The recent severe storms in California and resulting damages have reminded us of a classic question: Is this covered by my insurance policy or not? Do you believe you have a valid claim which has been denied by your insurance company? What is insurance “bad faith?”
Honest Mistake or Insurance Bad Faith
The first concept one must understand is the difference between an honest mistake and poor knowledge on the part of insurance company representatives and insurance bad faith which results from denial of a valid claim due to “coverage questions.”
Insurance bad faith refers to any attempt by an insurance company to attempt to avoid payment on a valid claim or the failure to genuinely investigate and process the valid claim of a policyholder within a reasonable period of time. Insurance bad faith may occur when their representative misrepresent either the limitations of a policy or it’s terms in order to avoid payment on a valid claim. Your insurance company has the obligation to ensure that full disclosure of all exclusions to a policy and/or limitations in it’s coverage a thoroughly disclosed and/or explained prior to the sale of the policy in question. Unfortunately, there are many situations where insurance companies act in bad faith.
In some cases this is simply poor judgement or miscommunication within the insurance company. In others it may rise to the level of insurance bad faith resulting in several legal consequences. We represent insurance policy holders in breach of contract lawsuits to demand payment of the benefits promised by the policy and accrued interest.
The Watkins Firm can pursue insurance bad faith damages which include substantial financial penalties for your losses, the stress caused by the misrepresentations of the insurance company and even our attorney’s fees. In cases where there is actual malice or fraud on the part of the insurer, substantial punitive damages may be awarded to penalize the insurance carrier for their behavior. You should never have to ask the question “Is This Covered by My Insurance Policy or Not?” If you believe your insurance company is denying a valid claim and your policy covers what has happened it’s time to reach out to the Watkins Firm to protect and uphold your interests.
The Watkins Firm Can Help Answer Your Question: “Is This Covered by my Insurance Policy or Not?”
The experienced insurance attorneys Watkins Firm can help to answer your question “Is this covered by insurance policy or not?” The Watkins Firm has protected business owners and individuals alike in questions involving insurance coverage and valid policy claims for more than four decades.
There are many cases where insurance representatives have told their customers their insurance policy didn’t cover a claim when in fact it did. Our insurance coverage analysis and claim denial team review the policy and determine the coverage of the policy as it relates to a claim. We can help to protect your interests and ensure your insurance company provides the coverage you’ve paid for.
There are several actions your insurance company may take which rise to the level of insurance bad faith. California law is very clear and requires them to respond promptly to your claims and resolve them fairly within a reasonable time period. If your insurance company is dragging their feet with your claim, or you receive a denial letter without clear reasoning and justification for the denial or if they tell you not to hire an attorney
we invite you to review the strong recommendations of our clients and contact the Watkins Firm or call 858-535-1511 for a complimentary consultation today.
