Insurance Claims
After your home or business is damaged by a storm or a fire, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with all of the details you need to handle. From protecting your property to dealing with contractors and repairs, it can be tempting to work directly with your insurance provider and take the first settlement that you’re offered. Unfortunately, while you may believe that your insurance coverage exists to protect you from harm, in reality, reasonable claims are delayed, denied, or minimized for policyholders every single day.
Rather than acting in the best interest of their policyholders, insurance companies often choose to watch out for their own bottom line. Fortunately, a knowledgeable insurance claims attorney can help you to navigate the tricky insurance claims process, maximizing the value of your damage claim by preparing demand paperwork, negotiating with claims adjusters, and serving your needs as a legal advocate.
Insurance claim attorneys may be especially helpful for you if you’re facing:
- Claims where both you and the insurance adjuster are facing disagreements or disputes early on;
- Large claims, such as natural disaster insurance claims (like hail, hurricane, fire, flood, or tornado damage); or
- Claims in which it’s difficult to determine how the damage was caused
It’s important to speak with a lawyer before you get in contact with any insurance representative. In many cases, claims adjusters will state that they need a recorded statement from you to process your claim, but in reality, these kinds of statements can be used to reduce the value of your claim.The Gustin Law Firm attorneys will even provide free consultations to discuss an initial potential insurance claim, so you have nothing to lose!
The Motivation of Insurance Companies
It’s important to keep in mind which side insurance companies are on from the moment you first call them to open your claim. Remember that homeowners’ insurance companies are notorious for prioritizing their money over your home investment. They will try to keep more of their money by finding any excuse to deny your claim, reduce your settlement offer, or delay giving you an answer by requiring more and more paperwork.
Insurance claim attorneys are familiar with these tactics and can put pressure on the insurance companies to fulfill their obligations in a reasonable and timely manner. If an insurance company is acting in bad faith, an attorney can help you to fight back and work to attain the full value of your claim, even taking the case to court, if necessary.
Bad Faith Insurance Practices
When you first take out an insurance policy, you expect that your insurance provider will act in good faith and pay out on claims that should be reasonably covered by your policies. When a policyholder upholds their end of the bargain, paying on time and in full, in return, the insurer has a basic responsibility and legal duty to give proper consideration to claims.
In reality, however, some insurers fail to uphold their side of the deal, denying or delaying claims in the hopes that you’ll give up or accept a reduced settlement. There are several core ways that insurers can be considered to operate in bad faith. These include:
- Failing to properly investigate your claim
- Failing to provide appropriate support for a denial
- Requesting unreasonable documentation
- Failing to respond quickly to claims that are submitted
- Claiming that your coverage was not in effect at the time of the accident if it was
- Misrepresenting the policy language or what it means
Bad faith practices happen more often than they should. Don’t assume that an insurer is working in your best interests. Fight for the compensation that you deserve by working with an attorney for insurance claims who will advocate for you. Attorneys who sue insurance companies for bad faith can be a vital resource, helping you to get justice and hold insurers who operate in bad faith accountable.
Common Reasons Why Insurance Companies Deny Claims
There are a wide variety of reasons why an insurance company is denying your claim for property damage. Speaking to our experienced insurance claim denial attorneys could help you obtain the most accurate information. Here are some reasons that insurance companies deny claims:
Insurance companies will try to find any problem with an insurance policy. For instance, if there is no valid coverage, the insurance company can decline your claim. Insurance companies will also seek to deny your claims if your coverage is determined to have lapsed. If you believe that your coverage was adequately paid and that the insurer’s denial was unfair, speak with our attorneys to determine your next best legal steps.
Depending on the nature of your damage, several laws could come into play in an insurance claim. Our highly trained attorneys can help you to understand the laws that apply to your specific situation. Even if the insurance company says you might be fully or partially at fault for the damaged property, give us a call. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may still be eligible to receive compensation for the harm that you incurred.
Policies are often designed with exclusions that apply to coverage. When you file a claim with an insurer, they will often look for any possible means to deny your claim. Overstating or exaggerating the terms of exclusions are a common way that insurers seek to do this. Sometimes an insurance company will hire an engineer to offer “professional” opinions that your damage was caused by an excluded risk instead of a covered one. If your insurance company has denied your claim after hiring an engineer, contact the Gustin Law Firm attorneys to see if we can handle your case.
Our Insurance Claim Lawyers Provide Vital Help After an Insurance Claim is Denied
After an storm loss, most families face unlivable conditions and mounting costs to repair the damaged property. Insurance companies understand these pressures and use them to their advantage. If an insurance company has denied your claim, our experienced insurance claims attorneys can review your documentation, request additional evidence from experts and witnesses, and file a lawsuit to enforce the contract (the policy).. At Gustin Law Firm, PLLC, we will take the fight as far as necessary, even into the courtroom.
Dealing with Complex Claims, Delays, or Denials? Gustin Law Firm Can Help.
Insurance companies undervalue, delay, and deny reasonable claims every day. They have experienced negotiators on hand. Shouldn’t you have the same kind of meaningful representation on your side? At Gustin Law Firm, PLLC, we understand the pressures that policyholders face. Whether you’re filing an insurance claim for a wind loss, a hail loss, a water loss, a hurricane loss, a fire loss or a theft loss, our experienced insurance claims attorneys will walk you through the process from start to finish.
Even if your claim has been denied, we can review your case and help you to plan the next steps. Reach out today to schedule a consultation and case review with our insurance claim denial attorneys. Click the Call Now button to get in touch with a skilled legal advocate for your denied or underpaid insurance claims.
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