Behind the polished branding and reassuring slogans of America’s insurance industry lies a system that one former insider describes as ruthless, dehumanizing, and relentlessly profit-driven — even in the face of illness, poverty, and death.
A former employee of one of the largest insurance subrogation law firms in the United States has come forward with disturbing firsthand accounts of how insurance companies aggressively pursue money from individuals, often with little regard for truth, responsibility, or basic human dignity.
“It Didn’t Matter If America Stayed a Democracy”
According to the former employee, senior executives openly bragged about the company’s ability to continue extracting money from people regardless of how unstable the country became.
“One high-level person was bragging that even if America stopped being a democracy, insurance companies — especially theirs — would still be making money,” the former worker recalled.
The focus, they said, was not survival or responsibility, but endless expansion. There was “no such thing as having enough,” even though top executives were already so wealthy that multiple future generations would never need to work.
The company’s mindset, the former employee said, resembled a parasite — one that never stops feeding.
Subrogation: Turning Insurance Into a Weapon
At the heart of the operation was insurance subrogation — a legal process that allows insurers to recover money from third parties after paying a claim. In theory, subrogation ensures fairness. In practice, according to this insider, it became a mechanism for relentless harassment.
“My job was to call people and get money from them,” the former employee said. “At best, we hounded them. At worst, we harassed them.”
Collectors were encouraged to see people not as humans, but as financial targets. Empathy was viewed as weakness. Humanity was treated as inefficiency.
“I sat at my desk many times thinking, ‘I’m just a debt collector.’”
When the System Targets the Dying
One case still haunts the former employee.
A woman flagged in the system as “lying” had been repeatedly contacted. When the employee finally spoke to her, she interrupted the scripted call with devastating clarity.
“I’m on hospice,” the woman said. “I’m dying. I’m in my sister’s living room, in a medical bed.”
Her sister soon came on the phone, pleading for the calls to stop.
“I didn’t know what to say,” the former employee recalled. “It was one of the lowest points of my life.”
Despite the circumstances, the system had continued flagging her for collection.
Incentivized Greed, Punished Humanity
The company’s financial structure rewarded collectors for extracting the maximum possible amount of money. Workers were paid commission based on fees — not fairness.
If a debtor made regular payments, collectors earned 15–20% of that money. If a case was settled for a lower amount, commissions dropped.
“The system was set up so that if we showed humanity, we were screwing ourselves over.”
Employees who tried to help people — by verifying insurance coverage or correcting mistakes — were reprimanded.
One colleague bluntly told the former employee to stop caring.
“You’re poor,” the coworker said. “Focus on winning, not helping them.”
Ignoring Proof, Ruining Lives
The former employee described multiple cases where evidence clearly showed that individuals were not responsible — yet collections continued anyway.
In one case, a woman was pursued for flood damage even though documentation proved the fault belonged to the apartment above her. When the employee tried to escalate the issue for review, management refused.
“No, she’s guilty,” they were told.
Calls continued.
“You really can’t hide,” the former employee said.
The firm used data-scraping tools to build detailed dossiers on people — calling ex-spouses, relatives, and anyone connected to a phone number until they found someone to pressure.
Harassment as Strategy
Collectors were trained in manipulation techniques.
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Threatening legal consequences that weren’t actually enforceable
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Suggesting states might “change the law” to scare people
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Encouraging people to quit smoking or sell personal items
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Advising them to take out high-interest credit cards or loans
“It’s an endless loop of misery,” the former employee said.
Some coworkers openly mocked claimants. One collector celebrated after making a woman cry. Others discussed lying tactics during morning meetings.
The cruelty, the former employee said, was normalized.
“This Is Why People Hate Insurance Companies”
What shocked the former employee most was how easily coworkers shifted between cruelty and normalcy — screaming at desperate people on the phone, then casually chatting over coffee about weekend plans.
The system rewarded greed. It punished compassion.
“This company has ruined people’s lives,” the former employee said. “Completely. Undeniably.”
And the memory that lingers most?
The dying woman on hospice.
“She didn’t deserve this,” they said. “Nobody does.”