Wesley Chapel Insurance Dispute Attorney
Insurance is supposed to provide protection in the event of an accident. Unfortunately, as many policyholders soon discover, insurers are looking out mainly for themselves. Although they happily cash your insurance premiums every month, when it comes time to make a claim these same insurers often drag their feet.
Fortunately, Floridians do have rights to fair treatment under state law. The state regulates insurance companies and provides the public with a right to bring legal claims when they are treated unfairly. Contact Moore Law to learn more. Our Wesley Chapel insurance dispute attorney can review your dispute and map out the best strategy for making a claim.
Typical Insurance Disputes
Our clients have disputes involving all types of insurance policies, including medical, dental, homeowner’s, renters, and auto insurance. Many of the disputes revolve around:
- Denial of claims. The insurer claims that your losses are not covered by the policy, so they pay nothing. There are many reasons for a denial, but often insurers claim that the damages pre-existed an accident or that your policy coverage has lapsed.
- Lowball offers. The insurer only agrees to cover part of a claim. Often, they assert that your injuries or losses were not as serious as you believe or that you are partially at fault for your loss.
- Delayed investigation. An insurer might be dragging their heels and not investigate your losses in a timely manner. Insurance adjusters could be hard to get in touch with.
- Refusal to pay out a claim. Even if the insurer agrees you are entitled to money, they might delay for no valid reason.
Your Right to Fair Treatment
Insurers must act in good faith when dealing with policyholders and anyone making a claim. This means they should:
- Promptly investigate a claim
- Settle a claim in good faith
- Pay a settlement when liability is clear
- Communicate their reasons for any denial of a claim
- Not require the completion of excessive forms
- Not make a misrepresentation about a material fact to induce settlement
- Not use an altered document as part of the settlement
Any violation of these obligations could potentially give rise to a lawsuit for bad faith. Under Florida Statute 624.155, an insured can bring a claim when they are injured by their insurer’s bad faith conduct. For example, a storm might have damaged your home, but your insurer rejects the claim without legitimate reason.
Giving Notice to Insurers
Florida law gives insurers the ability to correct or “cure” their violation. For this reason, you should provide written notice that the insurer is not following the law. They have 60 days to cure, and you typically cannot bring a lawsuit for bad faith before that period. However, notice of an intent to sue is often enough to job some insurers to begin taking a claim seriously.
Speak with a Wesley Chapel Insurance Dispute Attorney Today
Over the past 30 years, insurance companies in Florida have grown large by aggressively protecting their bottom line. If you don’t think your insurer has given you a fair shake, contact Moore Law today. We can negotiate with the insurer to cure any violations and seek to get your claim paid
