The pandemic has affected all of us in a wide variety of ways, few of them good. Along with the wave of harmful events that affected businesses and individuals alike came a wave of insurance claims related to that harm. Unfortunately, proving your right to compensation can be difficult, and insurance companies will often do what they can to minimize or outright deny you what you’re owed.
Because of this, it’s important for all Texans to know their rights and what they can do if those rights are challenged. Today, your committed McAllen bad faith insurance attorneys at Millin & Millin will explain how knowing your rights is the first step in protecting yourself.
The legal rights that each of us has in the U.S. are complex and varied, but one major component is our ability to seek damages for harm inflicted upon us. This includes instances such as suing for car accident damages or damages caused by a crime, while also including harm caused by negligence rather than direct action. Negligent harm occurs when an entity fails to fulfill its obligation to keep you reasonably safe.
There are many entities that owe you a guarantee of safety. Each time you enter a grocery store or walk through a parking garage, the owners of those properties are responsible for taking action to protect you from foreseeable harm. This includes using cameras, keeping floors clean, and providing adequate lighting.
You can also be a victim of harm when an entity sells you a faulty product or drug. In these cases, the seller has a responsibility to provide you a reasonably safe product. If they fail to do so, then you have the right to seek damages for any harm that you suffer as a result of using their defective product.
While the aforementioned rights laid out primarily deal with physical injuries, you also have rights related to your property. Some of these rights are directly related to the examples above. For instance, property damage might be included in car accident compensation along with compensation for medical expenses.
In most cases, the compensation awarded to victims comes from an insurance claim, but those claims are usually made with the insurance company of the at-fault party. For example, if someone else causes your car accident, their insurance policy is meant to cover the damages. Similarly, if you are injured in a place of business, the insurance policy of the business owner should cover your costs.
However, there are other insurance claims that you will need to make under your own policies. These claims include claims for business interruption, property damage, and other types of business-related harm covered under your specific policy.
You have the right to make a claim against any type of damage covered in your insurance policy. Unfortunately, your insurance company may attempt to stall, mislead, or flat-out lie to you in order to avoid paying what they owe. In that case, you have the right to seek the assistance of a bad faith insurance lawyer to help you hold your insurance company accountable.
In many of the cases laid out above, getting the compensation you need comes down to whether or not the insurance company involved is going to act fairly. Because of this, it’s important that consumers and business owners have access to the legal representation of bad faith insurance attorneys.
Whether your house burned down or your business closed, you’re probably going to be making an insurance claim. If you feel that your insurance company is treating you unfairly or refusing to pay what you are owed, reach out to the McAllen bad faith insurance attorneys of Millin & Millin for help fighting back.
Just like other businesses, insurance companies are interested in making money. Because of this, they will sometimes act in bad faith in order to avoid paying out the compensation their policyholders deserve. One of the best ways to avoid falling victim to these bad faith practices is to be aware of them beforehand.
Today, your McAllen bad faith insurance lawyers at Millin & Millin will list the 6 most common types of bad faith practices done by commercial insurance companies. These acts should be taken very seriously as they can result in massive financial losses.
If you have experienced any of these issues, you should contact a bad faith insurance attorney immediately.
There are many ways that insurers can use deception to deny your claim or minimize your rightful compensation. Insurance policies can be incredibly complex, making it easier for these companies to deceive policyholders regarding their contents.
An insurer may use deceptive practices by intentionally withholding information about filing deadlines or available coverage. They may also lie about what exclusions are included in your policy in an attempt to deny valid claims.
Oftentimes, insurance claims are made by businesses that need emergency funds to cover some sort of unexpected damage or financial crisis. Because of this, delays in compensation can be a serious issue.
However, insurance companies usually have a specific reason for delaying their process of approving or rejecting your claim. Delays can give insurance companies greater leverage in settlement negotiations as claimants' needs become more pressing; delays may also discourage claimants from pursuing their claim at all.
In Texas, insurance companies have 15 days to respond to your claim, either by accepting, denying, or requesting more time with an explanation for that request. If you haven’t received a response within 15 days of filing, you may wish to contact a bad faith insurance attorney about filing a suit against your insurer.
In order to deny claims, insurance companies may simply decide not to investigate them fully. It’s possible that the company may have bad faith guidelines in place in order to ensure more claims are denied. Insurance companies are required by law to make a fair effort to evaluate your claim.
An insurance policy is a binding contract for both parties. With that, if you make a valid claim against that policy, the insurance company must accept that claim. Any denial you receive should have a factual and evidence-based explanation.
Insurers aren’t allowed to simply decide to pay you less than you need in order to save themselves money. Regardless, many insurers may attempt to do just that.
If your insurance company is lowballing their settlement offers, they may be acting in bad faith to protect their bottom line.
Sending threatening messages is absolutely never allowed for insurers. This may include threatening to share private information, threatening to harm you or your business physically, or any other messages that threaten any sort of harm for any reason.
If you receive any messages of this type, contact a bad faith insurance attorney. The law takes these actions very seriously.
Don’t let insurance companies take advantage of you. Seek the guidance of Millin & Millin bad faith insurance attorneys.
Request Your FREE Consultation
