When someone has insurance, they expect providers to be on their side during the claims process. Unfortunately, the opposite often proves true. Sometimes, insurance companies handle claims inappropriately. Knowing how to spot a bad faith insurance claim helps individuals discover when they should seek legal help.
What Is Insurance Bad Faith?
Federal laws require insurance companies to operate in good faith when a policyholder makes a claim. An insurance policy is a contract between the policyholder and the insurance company. The policyholder pays their premiums each month. In turn, the insurance company provides payment, should a loss occur. Individuals dealing with a bad faith insurance claim need to visit raiznerlaw.com right away.
What Are Some Signs of a Bad Faith Insurance Claim?
A person must know about the signs they should look for to determine if a claim is in bad faith. An insurance company may be acting in bad faith if they exhibit the following.
- The insurance company takes unreasonably long to begin investigating an insurance claim.
- There is no thorough investigation of the claim.
- The insurance adjuster treats the policyholder poorly throughout the investigation.
- Insurance adjusters do not respond to emails, phone calls, or other forms of communication from the policyholder.
- Questions go unanswered regarding the policy or its coverage.
- The insurance company demands policyholders fill out unnecessary paperwork.
- Insurance adjusters make threats to policyholders.
- The insurance company offers a lowball settlement and then refuses to negotiate.
It is important to note that the insurance company does have a right to deny a claim. Just because the insurance company issues a denial does not mean there is a bad faith claim.
Seek Legal Assistance for a Bad Faith Insurance Claim
If the above occurs, policyholders have the right to seek legal assistance with their claims. The only way for a person to know if their insurance company is acting in bad faith is to schedule a consultation with a lawyer.
Bad faith insurance is often complicated. If an insurance company is not providing the services the policyholder paid for, they must be held accountable for their actions.
A lawyer becomes an advocate for their injured client. The lawyer will pursue the insurance company aggressively. Lawyers negotiate with the insurance company or will even take them to court if they fail to act fairly. Policyholders often need a lawyer working on their side because the insurance adjuster is looking out for the best interests of their company.
Schedule a Consultation Appointment
Scheduling a consultation appointment is an integral first step in getting legal help for a bad faith insurance claim. Policyholders need to make sure they prepare themselves to discuss their claims with the lawyer. Providing extensive information allows the lawyer to determine if the insurance claim is a bad faith claim.
Time is of the essence when it comes to dealing with bad faith insurance claims. A person needs to act quickly to ensure their claim gets the attention it deserves. With a consultation appointment, a person can get the legal help they need right away.
