Is Your Insurance Company Always Looking Out for Your Best Interest?
You think paying insurance premiums on time should get you the coverage you want, need and deserve. However, your insurance company is not always your friend and may not give you what you pay for. It may feel like you’re dealing with a claims adjuster who tends to drag out claims and refuses to provide everything they promise.
In such cases, you might need to have an experienced personal injury attorney on your side to get things resolved. Here are four of the most common situations in which an insurance company practices in what we call “bad faith.”
1. Denial
Scenario: After an auto accident, you provide your insurance company with all hospital records and medical expenses related to your injuries. The insurance company denies payment, claiming your policy does not cover those expenses even though a review of your policy shows otherwise.
You will likely spend quite a bit of time either confirming the merit of your claim or building your case. Shady insurance companies operating in bad faith may flatly deny payout of your claim. If weeks or months go by without payment or response, don’t hesitate to contact an attorney experienced in handling insurance companies to help get payment moving quickly on your behalf.
2. Delays
Scenario: After filing your claim, you wait for months for the adjuster to respond on the payments for your medical expenses. In the meantime, doctors are billing you for the treatment and medical care they have provided to help you recover from your accident injuries.
You and the other parties, including your doctors, are staying on point and keeping the insurance company informed about the details of your claim. Delay tactics by the insurance company are a common form of bad faith, especially when the incident is clearly covered by your policy. A reputable bad faith attorney can be your advocate to help get a timely response and payment on your claim.
3. Settling for Less
Scenario: Doctors referred you for physical therapy so you can recover from injuries sustained in your slip-and-fall accident. However, the insurance company is only willing to pay for a set number of physical therapy visits even though your policy covers the full treatment prescribed.
One of the most common occurrences of bad faith is when the insurance company is found delaying the process AND offering less than what your policy would cover. Their attempt to provide often delayed financial relief can be immediately satisfying, but it can often work against your long-term, best interests. While the idea of being in ‘good hands’ is common, in practice, it can become a point of contention when settlement day arrives. Dunnion Law is on your side to secure the settlement you deserve.
4. Failure to Pay
Scenario: You file an accident claim where the other party is found liable but is uninsured. Despite your uninsured policy coverage, your insurance company refuses to review the estimates and medical bills, and fails to pay your claim.
When both parties have come to an understanding and all necessary investigations have been completed, the insurance companies are obligated to finalize the resolution with a payout when required. If they don’t follow through on payment, regardless of whether you are the claimant or the party at fault, this is considered an act of bad faith and will likely require legal intervention on your behalf.
Who’s on Your Side? Dunnion Law in California!
These are just a few examples of common bad faith tactics that clients experience. You would think that paying insurance premiums in a timely manner would get you the coverage you want, need and deserve. However, your insurance company is not always your friend and may not give you what you pay for. Your claims adjuster might tend to drag out claims and refuse to provide everything they promise.
It can be difficult to know for certain whether your insurance company is practicing in bad faith. In such cases, you might need to have an experienced personal injury attorney on your side to get things resolved.
If you suspect they might be, now is the time to schedule your free consultation with our experienced attorneys at Dunnion Law. Call today at 800-U-NEED-US or 800-863-3387 to get started.