It’s not right. You’ve been responsible, and you’ve done everything you were supposed to do in order to protect yourself. You’ve purchased car insurance and paid all of the premiums on time. Now, you’ve been injured in a vehicle accident, and the insurer isn’t living up to its end of the deal. If your insurance company has acted in bad faith, you may be entitled to recover any damages you have incurred as a result.
Insurance Company Bad Faith
Insurance companies are required by law to act in good faith and to protect the interests of their policyholders. Unfortunately, they often fail to meet this obligation.
The sad reality is that your insurer’s primary goal is to pay you as little as possible for your claim. Its legal department and staff of adjusters have been hired to protect the insurance company’s interests, not yours. Typical insurance company tactics for limiting policyholder compensation include:
- Refusal to pay a valid claim. Your insurance company is required to settle or pay your claim within a reasonable period of time.
- Denying a claim without providing a reason. Your insurance company is required to tell you why your claim was denied. If you’ve asked the insurer for documentation regarding the denial of your claim, and it refuses to provide it, the company could be acting in bad faith.
- Inadequate investigation of the claim. Your insurance company should conduct a thorough and prompt investigation of your claim.
Determining Bad Faith
Your insurance company is obligated to exercise good faith by investigating claims properly, paying them promptly, and providing the full value of the claim. If you’ve been treated unfairly by your insurance company, you may have a case against them for bad faith.
An experienced personal injury attorney can review and interpret your policy and help you determine if your insurer’s actions constitute bad faith. If so, your lawyer may recover damages for the harm you’ve suffered, including compensation for emotional distress and punitive damages. To learn more, contact the law offices of the Scott Ray Law Firm by using the form on this page.
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