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March 7th, 2017
Insurance companies are extraordinarily proficient at collecting premiums. They are quick to cancel your policy if you are even a day late paying your premium. Unfortunately, no such proficiency exists when it comes to paying policyholder claims. Many times, claims are delayed for weeks, months and even years. Many times, claims are illegitimately denied even though coverage exists.
What should you do when you are faced with what you consider to be an inappropriate denial of your claim? You should call a law firm that is experienced in handling insurance disputes on behalf of policyholders and prosecuting bad faith cases against insurance companies.
If your insurance company illegitimately refuses to pay your claim, there are remedies available to you. Those remedies include damages over and above the amount of the claim itself. Courts historically have recognized that people do not buy insurance to only find themselves faced with protracted litigation. Many courts recognize that policyholders should not have to pay a lawyer to obtain the coverage benefits for which they have paid a premium. Thus, when you are forced to sue your own insurance company, the insurance company not only will be required to pay your claim but also to pay your attorney fees. Furthermore, there are additional damages recoverable in these situations. Many courts recognize that you should be compensated for your annoyance, aggravation and inconvenience caused by your insurance company’s illegitimate denial of your claim. Additionally, in some cases, punitive damages are awarded to punish the insurance company if its handling of your claim was arbitrary, capricious or exhibited a conscious disregard of your rights.
The bottom line is, do not take the insurance company’s denial of your claim as the end of the claim process. If you believe the denial of your claim is inappropriate or the handling of your claim is inappropriate, call an attorney experienced in protecting policyholders’ rights.
