Hi everyone! My name is Madison Tompkins, but I prefer to be called Madi. This is my second semester as a fully online transfer student at UMassD majoring in Women’s and Gender Studies, and I am set to graduate in Spring 2021. I live in upstate New York where I work full time for a facility called Transitions through my county’s ARC chapter. What I do as a peer mentor is support young adults with learning differences to foster their independence in their professional, educational, and personal lives. Part of my job that is pretty different from most is my schedule, as I sleep overnights from Tuesday until Thursday every week at a supportive apartment to help further the learning experience outside of a classroom setting. I love my job despite its challenges, it is extremely rewarding and having four days off allows me to pursue my education.
When looking through the collection of feminist blogs, one that was familiar to me was Everyday Feminism. I have personally been on EF’s site before because I have followed it on social media for some time, but I also had experience in classes from my previous semester where some sources provided from my professor was from EF. This blog has a wide variety of feminist topics that is discussed by different feminist authors to provide more diverse standpoints into issues that one may not have an inside perspective on. I also feel that this site is also very informative, last semester I recall reading an article about the strategy “calling in” rather than calling out people for their wrongdoings. I feel as though I can take away from EF’s blog styling by researching multiple standpoints so that I can potentially provide more informative postings about different topics. One aspect of this blog that I hope to differ from is making the posts more personal. EF’s authors make their articles personal, but the blog as a whole has more community contributors, so I hope to make my blog more in depth into my personal experiences.
One environmental issue I believe is very relevant to where I live is water pollution. Where I live in New York, the Mohawk River runs through many of my neighboring towns and cities. According to a local news source The Daily Gazette, starting in 2016 to 2018 it is estimated that nearly 500,000 gallons of sewage was flowing into the Mohawk River due to overwhelmed sewage collection systems during storms or periods of increased runoff. During this time, the Department of Environmental Conservation urged people to avoid fishing and swimming in the river. Since then, New York State government has provided funding toward the Mohawk Valley watershed and to other cities impacted by the sewage flow. Growing up in towns along the Mohawk, I remember it always being littered with garbage and just a generally dirty body of water. Water pollution is a growing issue across the world with the prevalence of discussions surrounding cleaning up our oceans, but other smaller bodies of water are also suffering from the impacts of water pollution.
Coming into this class, I do admit that the concept of Ecofeminism is still foreign to me. I am intrigued to learn what this class has to offer on another standpoint of feminism, and I look forward to learning with everybody this semester!
Do You Really Need a Insurance Attorney for Insurance Disputes?
Insights, Evidence, and Practical Ways Out
A few years ago, I ended up in a position I never imagined: facing
a dispute with an insurance firm. At that time, I assumed the claim process would be straightforward,
since from the beginning I had met the requirements, collected
all documents, and kept up with premiums on time. But what happened shocked me.
The process became complicated, my claim was delayed multiple times, and in the end, it was rejected without a clear explanation.
From that ordeal, I started to understand that
in the world of insurance, depending only on good faith is often not enough.
There are complex legal aspects, policies with gray areas, and statutory frameworks that
are not familiar to the average person.
The question then arose: “When this happens, do I benefit from having a
specialized insurance lawyer?”
What Are Policy Disagreements and Why Do They Keep Arising?
When you pay attention, insurance disputes are fairly common. According to a survey by the
University of Indonesia, Faculty of Law (Santoso, 2021),
more than a significant percentage of consumer complaints in the financial
services sector over the last five years were related to insurance claims.
That figure is remarkably significant and shows that insurance issues are not just personal problems, but a
widespread issue.
Some recurring patterns include:
– Claims being turned down for reasons that are not properly explained.
– Claim payments taking months beyond the deadline.
– Differences in understanding between the written policy and actual practice.
– The insurer declared insolvent.
I remember clearly that the insurer at the time said my claim couldn’t be
processed because of an “exception in the policy.” Yet I had read the policy many times, and in my view,
that exception was irrelevant to my case.
What Does It Look Like to Go Against a Policy Provider Alone?
Honestly, it felt like going against a giant. I, as an individual,
had no real legal power, while the company had a legal
team, rules, and time.
I tried to contact the Financial Services Authority (OJK) to
file a report, but the process was drawn-out. There were mediations, clarification steps, and no guarantee it could all
be resolved swiftly.
In that condition, I felt blocked. Until eventually, I started looking into the services
of an insurance lawyer.
Can a Lawyer Actually Assist Insurance Disputes?
The short answer is: without doubt—and they can be remarkably helpful.
According to research from Airlangga University,
Graduate Program in Business Law (Rahman, 2020), consumers who were
assisted by lawyers in insurance disputes had 47% higher chances
of resolution compared to those who went through the process alone.
The reason is simple: lawyers are familiar
with legal loopholes, can decipher policies with a legal eye, and follow dispute resolution procedures both inside
and outside of court.
I once discussed this with a colleague who went through a similar
case. He used an attorney from PengacaraJustitia.com,
and he said the mediation process became much faster.
Even before reaching court, the insurance company chose to settle because the consumer’s position was significantly reinforced.
Do All Cases Have to Go to Court?
Not always. There are several ways to handle disputes:
Internal Insurance Mediation
Insurers usually have a complaint handling unit. Unfortunately, this option is
often ineffective if the issue is serious.
OJK Mediation
This can be done through OJK, but it can be slow.
Indonesian Insurance Mediation and Arbitration Board (BMAI)
BMAI is a formal organization that handles insurance
disputes. The process may be more efficient, but still, without
legal understanding, the results can be unsatisfactory.
District Court
The final route is the court, which is binding, but requires careful legal strategy.
According to a study by the Faculty of Law at Gadjah Mada University (Pradipta, 2019), more than 50% of insurance cases that reach court can be concluded positively if they are supported with a lawyer specializing
in insurance.
When Is the Proper Moment to Engage an Insurance Lawyer?
From my experience, the sooner, the better. Don’t postpone until the case becomes complicated and
your position weakens.
Some signs you must consider assistance:
– Claim denied without adequate explanation.
– Claim payout delayed.
– Indications that the company is not honest about
the policy.
– The insurer is in distress.
At that point, an insurance lawyer is no longer a optional
help, but a essential support.
Why Working With a Specialized Insurance Lawyer Matters
Imagine you have a serious medical condition—you’d be more confident being treated by a specialist, right?
The same principle applies to law. Not all lawyers are trained
in dealing with insurance companies.
Some platforms, like Jasa.PengacaraJustitia.com
or TemanHukum.com, specialize in insurance law.
They understand the fine print, and they understand what approaches are most effective.
For me personally, my first experience with a lawyer was eye-opening.
I realized that many consumer rights are often buried behind
dense legalese.
How Does It Affect Your Mental State and Financial Situation?
Before having a lawyer, I was often anxious every time I opened emails or
received calls from the insurance company.
It felt like ongoing strain.
But after having legal support, I could relax. I knew there was
someone who understood the law and would challenge any unfair treatment.
Financially, yes, there is a expense for legal services.
But compared to potential losses of tens or hundreds of millions from a failed claim,
the cost is negligible.
Conclusion: Don’t Second-Guess in Seeking
Professional Help
If you are currently facing issues with an insurance
company, don’t attempt without help for too long. The legal world is complex, and insurers
have years of experience in handling claims.
Based on personal experience and academic findings from various studies (Santoso,
2021; Rahman, 2020; Pradipta, 2019), consumers are clearly
more advantaged when assisted by a professional attorney.
In Indonesia, platforms like PengacaraJustitia.com, Jasa.PengacaraJustitia.com, and TemanHukum.com assist in resolving disputes.
They can help assert your rights.
Because ultimately, insurance is about safeguarding.
But when protection becomes a burden, we have the right
to take action correctly—through the law, with the right lawyer.