When Do You Need a Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer?

Paying insurance may feel like tossing away cash, because until anything bad happens, you give your hard earned cash to a faceless business and see nothing in return. Yet, even though you ask your insurance agent for support in return for all the money you've been offering them for months, years, or even decades when the unforeseen occurs, they turn the other cheek and reject your claim and leave you no option without hiring a bad faith insurance lawyer. How do they refuse your application for insurance and why?

1. They try to prove the damage as a cosmetic one.

2. The level of loss is beyond the deduction."The damage amount is under your deductible."

3. The harm is caused by wear and tear. "Lack of maintenance caused the damage." Insurers frequently wrongly claim maintenance deficiencies as a cause of damage, but reliable and detailed maintenance reports may help refute a denial of insurance.

4. The damage was caused by improper installation."Improper installation caused the damage."

5. Policyholders are denied the advantage of any vague wording in a policy, because if the policy is uncertain about which hazards are protected, the insurer can be required to cover liability if the policy is not explicit about which hazards are covered.

6. "The damage occurred outside of the policy period." Insurers can try to blame a denial on pre-existing damage. Before selling the insurance policy, however, most insurance companies may inspect the property, and if the inspection indicates that the property was in reasonable condition, the insurer will be required to issue payment.

Confusing your insurance claim for you

Insurance contracts are, for a reason, as enjoyable to read and understand as the terms and contracts on any Apple product. It has gotten so bad that many states have had to pass consumer contract laws in "plain English." And, many of us are still unaware of the threats to which we might be exposed.

"Insurance firms stopped paying claims during the events of Hurricane Katrina by using something called an "anti-concurrent" provision.

Discrimination by Credit Score

Insurance firms use credit reports to decide whether customers pay premiums, or whether they should even get insurance in the first place. The practice will, through no fault of its own, penalize the poor, senior citizens with little credit, and those who have suffered a financial crisis. Because of a lack of credit history, insurance providers have denied renewals to customers, although they still pay their premiums in cash on time. Despite clean driving records, some have seen auto rate increment near 600% because the credit scores were poor or they went through a financial crisis.

Delay till Death

Most insurance providers regularly cancel claims, well realizing that many policyholders would simply give up. Some have gone so far as to lock away safes with documents. Long-term care insurers, who also take advantage of the age and poor health of their policyholders, have made the most humiliating and darkest use of delay strategies. They will postpone paying a claim for as long as they can, and will do anything to stop paying since the policyholders will die if they know if they wait long enough.

Ask us at the West Law Firm for bad faith insurance lawyer in OKC. For any legal aid, seek our assistance including personal injury, wrongful death and more.

** Disclaimer: The above article does not imply a relationship between attorney and client, nor is it legal advice.