Insurers Behaving (Very) Badly

I'd originally planned to post this as another in our "Stupid Carrier Tricks" series, but this strikes me as so egregious that the term "tricks" doesn't do it justice.

I still believe that most carriers follow the letter, if not the spirit, of the law when investigating and adjudicating claims. But I may have to rethink that position in light of this:

"During the private talks, church members confessed abortions, sexual orientation issues, drug addictions and other dark secrets.

No one knew the couple wasn't actually interested in joining the church. Instead, they were private investigators hoping two church members, Bill and Leandra Pitts, would spill something they could use to discredit the pair in an ongoing lawsuit over a traffic accident.

The private eyes even tape-recorded the sessions."

Turns out, the Pitts' were involved in an automobile accident, in which they were not at fault. They maxed out the at-fault driver's insurance, and apparently filed under their own underinsured motorists cover. Their own carrier, Progressive Northern Insurance Company (which, according to A M Best, is a subsidiary of "the" Progressive insurance folks) instigated this outrageous and morally indefensible action against their own insureds.

Words fail me.

Well, words appropriate for this family-friendly blog.

What these "investigators" were hoping to learn at a church-run encounter group escapes me, but they must have figured that their own ends justified this dastardly means.

It seems to me that Progressive owes the Pitts a public apology, and swift, unquestioning payment of their claim.

It's the very least they can do.

(H/T to Bill Montgomery, CIC)