at risk one day on the docks. “Why don’t you get in there?” shouted Harry’s boss. “Why don’t you just lay down in the driveway and lick your balls?” replied Harry. Thanks to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Harry was able to appeal his firing and get his job back. It was determined that Harry would have been killed if he had listened to his boss.
    Working at this job is dirty and dangerous And I’m taking risks anyway.
    Oh, if I had the time and the proper equipment, I could do my job safely each day.
    Everybody here says they’re sticklers for safety, -and I’m not here to say that they lie;
    I’m saying we just come to work here – We don’t come to die.

    Now I don’t want your chemicals clouding my brain, I want to keep all of my fingers and toes.
    I want to hear those cheers with both of my ears, When my working days come to a close.
    Work that I do here is dangerous enough Don’t you rush me and I’m telling you why
    “We just come to work here – We don’t come to die.”

    Now, while you’re up there talking in an air-conditioned office
    On a telephone that’s OSHA-approved,
    Go on and tell me how much you’ve been spending on safety,
    Pardon me – I’m not moved.

    There’s only one way to put an end to the slaughter, Just look your boss right in the eye,
    And say: «We just come to work here – We don’t come to die »

    Now, you know, we sat still through eight years of Reagan, watched OSHA brought down to its knees
    Saw lots of union busting and watched our plants rusting, while our jobs were shipped overseas.
    Sixty thousand workers that we buried last year found the cost of doing business too high.
    We just come to work here – We don’t come here to die.

    Now, while you’re up there talking in an air-conditioned office
    On a telephone that’s OSHA-approved,
    Go on and tell me how much you’ve been spending on safety,
    -Pardon me – I’m not moved.
    There’s only one way to put an end to the slaughter, just look your boss right in the eye,
    Tell him « We just come to work here – We don’t come to die,

    We just come to work here – We don’t come to die »

    Reply
    • workcovervictim September 9, 2012 at 9:36 AM #

      Pauline – I LOVE this song! Should be plastered on every workplace’s wall(s)!

      Reply
  22. Walter P Goat September 9, 2012 at 8:17 AM #

    http://www.tradeleaks.com/leak/171/

    Above is a link to a site which some allianz insiders and ex workers frequent

    Reply
    • workcovervictim September 9, 2012 at 9:35 AM #

      Thank you for sharing this treasure mate!

      Reply
  23. Walter P Goat September 9, 2012 at 8:19 AM #

    Please note the reference to goats lol :-)

    Reply
  24. Walter P Goat September 9, 2012 at 3:12 PM #

    Its my pleasure Lisa :-)
    WPG

    Reply
  25. workcovervictim September 15, 2012 at 12:20 PM #

    A loyal reader shared some interesting video series. The injured worker writes “I stumbled across some information that I found & watched maybe a year ago. I had completely forgotten about them, but at the time, I spent over a few days, quite a lot of hours watching the clips…”

    http://www.youtube.com/user/NCthepishow

    http://www.nowickicarbone.com.au/media.html

    http://www.youtube.com/user/TVLAWSHOW/videos

    Reply
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