What is Insurance Bad Faith?
You purchased insurance coverage for protection, peace of mind and security in the event of a loss. You faithfully paid your insurance premiums. You lived up to your end of the bargain. However, when you asked the insurance company to live up to its end of the bargain, it failed to do so.
“Insurance Bad Faith Law” are laws designed to protect you against fraudulent insurance practices. Nevada has adopted the Unfair Claims Practices Act which insurance companies in Nevada must follow. Unfortunately, you only have to look at the recent headlines to know that insurance companies sometimes fail to live up to those laws and their obligations. Years after Hurricane Katrina, homeowners are still arguing with their insurance companies for coverage. In fact, U.S. Senator Trent Lott was not even immune. He had to sue his insurer, State Farm, for failing to honor his homeowner’s policy. If an insurance company will improperly deny the claim of a U.S. Senator, is it any surprise that they will do the same thing to you?
A bad faith insurance case happens when your insurance company unreasonably denies or delays payment of your claim. Your insurance company has an obligation to deal with you fairly and promptly. If your insurance company unreasonably denies your claim, unreasonably delays payment of your claim, or unreasonably undervalues and/or underpaid your claim, it may now owe you for more than just the coverage it originally agreed to in the policy. It may also owe you for the harm and inconvenience it caused you by denying or delaying the payment of your claim. Examples of how an insurance company could commit bad faith include (1) failing to promptly investigate your claim; (2) unjustly delaying payment; (3) unreasonably refusing payment of a claim; (4) unreasonably undervaluing or underpaying your claim; and (5) unreasonably interpreting the policy language against you in order to avoid payment of its full obligations.
What you must do when dealing with your insurance company.
You must follow the requirements of your insurance policy. Promptly notify your insurance company of your claim. Do not exaggerate your claim. Promptly respond to all requests for information from your insurance company. Keep the insurance company updated about your claim. Properly and adequately document all of your claimed losses. Do not sign any documents that you do not understand. Do not wave any potential bad faith claim in order to obtain payment from your insurance company. Do not get frustrated and lose your patience. Do not make threats.
Why you need a skilled and experienced bad faith insurance attorney.
If you have suffered a loss that is covered by insurance, you have the right to recover the full value of that loss. If you are concerned that your insurance company is failing to live up to its promises, contact Murphy & Murphy Law Offices today. When you have been injured and suffered a loss, you are in a terrible situation. You should be concentrating on getting better or recovering from your loss. However, you find that much of your time and energy is being consumed by arguing with an insurance company you have been paying for years to protect you. It is easy to become overwhelmed in such circumstances.
DON’T GO IT ALONE. Consider retaining the services of a skilled and experienced insurance bad faith attorney. DO NOT HIRE AN ATTORNEY WHO IS NOT EXPERIENCED IN INSURANCE BAD FAITH CASES. AN INEXPERIENCED ATTORNEY CAN MAKE FATAL MISTAKES THAT WILL DIMINISH THE VALUE OF YOUR CLAIM AND RUIN ANY CHANCE YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY LIVE UP TO ITS OBLIGATIONS.
As with all other areas of law, YOU MUST HIRE THE RIGHT ATTORNEY FOR YOUR INSURANCE CLAIM AND POTENTIAL BAD FAITH CASE. How do you know the right attorney? INVESTIGATE. ASK QUESTIONS. CONDUCT INTERVIEWS. Insurance bad faith is not an area of law where you want to hire an attorney who handles every type of case, a criminal lawyer, a divorce lawyer, a TV lawyer, or a simple car crash lawyer. You need an attorney with specific insurance claims and insurance bad faith experience. An “aggressive”, “bulldog litigator” can ruin your case. There is no substitute for skill, experience and expertise. Murphy & Murphy Law Offices has the skill, experience and expertise required. Before you take any further action on your claim, contact Murphy & Murphy (or other skilled and knowledgeable insurance attorney). We will provide you with a free case review and analysis. You do not have to battle the insurance company alone.
