The personal injury industry was worth $53.1 billion in 2022. If you can’t identify with that number, consider that 39.5 million personal injury cases demand medical intervention yearly.
That may sound favorable to you despite the unfortunate circumstances. If injury insurance services this many clients, you can expect your insurance claim to go through when you’re hurt.
However, bad faith insurance lawyers exist for a reason. They aid clients whose insurance companies mistreat and abandon them despite their monthly premium payments.
Filing a personal injury claim is a challenging and upsetting affair. We want to aid you as best as possible. To that end, we’ve created a guide to help you spot when you need a bad faith insurance lawyer.
What Is a Bad Faith Insurance Claim?
A bad faith insurance claim is when an insurance company ignores its obligation to pay policyholders fairly and quickly. Here are the key signs of a bad faith claim:
- Insurers delay insurance claims for no discernable reason
- They deny the claim unjustifiably
- The insurance company acts deceptively or dishonestly
A policyholder can sue an insurance company acting in bad faith. However, it requires understanding what practices these businesses use to withhold a client’s rightful funds.
Notable Bad Faith Practices From Insurance Companies
Not all insurance companies are trustworthy enough to handle policyholders’ affairs. Spotting bad faith practices is the first step to making businesses accountable for dubious conduct.
Below is a list of common bad faith methods insurers use against clients.
Intimidation and Harassment
Many companies opt to bully policyholders into accepting unfair settlements. Harassment tactics may include invasive record reviews, intimidation, and threatening clients.
Offering Low Settlements
“Low” means that the compensation amount is too small to meaningfully cover medical treatment. The settlement offer is due to an undervalued claim and unfairness regarding damages suffered.
Misrepresenting the Policy
Some insurers may try to lie about policy details. This is why clients need to understand every aspect of their insurance policy. Comprehension is the best tool to combat deception.
Inadequate Investigation
An insurance company is supposed to investigate claims before deciding whether they’re payable. A lackluster, poor investigation can compromise compensation.
Unreasonable Delays
There is a timeline in which the insurer must process the claim. Delaying the investigation and payment for no good reason may be the company trying its hand at bad faith.
Denied Insurance Claims
An insurer is required to pay valid claims as quickly as possible. However, there are instances where a denied insurance claim gets unjustly ignored due to attempts to hold on to company money.
Finding Good Bad Faith Insurance Lawyers
You should be able to rely on your insurance company to bail you out when an accident leaves you hurt and struggling. But insurers don’t always do what they should.
These misbehaving companies are why bad faith insurance lawyers – like those at the Barnes Law Firm – exist. We handle personal injury cases, workers’ comp, admiralty, and maritime legal issues across Texas.
Contact us if you need a knowledgeable and qualified attorney to work on your behalf.