Legal Question in Business Law in California

Denied employment based on my insurance company's refusal to cooperate

I was offered a well-paying job. One requirement is that I add the employer (a resort) to my auto insurance ''as a courtesy.'' The insurance company (USAA) has refused this same request, and said deragatory things about the employer, which is the same request apparently other insurance companies don't have a problem with. The employer is withdrawing their employment offer based on the refusal of my insurance company to cooperate and, likewise, refuses to bend its requirement that I add them to my policy. The result is I am out a job I need. Do I have any rights to keep my job, or do I have a case against either entity? I am sorry for putting this under ''Business Law'' but ''Employment Law'' is not an option offered by this website.


Asked on 1/27/09, 8:48 pm

3 Answers from Attorneys

Edward Hoffman Law Offices of Edward A. Hoffman

Re: Denied employment based on my insurance company's refusal to cooperate

The insurance company is not required to change your policy language when you ask it to, no matter how good your reasons for asking may be.

Adding the employer to the policy would significantly increase the insurer's risk. Your premium was calculated based upon the risk posed by you and any additional insureds you identified when you obtained your policy. Adding new insureds would materially change the agreement. It is not the sort of trivial change you seem to think it is. That the employer called this change a mere "courtesy" does not mean the insurer had to see it the same way.

If getting the job was that important to you, you could have obtained insurance from another company that would agree to cover the employer. You might have had to forfeit the unused portion of the premium you already paid to the first insurer, but if the new job paid as well as you say this loss would probably have paid for itself pretty quickly.

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Answered on 1/27/09, 9:00 pm
Michael Stone Law Offices of Michael B. Stone Toll Free 1-855-USE-MIKE

Re: Denied employment based on my insurance company's refusal to cooperate

Ever had a bad experience in a restaurant? It starts off bad and invariably gets worse. The fact that this employer is weird would soon manifest itself in other areas, there would be other unreasonable demands, and then you'd have to worry about whether to stay or get another job. It's not worth suing them over. Just be thankful you found out early.

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Answered on 1/27/09, 9:09 pm
Terry A. Nelson Nelson & Lawless

Re: Denied employment based on my insurance company's refusal to cooperate

Change insurance companies. You have no

'rights' to a job - you are an 'at will' employee.

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Answered on 1/28/09, 1:51 pm


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