Dallas Insurance Claims Attorney | Personal Injury Lawyer Richardson

Tag: denied insurance claim

  • Acting in Bad Faith: Tactics Insurance Companies Use to Delay Claims

    Acting in Bad Faith: Tactics Insurance Companies Use to Delay Claims

    Your insurance company has a legal obligation to compensate you fairly in the event of property damage, a health issue or another unforeseen circumstance. But all too often insurance companies put their bottom line ahead of the law. They find reasons to delay claims unfairly to avoid making a payment. In doing so, they act in bad faith.
    Here are some tactics to watch out for. If your insurance company seems to be using any of these, it’s time to reach out and talk with a lawyer at The Fell Law Firm.

    Not Acknowledging Claim Communications

    Insurance companies often wrongly delay claims with a tactic that can look like mere sloppiness until you investigate further. When you send them a communication, they fail to respond to it in a timely manner. Often, they don’t respond at all. And when you call to ask about the communication, they claim to have no record of what you’re talking about.
    If letters keep going missing, if forms get “lost in the mail,” if you repeatedly reach out and don’t hear back, be very suspicious. Your insurance company could be acting in bad faith.

    Failure to Investigate Claims Promptly

    After you file an insurance claim, a quick investigation is critical to resolving the matter effectively. As time passes, witnesses are likely to forget critical details. Sometimes they even move and are difficult to reach. Evidence fades, too. Damage becomes weathered, and it’s increasingly difficult to determine exactly what caused the damage and to what extent.
    So, if your insurance company seems to be delaying a thorough investigation of the claim, be wary. It might help to have an attorney on your side. Reaching out to an attorney—even before the insurance company denies your claim—can help things run more smoothly. It will send a key message to your insurance company, telling them you mean business.

    Withholding Payment After Liability Is Clear

    When your insurance company has determined that liability is clear and money is owed, they should not make you wait and wait to get your check. The law requires that they act in good faith and make the payment in a reasonable amount of time.

    What if Your Insurance Claim Is Delayed?

    If your insurance company doesn’t seem to be acting in good faith, it may be time to talk with a lawyer. The attorneys at The Fell Law Firm can help with unduly delayed or denied insurance claims. Call us today at 1-972-450-1418. We offer free and confidential consultations.

  • Life Insurance Denial Creates Stress in an Emotional Time

    Following the loss of a loved one, you are living in a new world. It is a world without that long-time companion. It is a world without your spouse, a world without the father of your children. And at a more logical level, it is a world without a primary income earner.
    Life insurance is supposed to be an aid in the transitional and emotional time of major loss. When making an insurance decision and purchasing a plan, the issue feels strictly financial. Can you afford the monthly payments? What kind of insurance should you/your family buy?
    When your loved one dies, however, everything—including insurance—can hit you in a more personal way.

    The Money You Need (and Are Owed) Is Being Withheld

    After you lose someone, it seems natural to step back, rest and dwell in your feelings. Through the sadness and fear, however, you must push on to address post-death formalities. Planning a funeral, for example, could be the most daunting task you face.
    You must organize a very important ceremony to honor your loved one while grieving. Funerals can be expensive, however, requiring the funds that a life insurance policy can supposedly provide. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost of a traditional funeral with a viewing in 2016 was more than $7,000. This cost doesn’t include a grave stone, either.
    Many people do not have that much money readily available. They believe that is why they invested in a proper life insurance plan. When your insurance provider denies your life insurance benefits, not only are you left grieving your loss, but you are stressing out about how to afford an honorable funeral and resting place for your family member.

    Don’t Just Accept Life Insurance Denial Out of Vulnerable State

    Out of vulnerability and inexperience in such matters, some who face the denial of life insurance benefits might shy away from fighting for their money. Thankfully, talking to a law firm experienced with bad faith insurance claims can instill some bravery through knowledge to a victim of insurers acting in bad faith.
    An attorney helping you fight for your insurance benefits will try to spot and combat bad faith amid the following common denial reasons:

    • The insurance premiums were not paid or current.
    • The deceased died due to suicide less than two years after the purchase of the policy.
    • The person subject to the life insurance claim lied about their health in order to be insured.
    • The deceased lost his or her life while breaking the law.

    Insurers might represent themselves as though they are certain about any of the above scenarios. They can make you feel hopeless. Don’t let them.

    Get Help, Protect Your Rights, Honor Your Family

    The above claims for denial don’t just pack a potential financial punch, but they can be an emotional punch to the gut of someone trying to grieve, make funeral arrangements and afford a normal life after someone special is gone. A legal fight for insurance benefits can seem overwhelming and insignificant when faced with mourning. Contact The Fell Law Firm. Let a legal team fight beside you against bad faith insurance tactics.

  • Commercial Insurance and its Role in Securing Your Business

    If you are a small business owner or just starting out, budgeting funds to pay for a liability insurance policy is essential. Being the quintessential optimists that most Americans are, we like to think that nothing will ever go wrong and if it does, we can fix it. While optimists keep the world moving forward, the realistic ones still buy insurance.
    The best-case scenario is when you never need to use an insurance policy. But you should always have insurance to cover the variety of claims that can hit any business at any time. Here are some examples of the most common kinds of claims you can face while running a business.

    Burglary and Theft

    Surprisingly, burglary and theft account for the majority of claims that businesses file. A broad range of incidents fit into this group of claims, but many of these cases involve an employee or contractor theft. The people you’ve trusted the most can often be the ones who cause you the greatest grief.

    Weather-Related Damage

    Given the extreme weather that’s been happening all over the world over the last decade, not insuring for weather-related damage can be fatal to your business. While you should insure against the catastrophic weather events, even the small events can be a major drain on a business.
    Having to pay for a roof damaged by snow, ice or hail on commercial property can cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. You may also sustain significant damage to office equipment, materials and inventory. If a roof collapses during working hours, employees could be injured or killed.

    Fire Damage

    Even though fire is one of the most common causes of property damage, few people appreciate how quickly a fire can spread and how destructive it can be. It’s not just the fire itself that causes losses. It’s the damage the smoke causes, the loss of personal property and the unavoidable water and access damage that firefighters cause when trying to put out the blaze.

    Injuries to Customers and Visitors

    Believe it or not, these accidents account for many liability insurance claims facing businesses. Even if you are safely ensconced in an office building that takes care of the parking lots, sidewalks and common areas, a customer can still slip and fall inside your office.
    If you own your own building or have customers meet you at a home office, you are even more likely to have a slip and fall or another kind of claim for injuries at some point.

    We Can Help if Your Insurance Company Won’t Pay

    While most business owners understand the need for insurance, and do purchase it, the insurance companies may be reluctant to pay a claim right away. If you are having difficulty getting your insurance company to pay your claim, we can help.
    We offer a free initial consultation to discuss how to get your insurance company to pay. We accept bad-faith insurance cases on a contingency fee basis. Call us toll-free at 972-450-1418972-450-1418 or contact us to set up an appointment.