When you sign up for comprehensive homeowner’s insurance, you should be able to rely on that coverage in case of an emergency. Unfortunately, insurance companies don’t always want to hold up their end of the bargain. In those cases, they may act in bad faith in an attempt to get out of paying what they owe.
Bad faith tactics include unfairly delaying claims, failing to properly investigate claims, refusing to pay valid claims, underpaying claims, and other wrongful actions. If you feel your insurance company is acting in bad faith, you should contact a bad faith insurance attorney for help sending a bad faith letter to your insurance company.
Keep reading to learn about what a bad faith letter is and how to write a bad faith letter to your insurance company.
When an insurer acts in bad faith, the insured party can pursue legal action in the form of a lawsuit to get whatever compensation they may be owed. However, that isn’t the first step. Before you file a lawsuit, you will need to follow several other steps.
First, if you feel your claim has been wrongfully denied or underpaid, you can file an appeal with your insurance company to attempt to change the decision. You can also file a complaint with the state to have your case investigated.
If you’ve taken the steps above and haven’t gotten the results you feel you’re entitled to, it’s time to write a bad faith insurance letter. In a bad faith insurance letter, you let the insurance company know what payment you feel you deserve and inform the company that a lawsuit will follow if your requests are not met.
Now that you know when to write a bad faith letter to your insurance company, it’s time to learn about how to go about writing one. If you need to write a bad faith letter to your insurance company, you can follow the steps below:
Again, it’s important to speak to a bad faith insurance lawyer before sending a bad faith letter to your insurance company. A bad faith attorney can help you determine what you’re owed, why the insurance company is liable, and help you prove your claims. Getting help from an attorney can make a big difference in the success of your demands.
Insurance companies hold a lot of power and resources compared to your average policyholder, and that puts claimants in a tough spot when it comes to seeking compensation from a company acting in bad faith. If you think your homeowner’s claim was denied in bad faith, don’t go through the process of fighting the insurance company alone. Get help from an experienced insurance attorney.
At Millin & Millin Attorneys, our bad faith insurance lawyers are dedicated to helping homeowners get the compensation that they deserve from their insurance companies. If you feel your insurance company is treating you unfairly, get help defending your rights to compensation.
From late payments and reporting to a lack of documentation, there are, unfortunately, many valid reasons for which your insurance company might deny your hurricane home damage claim.
However, it’s also important to know about the bad faith tactics your insurance company might engage in to try to avoid paying what they owe when you’ve submitted a claim correctly.
If you feel your homeowner’s hurricane damage insurance claim was denied in bad faith, the bad faith insurance attorneys at Millin and Millin would be proud to help you fight for your rights to compensation. Keep reading to learn more about the signs that your claim may have been denied in bad faith.
Communicating with your insurance company is already enough of a hassle without the added stress of slow responses. What’s worse is, your insurance company may be delaying its responses intentionally in an effort to wait out your claim.
If your attempts to reach out are repeatedly ignored or unanswered, your insurance company may be acting in bad faith. They may also attempt to unjustifiably delay the investigation of your claim, or they may fail to make a payment on your claim within a reasonable time.
Let’s face it: insurance policies can be confusing. Figuring out what types of damages are covered under what circumstances can be difficult, and some insurance companies attempt to take advantage of that fact to wrongfully deny or underpay claims. Your insurance company may state that your policy doesn’t cover part or all of the hurricane damage you’ve faced, whether or not that statement is true.
Another bad faith tactic home insurance companies may use to deny hurricane claims is by changing the terms of your policy and then arguing that the new terms of your policy won’t cover the damage. This is why it’s so important to keep track of your insurance documents: you can check the terms of your policy at the time the damage occurred to determine what’s covered.
Insurance companies have a lot more resources than the average person, and they know it. Some companies will use those resources in order to outmaneuver homeowners. For instance, your insurance company may try to swamp you with loads of paperwork to complete or review, or they may ask for excessive amounts of documentation or information not related to the claim.
Asking for unreasonable amounts of documentation is a common bad faith tactic used to deny hurricane insurance claims.
As we’ve established, insurance companies have the power to fight much harder against homeowners than homeowners can afford to fight back. Another way your insurance company may try to take advantage of that power imbalance is by forcing you to file a lawsuit against them in order to get the coverage that is rightfully yours.
This process isn’t easy or free, and your insurance company may hope that you’ll give up rather than go to the trouble of continuing to pursue the claim.
If you’ve been living in Texas for a while, you know just how strong the wind can get. While it may not seem like a weather condition that can do a lot of damage, wind damage claims are the most common seen by homeowners in the U.S.
Continue reading to learn how to file an insurance claim for wind damage and how your bad faith insurance legal team can help.
For most home insurance policies, wind damage is any damage to the structure of your home caused by wind-related weather conditions. These conditions can include rain, thunderstorms, tornadoes, hailstorms, and hurricanes. Your home insurance policy may contain dwelling coverage that can pay for the repair or replacement of damages in your home. It’s important to note that each homeowner's insurance policy may vary depending on the state and insurance company, so you must review your policy before moving forward with a claim.
Because wind can be so unpredictable, the damage it causes to your house can vary in every circumstance. So now that you’re facing wind damage, you may wonder whether your home insurance will cover the damages. While you should always review your policy, the types of wind damage that home insurance may cover include:
Depending on your policy, you may get additional coverage for other damages caused by wind. If you’re unsure about your coverage or how your policy works, don’t be afraid to ask questions to better understand how you’re protected.
If you’ve recently had a severe weather event in your area, you may suspect damage to your home. While you should inspect each area and document any damages, don’t enter areas that could be dangerous to your health and safety. Once you’ve checked the area, take the following steps to file a claim:
Filing a claim can be overwhelming as you attempt to get the proper documentation and evidence for your insurance company. If you’re unsure how to file a claim properly, you may need the assistance of an attorney.
Wind can cause a great deal of damage to your home, leaving you with substantial repair and replacement costs. While your home insurance should cover some of the damages, you may have trouble with the claims process.
If you’re filing a wind damage insurance claim and are unsure what coverage you’ll receive, reach out to your bad faith insurance legal team of Millin & Millin today for a free case evaluation.
