The Insurance Company’s Duty of Good Faith to You
November 25, 2019
DL Law Group
When Your Claim Is Denied, What Can You Do?
A slip and fall or an unexpected car crash could turn your life upside down. When you suffer an injury, you believe that your insurance company will uphold their end of the bargain and pay your claims. Sadly, this is not always the case. Many of these accidents become just another denied claim by the insurance company. When this occurs, what can you do? How can you get the insurance company to pay your claim?
Fortunately, an experienced California bad faith insurance attorney can help you. They know how to level the playing field with dishonest insurance companies. After all, the insurance company has to honor its coverage of your injury, up to your policy limits.
Insurance Companies Have a Duty to Inform
Millions of Americans pay thousands of dollars in insurance premiums every year. They pay these premiums to protect themselves should an accident occur. That money is valuable. Consumers have a right to know what they are purchasing.
Insurance companies have the responsibility of disclosing every detail of your insurance policy. They must disclose this information before they sell you the policy.
Never sign a contract for insurance without first reading and re-reading the entire policy. Any insurance company which makes you sign first before they inform you isn’t acting in good faith.
The Difference Between Good Faith and Bad Faith
Good faith is a legal term. It is an obligation of the insurance company to you, and it is non-negotiable. Good faith means that the insurance company honors what the insurance policy says. They agree to pay for or covers services according to the terms of the policy.
Bad faith is the opposite of that. When an insurance company denies a covered claim under the insurance policy, they are acting in bad faith.
Ways Your Insurance Company Acts In Bad Faith
There are many ways an insurance company can act in bad faith. Some of those include:
- Denying legitimate claims
- Delaying payments
- “Losing” paperwork
- Refusing to return phone calls
- Ignoring vital medical information
- Requesting unnecessary medical tests or lab work
- Offering low-ball settlements
- Failing to defend against a third party claim
- Refusing to conduct an investigation
- Canceling a policy after a claim is made
It Is Not All or Nothing
Many clients believe that if they file an insurance claim, that is the end of their personal responsibility for costs and services. Unfortunately, even with the most generous insurance plans, this is not true. There are often responsibilities that you must incur, such as co-pays and deductibles.
Sometimes, it takes perseverance and determination to go toe to toe with an insurance company’s agents. Insurance adjusters know how to fight claims, and they work hard to deny them. If you believe your insurance company is negotiating in anything other than good faith, you should speak to an experienced attorney. Your bad faith insurance attorney can guide you through the terms of your policy and protect your rights every step of the way.
Contact Our Insurance Bad Faith Attorneys Today
Even when you have the best intentions and attempt to work with your insurance company to resolve a dispute, it may not be enough. You may need to hire a bad faith insurance attorney to help you get the coverage or reimbursement that you deserve.
If your insurance company continues to attempt to stonewall you, an attorney at the DL Law Group will protect your rights every step of the way. Call us at toll-free at (888) 910-3980. You can also fill out our confidential contact form for a free initial consultation and review of your case. Call today!
RELATED POSTS




CONTACT US FOR A FREE CASE EVALUATION
You Won't Pay Until We Win