Sarasota Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer
Like other states, Florida tightly regulates the insurance industry. To protect consumers from abuse, the state has also created a duty that insurers act in good faith when handling a claim. Unfortunately, some insurers violate this duty, unfairly denying claims or refusing to pay in a timely manner. Contact Geyer Fuxa Tyler to speak with our Sarasota bad faith insurance lawyer in a consultation if you believe you are being treated unfairly.
Closer Look at Bad Faith
An insurance contract should spell out the duties and responsibilities for both the policyholder and the insurer. For example, policyholders will pay set premiums by a certain deadline. In exchange, the insurer will pay out a claim for certain covered losses and indemnify the policyholder from covered claims.
However, the state has supplemented these duties, requiring that insurers act in good faith in all their dealings with policyholders. To that end, Florida law has defined some practices as bad faith violations:
- Refusing to perform a timely investigation of a claim.
- Making false statements about a policy or misrepresenting the terms.
- Requesting an unnecessary amount of paperwork or supporting documentation.
- Failing to even acknowledge a claim.
- Denying a claim unreasonably.
- Offering an unreasonably low settlement.
- Refusing to pay in a timely manner after accepting a claim.
Some insurers are disorganized, but others intentionally commit bad faith to put pressure on policyholders to accept a lowball offer. You should call our firm if you suspect you are being treated unfairly. No one should feel ignored or lied to by their insurance carrier. We can investigate and, where appropriate, hold an insurer’s feet to the fire and demand that they follow the law.
Your Remedies for Bad Faith
Any consumer harmed by bad faith practices should seek appropriate remedies. Our firm might:
- Bring a breach of contract claim and seek the benefits you would have received under the insurance contract. For example, an insurer might have denied your property damage claim. We can seek an amount equal to what you would receive if the insurer accepted the claim.
- Seek damages in a statutory insurance bad faith claim against the carrier.
- Demand punitive damages for egregious violations, such as fraud or oppression. Punitive damages are designed to punish a defendant, and they can increase what you receive.
- Request any other relief, as appropriate.
Bad faith insurance claims help policyholders in many ways. First, you can finally receive the benefits you are entitled to, which will help pay for repairs or subsidize other losses. Second, you can force insurance companies to behave more ethically. A claim is a powerful deterrent to this bad faith conduct.
Reach Out to Geyer Fuxa Tyler Today to Speak to Our Sarasota Bad Faith Insurance Lawyers
Insurance companies have historically abused their power and refused to treat policyholders with respect. Call our office to start a review of your claim. A Sarasota bad faith insurance lawyer can determine if you are being treated fairly and what provisions of the law your insurer is violating. We can demand compensation, litigate, or even arbitrate a dispute.