Clearwater Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer
Clearwater residents pay various types of insurance premiums on monthly and quarterly bases to protect themselves in the event of unexpected losses. Homeowners’ insurance provides important coverage for serious wind and other storm damage related to hurricanes, as does separate flood insurance. It also covers unexpected damage due to fire, roof leaks, and more. Residents of Clearwater also pay for automobile insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and other policies so that they will have the coverage they need in the event of an accident or a serious injury that results in significant losses. Accordingly, Clearwater residents expect their claims to be properly investigated and paid when they have coverage under an insurance policy. However, insurance companies can delay investigations and processing claims, can refuse to investigate, and can even deny claims without good reason. Such incidents may amount to bad faith. Contact our experienced Clearwater bad faith insurance lawyer today to discuss your options for initiating a claim against an insurer acting in bad faith.
Learning About Insurance Bad Faith in Clearwater
What is bad faith in the context of an insurer and an insurance claim? Bad faith is a relatively broad term that is used in different areas of the law, but in the insurance context, it refers to an insurer’s failure to provide coverage and to abide by the terms of an insurance policy. Insurance companies are required to act in good faith in investigating insurance claims and processing them for coverage, including first-party claims and third-party claims.
First-party bad faith claims often involve homeowners’ insurance claims, including after hurricane or flood damage. First-party claims are those filed by the insured through their own insurance policy. Third-party bad faith claims usually involve different types of liability insurance, where a party files a liability claim through a third-party’s insurer in order to seek compensation for damage or harm caused by the third party.
What Does Bad Faith Look Like in Clearwater Insurance Claims?
As we noted above, bad faith by an insurance company can take various forms, and there are many ways in which an insurance company might act unreasonably, unfairly, or imprudently that ultimately amount to bad faith. Frequently cited examples of bad faith in Clearwater insurance cases include but are not limited to the following:
- Insurance company unreasonably delays an insurance investigation after receiving a completed claim, which may include failing to send out an adjuster or refusing contact from the insured;
- Insurance company immediately denies a claim for coverage without attending to the specific terms of coverage in the policy; or
- Insurance company denies coverage but fails to provide detailed notice of the reason for the denial of the claim.
To initiate a bad faith claim against an insurer that has acted unreasonably or negligently in handling your claim, you will need to work with a lawyer to file a notice of your intent to litigate. That notice is called a Civil Remedy Notice.
Reach Out to Our Clearwater Bad Faith Insurance Lawyers
If you have any questions or concerns about bad faith in your insurance claims process, an attorney at Geyer Fuxa Tyler can help. Contact our experienced Clearwater bad faith insurance lawyer today.