Bad Faith Insurance

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Bad Faith Insurance Practices

When any type of personal injury occurs, insured victims trust that their insurance companies will stand up to the terms of the policy and financially reimburse them for their medical bills, treatment costs and lost wages so they can safely recover. However, in some cases, insurance companies have been found to mislead and defraud policyholders by denying their legitimate insurance claims and failing to honor the legal terms of their contract. When this occurs, the insurers are said to be acting in bad faith, and the policyholders will have a viable legal claim against them.

If you suspect that you have been victimized by bad faith insurance practices, you should consult with an experienced bad faith attorney to find out if you qualify to seek damages. After receiving a comprehensive evaluation of your case, you can then secure the services of an experienced, respected attorney who will aggressively stand up for your rights in any future legal proceeding.

How Insurance Companies Act in Bad Faith

Bad faith insurance practices typically occur when insurance companies, looking to increase their profits, illegally commit any of the following acts in an effort to deny or reduce the payment of an insurance claim:

Conduct a poor, inadequate investigation of the claim
Intentionally incorrectly define legal terms
Misinterpret the facts of a claim
Offer inappropriate and insultingly low claim payments that are generally only a small fraction of what the claim is worth
Retroactively change the terms of an insurance policy without the policyholder's consent
Unnecessarily draw out the processing of a claim
Unreasonably interpret the original insurance policy
Unreasonably raise insurance premiums

Failing to insure an individual without adequate justification is also an example of bad faith insurance practices.

What to Do If You Suspect Your Insurance Company of Bad Faith

If you are in a dispute with your insurance company over a policy claim, you should:

Write a formal letter of complaint to the company, explaining the reasons you believe you deserve a payment. Keep a copy of the letter sent, as well as any written responses they return
Contact the state's insurance commissioner and report the act of bad faith
Document everything you and the insurance company does during this insurance dispute. It's recommended that you keep a day-to-day detailed journal that includes dates and times of phone conversations, what was discussed, who you spoke to, when you receive any letters from the insurance company, etc.
Should you fail to reach an agreement with your insurance company, the next important step is to meet with an experienced attorney who can help you obtain the compensation you are entitled to.

Consult with an experienced attorney today about a potential bad faith practice you’ve experienced.

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