Tag: Bad faith insurance lawyers

Why Isn’t the Insurance Company Interested in Investigating My Homeowners Claim?

Posted by Jeffrey Bolender on May 9, 2019 with 0 Comment

While all forms of risk protection are important and worth investigating, homeowner’s is one of the most critical types of insurance—and especially if you have a family to house. Home may be where the heart is, but often it is strongly tied to all your worldly possessions and the place where you made so many memories, from first birthday parties to many years of holidays and family milestones. Experiencing major property damage may in some cases feel almost as traumatic as having a physical accident, and you may be almost as uncomfortable if you are facing living in a home that is close to uninhabitable. You may have been displaced also, if the damage was catastrophic—with your life being extremely disrupted.

Most types of accidents and damage claims have a sense of urgency to them, so if the insurer is simply not responding at all, they are sending a clear message that they do not want to deal with you. There is the outside chance that their customer service department is completely disorganized and inept and unable to get to you, but you should be able to figure that out quickly. Continued red flags mean it is time to consult with a bad faith insurance attorney from a firm like the Bolender Law Firm.

If you have ever had a claim that was handled properly before, the adjuster probably contacted you almost right away. It was imperative for you to have all your information ready, an attorney for them to communicate with if necessary, all leading to a streamlined claims payment. So, when you hear crickets it is disturbing. And you may be growing increasingly worried about your financial future if your house has partially burned or been flooded or exposed to other serious issues. Lack of investigation is often a sign of bad faith practices, along with long delays that seem to occur with no reasonable excuse or are followed by an outright denial. Other issues often include intimidation tactics such as requests for excessive documentation, or a pressing emphasis on how important it is to take a lowball offer.

If you need help reviewing your insurance policy, or if you suspect your insurance company may be denying your claim in bad faith, contact the attorneys at the Bolender Law Firm. If a dispute over a claim cannot be easily resolved through a call or written communication, our attorneys will advocate on behalf of policyholders through litigation, arbitration, or non-binding mediation. Our attorneys are experienced in representing clients in state and federal courts, at both the trial and appellate level. Call us at 310-320-0725 now or submit an easy consultation request online. We are here to help!

Why the Insurance Company Expects You to Take that Lowball Settlement

Posted by Jeffrey Bolender on May 2, 2019 with 0 Comment

Insurance companies know their stuff. They don’t churn out billions in profits through sheer luck each year, and they certainly don’t do so by being your friend. Adjusters often receive bonuses for keeping payout and time spent on cases to a minimum, and you can count on one thing: they are all usually very good at their jobs. This is precisely why if you are in a car accident, for example, you do not want to take on fighting the other insurance company by yourself.

Adjusters, unfortunately, may be quick to take advantage of you if you are not prepared. They may begin asking a lot of questions—and because most of us are naturally polite, it is often hard to shut them down—but that is exactly what needs to happen. Your injury attorney should be handling all communications with adjusters. This could be vital to your case, especially as they may begin asking if they can tape record your conversations, have access to medical records, and more. What you say to them, however, is what can make you most vulnerable, and many individuals walk right into such a trap after being assured everything is confidential.

With expert legal assistance, you can avoid many of the pitfalls possible if you have been injured in an accident due to the negligence of others, and have a case. Without any help, adjusters may try different tricks on you such as the delay. This could mean you are left hanging for unreasonable amounts of time as they try to find a reason to deny your claim, whether accusing you of fraud or other shocking reasons to get out of paying. One of the most common techniques on the part of the insurer is the lowball offer. With an attorney on your side, it is likely this would not happen to begin with—but if you are on your own, the adjusters may jump at the chance to give you the lowest offer possible and then also convince you that you should take it because there will not be another one.

Other intimidation tactics may ensue as well, to include asking you for so much accompanying documentation that you will be quickly exhausted and run the other direction, giving up on your case altogether. They may also try to intimidate witnesses. As soon as you begin experiencing any red flags that could indicate bad faith, your case is in peril. An experienced attorney will be able to help you fight the insurance company, along with helping you to understand more about bad faith practices.

Are You Being Accused of Fraud? Why This is So Serious

Posted by Jeffrey Bolender on April 30, 2019 with 0 Comment

Purchasing insurance can sometimes be a pleasant experience, in the beginning; in fact, as you get a referral for an insurance agent and begin looking around and getting quotes, you may be impressed with their level of knowledge and guidance. Once you settle on a policy, a check is written, documents are emailed or sent by regular mail and they get put away for safekeeping. And there they stay, until there is a claim. In most cases if there is a claim, the insurer opens an investigation, and hopefully it is open and shut, with your payment being collected easily so you can go about your normal business and get back to your normal life.

There are other instances, however, that spell out trouble from the beginning. Let’s use a homeowner’s insurance claim as an example. This is a good one, because home fires are often an extreme point of contention. It is all too easy for the insurer to bring up the word arson and suddenly drum up a fraud investigation team that may scare the dickens out you. Obviously, no one feels comfortable being accused of fraud, and especially if there is the potential of going to jail too. This is an all-too-common tactic however, and insurers use it to their advantage to intimidate, delay, and deny.

Your first tipoff may be when there is no investigation of your claim. There may be no phone ringing at all from the adjuster, insurance representatives trying to get more details, or anything. This is a common red flag of bad faith practices, along with unreasonable delays—and often that is exactly where the fraudulent fraud investigation comes in! Such an experience can be extremely challenging too if your home has serious fire damage and you have had to move out. The disruption to your life can be epic, and a fraud investigation may add more stress than you feel like you can manage.

This is not the time to go it alone. You need an attorney to defend you against the fraud accusations, as well as help you get your claim paid. An insurance company acting in bad faith—and especially putting you through an extended period out of your home—may not only be severely fined in court, but they may also owe you compensatory and punitive damages.

If you suspect negligence on the part of your insurance agent or insurance company, contact the Bolender Law Firm. We will advocate on behalf of policyholders through litigation, arbitration, or non-binding mediation. Our attorneys are experienced in representing clients in state and federal courts, at both the trial and appellate level. Call us at 310-320-0725 now or submit an easy consultation request online. We are here to help!

Bad Faith: You May Be Due Compensatory & Punitive Damages

Posted by Jeffrey Bolender on April 1, 2019 with 0 Comment

The insurance industry is built around protecting risk. You probably don’t want to pay out thousands of dollars each year, writing checks that usually just seem to sail into thin air for lots of nothing, but it is worth it to protect your car(s), that home you just built or the wonderful apartment you are renting that holds all of your furniture and valuables, your business, your health and your life (estate planning), and so much more. And while sometimes it may seem like we buy ‘things,’ just to have to pay more money to make sure we can keep them, it is the way of life in the US currently.

You may be surprised to learn that the average consumer is spending twelve percent of their yearly income on insurance. Costs may rise in your area too, depending on changes in infrastructure, areas where traffic incidents or crime have escalated, or pockets of activity with storms and serious natural disasters. Purchasing insurance can be a serious endeavor, but once you have it, you expect to enjoy peace of mind in knowing that you are protected by your insurer in the case of an accident or other major issue covered y your policy. If that turns out not to be the case later, you may be devastated in dealing with injuries or damages to your home or business. Finding out the insurance company is going to give you a hard time can be extremely frustrating.

Evidence of bad faith on the part of the insurer includes massive delays (and this is where massive frustration usually sets in for you initially) and in some cases, there may be not even be any sign of an investigation at all, which is usually confusing and disturbing. The insurer may ask for massive amounts of documentation, to include items like tax returns even—usually if they are gearing up to cause delays and even to insinuate that your claim is fraudulent. You may receive a low-ball offer from the insurer, with the underlying tone being that if you don’t take it you will probably get nothing. Once these red flags set in, you need serious legal help from the Bolender Law Firm.

While punitive damages may not be possible in many other types of contract lawsuits, that is not usually the case when the insurer is found to be acting in bad faith. Let us review your case and discuss your options with you, considering whether you may be due both compensatory damages and punitive damages. Compensatory damages will cover the expenses you were originally supposed to be paid plus damages and compensation for injury; punitive damages are much more serious and often more challenging to get as they ‘punish’ the other party. In this case, the insurance company would be punished, and in forcing them to pay punitive damages it is hoped that they ‘learn a lesson’ about doing it again, as well as serving as an example to other corporations that might be thinking about acting the same way toward customers.

Bad Faith: Can I Sue for Emotional Distress Damages?

Posted by Jeffrey Bolender on March 22, 2019 with 0 Comment

You may have felt some amount of emotional distress just trying scrape the funds together to pay one or more insurance policies over the years! The situation may become very trying, however, when you have filed a claim, and nothing has been resolved. This can be extremely disconcerting considering anytime you were on the verge of being slightly late with a payment or returning a document to the insurance company, they expected an immediate response or consequences (in the form of having your policy canceled) would follow.

If you have reported a homeowner’s claim, for example, time may be of the essence in getting it paid so you can then make repairs to your home. Some cases may be extreme, too, due to a natural disaster like an earthquake or a landslide. Your home may uninhabitable, or very uncomfortable to live in, at best. Chances are, you will know something is wrong quickly as the adjuster simply does not come around to do an investigation at all, or they are right on time—but you are promptly denied without a reasonable excuse. Other red flags regarding bad faith practices on the part of your insurer may include long delays. They may put you off repeatedly, and without any reason. They may ask for voluminous amounts of documentation and begin making you feel as if you are under investigation for fraud due to specific questions and delays.

Often, bad faith practices occur simply because the insurer does not want to relinquish the funds for big claim—they are much better off with that cash in the bank earning interest, and they may not want to take the hit on their financial report for that quarter or year. Their customer service department may be disorganized, or your adjuster may be trying to earn an extra bonus for keeping claims to a minimum. If you are a victim of bad faith, however, this is not the time to go it alone. Contact a skilled insurance attorney from a firm like the Bolender Law Firm and along with taking the insurer to court for bad faith, they may also sue for punitive damages to include emotional distress, time you were forced to leave work without pay, and more.

Bad Faith: When All You Hear Are Crickets Regarding That Claim

Posted by Jeffrey Bolender on February 21, 2019 with 0 Comment

For the policyholder, insurance, and the option of being able to file a claim, is central to one goal: protection. While mainly this is regarding protection of your finances, insurance can also help guard your health, your home, your business, and your property such as vehicles and valuable possessions. Most of us don’t find shopping for insurance enjoyable or entertaining, and while research should be thorough regarding what you need, that’s some dry reading too! Because of this, we rely on insurance agents to guide us through the process of quotes, applications, approvals, payments, and maintenance of policies.

The insurance agency expects you to comply with everything agreed upon in your policy, which mainly refers to paying on time. There is not much flexibility when it comes to payments, and cancellations may occur before you even realize you forgot to pay. If, however, you have performed all your required duties as a policyholder, you may be confused and very worried about why your insurer is not responding to a claim. In some instances, this may be due to an issue that requires more time for examination due to complexities in the case, but if red flags are popping up and alerting you to a potential problem, consult with experienced attorneys from the Bolender Law Firm as soon as possible.

Signs that you may be at the mercy of an insurer guilty of bad faith include:

Complete lack of investigation – this is where hearing only ‘crickets,’ may occur in terms of bad faith, as in most cases, you will begin to hear from adjusters right away
Long delays – if long periods of time are passing during communications with the insurer, you may have concern to worry, and especially if excuses seem unreasonable.
Intimidation tactics – this could take many different forms, from intimidating witnesses in a case to intimidating you through asking for excessive documentation that insurers know it could be hard for you to get, along with trying to strong-arm you into taking settlements by making you think that is all that will be offered at any point.
Lowball offers – this is one of the most common forms of bad faith, and many policyholders fall prey to taking lowball offers simply because they are worried it may be their only chance to receive compensation.
Denials – unfounded denials are common in bad faith cases, and you should not attempt to fight the insurer without skilled legal assistance.

If you suspect your insurance company may be denying your claim in bad faith, contact the attorneys at the Bolender Law Firm. If a dispute over a claim cannot be easily resolved through a call or written communication, our attorneys will advocate on behalf of policyholders through litigation, arbitration, or non-binding mediation. Our attorneys are experienced in representing clients in state and federal courts, at both the trial and appellate level. Call us at 310-320-0725 now or submit an easy consultation request online. We are here to help!

Insurance Claims: The Adjuster Wants to Speak with You—And Quickly!

Posted by Jeffrey Bolender on February 18, 2019 with 0 Comment

Insurance and handling insurance claims is all about risk management—and this goes for both sides. While you want to protect your finances in the case of a catastrophe, the same goes for the insurance company, with their definition of a catastrophe being paying out too much! The insurance industry thrives on premiums and fees, rolling in over a trillion dollars in the US annually. And while you can bet your insurer is worth millions or billions, they did not attain that position by being friends with everyone.

Your insurance agent may be a different story, and in fact they may be a trusted friend, or someone who was referred to you by a colleague or neighbor as you run in the same social circles. Insurance companies are big business, however, to say the least, and while adjusters may seem warm and even charming in some cases, beware. They are trained to extract as much information from you as possible in the beginning—and do not be fooled, they will use it against you if possible.

Car accidents and resulting claims are a good example of what to expect from adjusters, and how to react. If you have been injured or experienced property damage due to the negligence of another party, you may be especially surprised at how quickly they begin calling you regarding what happened and your current state. This is your cue to begin speaking with an car accident or injury attorney and referring all calls to them. Beyond the most basic facts, you should not share anything with an adjuster. Why? Because, again, any information sharing could inadvertently damage your case.

Adjusters may ask about your injuries—but you may not even know the full scope of what harm what done to you (or to your car!) during a crash. Along with requesting a full account of what happened, they may also request police reports, medical documentation, and may also ask to tape record your conversation. Again, refer them to your attorney.

In the case that you do not hear much from the other side, you may begin to worry that the other insurer is acting in bad faith, evidenced by a lack of investigation, unreasonable delays, requests for outlandish amounts of documentation, or even an outright denial that seems to have no validity.

Five Reasons You May Need to Sue Your Insurance Company for Bad Faith

Posted by Jeffrey Bolender on February 15, 2019 with 0 Comment

Due to the intangibility and general nature of insurance, you may not discover how unhappy you are with a ‘product line’ or insurance company until long after your grace period has expired (and in that case, you will probably still not get all your money back). In most cases, this is not like a retail item that you discover is a poor fit and decide to return for a refund at a customer service counter with few questions asked. Most of us purchase insurance because it is either required by the state we live in or it is highly recommended, meaning that if you don’t have it you could find yourself in a state of utter ruin.

The process of buying and owning insurance may be completely pleasant, and this could continue for years while you enjoy the basic give and take of paying premiums and dealing with customer service representatives; however, this positive perception of the insurer may come to a screeching halt once you file a claim, and this could be due to adjusters giving you a hard time, or even worse, paying you no attention at all. The term ‘bad faith’ may not be something you were even familiar with until being forced to recognize it via the reluctance of an insurer to pay a claim.

Here are five signs that you may need to sue due to bad faith:

No action at all on the claim – while delays and denials can be disturbing, a complete lack of investigation can be most unsettling of all, especially in comparison to how quickly adjusters set to work when they are motivated to settle a case.
Delays, delays, delays – the insurer may give you a variety of different excuses for delays, some of which seem unreasonable, and perhaps even insinuating that they are investigating you for fraud. This is one of the biggest red flags in bad faith insurance claim issues.
Low-ball offers – this is extremely common as so many policyholders try to deal with the insurer on their own, without the help of an experienced attorney, and find themselves worrying if they don’t take the first offer extended, they may not receive anything at all.
Excessive requests for documentation – this can actually be a form of intimidation by the insurer as they ask you to run around collecting so much paperwork (much of it which may be difficult and time-consuming to put your hands on) that you just give up on the case completely, without receiving any settlement, or by accepting a very low one.
Unreasonable denials – at this point, you need legal help to defend your claim! The insurance company may choose any host of reasons to deny your claim, including misrepresenting the wording in your policy, asserting that there were changes which make the claim valid, and more.

Was Your Insurance Coverage Misrepresented?

Posted by rainmakereditor on February 1, 2019 with 0 Comment

In the beginning, purchasing insurance coverage is all about peace of mind, and as we so often hear, that does not come cheap! When it comes to protecting your health, home, business, livelihood, and so much more though, you most likely will be forced to bite the bullet and pay what could be hefty premiums for insurance—and perhaps for numerous policies. This usually happens via an insurance agent, and while it could be someone you have trusted for years, and who has always taken care of your coverage properly, you may have instead had to look for someone to help with new types of coverage.

Choosing an insurance agent is not an exercise that should be taken lightly, and you may want to speak with several different individuals before making a choice about which agency or insurance company to go with; after all, this person is going to be responsible for helping you make sure your home is protected in the case of a disaster, that your business is protected if someone takes a fall on a slippery floor and sues, that you and loved ones are taken care of in the case of a major car accident, and so much more. The insurance agent is responsible for making sure nothing falls through the cracks!

In some very unfortunate cases though, the insurance agent may be negligent—or customer service agents for the agency or larger corporation may not do their part sufficiently in handling your policy. While it is easy for misunderstandings to arise due to the complexities of insurance—and especially in a policy containing massive amounts of legal jargon—it is up to the agent to be the industry expert and make sure to explain your policy in full as well as answering as many questions as you may have.

Misrepresentation regarding your policy could occur for numerous reasons. While the insurer could be acting purely in bad faith, making changes to or canceling your policy without warning, it could also be that the insurance agent simply did not understand some part of what they were selling to you. They may have been confused about a clause within the policy, forgotten about an exclusion, or failed to tell you about another policy you needed to buy separately for total coverage; or, they may have failed to get coverage as promised altogether. With the help of a skilled insurance attorney, you may be owed significant damages through the agent’s errors and omissions company.

Why Insurance Agents Make Mistakes

Posted by rainmakereditor on January 23, 2019 with 0 Comment

Insurance agents usually possess myriad and impressive abilities which convince us to go with their companies in the beginning. Shopping around for the best policies, rates, and customer service skills can be a formidable task—not to mention exhausting. The key is to work with an agent who is licensed in all the areas of insurance that you are considering purchasing, and who possesses a great deal of wisdom and knowledge about the industry that you most likely do not. They and their office should also demonstrate excellent organizational skills and put their customers first.

You may have also chosen an insurance agent through word of mouth via friends, or perhaps you are friends with them yourself from years past or just in getting to know each other via the business transaction of purchasing coverage. Depending on the scope of a resulting claim, if something goes wrong, you may be extremely frustrated. The problem in many cases though—no matter the severity of the claim—is that sometimes policies may be so complex that even an agent does not have a clear understanding of every detail, or they may not be apprised of many of the constant changes occurring in the industry.

Making a mistake as an insurance agent can lead to very serious repercussions for everyone involved, which is why errors and omissions insurance exists; however, you may have to go through some headaches to see a claim paid even if the oversight was on the part of the agent. Other reasons for a major error could be:

Simple lack of knowledge
Carelessness when writing a policy
Lack of attention to your needs as a policyholder
Failure to procure correct coverage for you
Failure to report the claim

Measures you can take on your end to avoid insurance issues or claims denials are to make sure you are working with an agent or company that has a good reputation, understand what type of coverage you require personally or for your business, and don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions! Negligence on the part of your insurance agent could mean that you are owed significant damages, and this is not a legal issue you should attempt to handle on your own.

Speak with an attorney from the Bolender Law Firm to review your options. We will advocate on behalf of clients through litigation, arbitration, or non-binding mediation. Our attorneys are experienced in representing clients in state and federal courts, at both the trial and appellate level. Call us at 310-320-0725 now or submit an easy consultation request online. We are here to help!