Bad faith insurance is when an insurance company tries to avoid carrying out their obligations of paying a beneficiary/ avoiding investigation into their claim despite the claim being within the company’s guidelines. Unfortunately, many people fall victim to bad faith insurance which can impact their lives in a variety of different ways. If you think you may be dealing with bad faith insurance, you should seek legal assistance from a bad faith insurance lawyer immediately.
Answers to Your Top 4 Questions About Bad Faith Insurance
As you deal with your possible bad faith insurance case, you may be wondering some specifics about bad faith insurance. In fact, many people don’t know much about bad faith insurance until they are victims of it. This post will answer the top 4 frequently asked questions about bad faith insurance to help you better understand it.
1. How Do I Know if I Should File a Bad Faith Insurance Claim?
It’s important to know that you should file a bad faith insurance claim if you request a claim from an insurance company and are denied even though your request was within the insurance company’s guidelines. If this has happened to you, you are likely a victim of bad faith and should contact a bad faith lawyer as soon as possible.
2. How Do I Prove I Have Bad Faith Insurance?
In order to prove that you are a victim of bad faith insurance, you will need to keep documentation. Some examples of documentation that will validate your case include:
- Receipts
- Photos
- Reports
- Letters/ records of correspondence with the insurance company
A bad faith insurance attorney will further help you prove your case, but it’s still important that you hold on to all of the evidence you can.
3. How Do I File a Bath Faith Insurance Claim?
Filing a bad faith insurance claim can be a complex and trying process as there are many steps; those steps include:
- Reviewing your insurance contract
- Keeping logs on your claim
- Documenting denial of your claim
- Making one last demand
- Filing a complaint with your state’s Department of Insurance
An experienced and knowledgeable attorney will be able to help you with each step and will be there to answer any questions you may have.
4. Does a Bad Faith Lawsuit Take A Long Time?
There is no definite time frame when it comes to how long a bad-faith lawsuit will take. Like any lawsuit, there are various things that will impact how long the entire process will take. Some insurance companies may pay out the beneficiary faster than other companies; perhaps after the final demand letter. Or, sometimes insurance companies will go to court with the policyholder who is suing them which could end up taking months.
Understanding Bad Faith Insurance
If you believe that you are a victim of bad faith insurance, it’s important that you understand the basics of filing a bad faith insurance claim. After you have decided to carry on with your bad faith insurance claim, make sure that you do research to find a talented attorney in your area who is experienced in bad faith insurance issues. It will be in your best interest to look online at different attorneys and to meet with a few before you make your choice. Overall, you want to choose an attorney that will get you the justice that you deserve.
About the Author
Veronica Baxter is a blogger and legal assistant living and working in the great city of Philadelphia. She frequently works with the personal injury law firm of Haggerty, Goldberg, Schleifer & Kupersmith, P.C. that represents injured victims throughout Pennsylvania.