Insurance Lawyer in Tampa, FL
Unforeseen circumstances that can destroy your property or bring financial ruin can typically be circumvented with the help of insurance. When you enter into an insurance policy, you are protected from property damage and a plethora of other problems that increase your financial liability.
If an insurance company acts in bad faith and declines to provide the compensation promised in your policy coverage, then you can dispute your damage claims. Insurance lawyers deliver representation in defense against bad business practices, such as when your insurance company refuses to accept liability that your coverage should fulfill. When insurers are denying a claim unfairly, it is time to speak up and get legal advice on your next steps.
Florida is on the list of the 10 worst states where bad faith litigation is prominent. When you need help settling a dispute with an insurance company that chose to work out of bad faith on your coverage, you will need a strong legal defense. Insurers often aim to undervalue the compensation you are owed, lessening the amount of liability they accept for your claim. Your attorney can enforce your policy by proving how your insurer owes you compensation for your claim. Contact Florida Home Claim for a free consultation today.
What Types of Insurance Claims Can Be a Case of Bad Faith?
When an insurer fails to settle a claim and intentionally attempts to avoid fulfilling the policy they provided you, then you can file a bad faith dispute against them. In Florida, you can take action against an insurer for not providing good faith services to settle your insurance claim. This includes a variety of practice areas:
- Automobile Insurance
- Boat Insurance
- Health Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Aviation Insurance
How Do I Know When My Insurer is Not Acting on Good Faith
After you file a claim and don’t see your insurance company providing the services they promised, your insurer is likely acting on bad faith.
Who is At-Fault is Difficult to Establish
When you get into a situation where you are not at fault for damages, but your insurance company cannot establish this based on proof, you may have to dispute your claim. Your insurer may be mishandling the investigation and not performing it thoroughly enough, where details are overlooked and ignored. You can get a law firm involved if you have proof that you are not at fault and require coverage. Attorneys can perform their own investigation and pull evidence to prove you are due compensation.
Large Claims are Denied
Insurance companies typically have provisions set out in your insurance policy outlining the maximum amount you are due. If your Tampa insurance holds back on paying the full amount of compensation, then you should dispute this claim. Some policyholders experience fraud when their insurance company denies large claims so that they put their company at less risk of financial loss. However, this is against insurance law as your insurer has signed a contract with you.
Insurance Adjusters Disagree on Claim
After you have experienced property damage, an insurance adjuster is typically sent out to review how bad the financial loss is. These adjusters work directly for your insurer and don’t favor you, but instead lean towards what can save your insurance company the most money. Even if you fulfill the requirements of compensation on an insurance policy, your insurance adjuster may disagree. If there is a massive disparity between the number of damages you experienced and what the insurance adjuster defines, then you should seek legal advice from a law firm.
Problems With Complex and Expensive Claims
In cases like homeowners’ damages or personal injury, the price of natural disasters or medical bills can be quite expensive. These types of insurance, among many others, require an examination of the damages and events surrounding your unfortunate accident. However, if you have proper evidence that you deserve a payment, your insurer is not fulfilling the service they promised you. Insurance policies can have many confusing languages that describe the policy requirements, and insurers often exploit this to keep policyholders in the dark. If you feel that your insurance company is intentionally overcomplicating your claim or not properly providing you service, get a legal professional on your case.
Can Insurance Companies Be Punished for Bad Faith Damages?
Your insurance lawyer can initiate litigation if your insurance company does not agree to a settlement. Your attorney will likely attempt to settle with your insurer first, but if you enter into a lawsuit with them, they can also be punished for punitive damages. The judge may want to make an example of your insurer for their bad faith, where the amount of your settlement can rise exponentially. This is when insurance fraud has caused you undue stress, making the claim process incredibly complicated and more complex than necessary. You can recover attorney fees from your insurer, where they are compensated by a separate judgment filed against your insurance company.
What Do Insurance Lawyers in Tampa Do?
Your insurance attorney’s job is to help you determine whether you are experiencing bad faith and prove that your insurer is providing unfair business practices. They help make sure that you are represented fairly and receive the compensation you deserve.
Vastly Increase Your Chances for a Receiving Settlement
Using professional tactics, your attorney will investigate your case thoroughly and dig up any evidence that proves that your policy should award you. If you dispute a claim without the help of an attorney, you will be up against the insurance company’s word against your own. Insurance companies can delay, overcomplicate, and find reasons to deny or reduce your claim. With the help of an attorney, they will be pressured to follow the law.
Lawyers Prevent Bad Faith Claims Made by the Insured
Some insured individuals may file a claim out of bad faith, either intentionally or unintentionally. They may demand a settlement offer that the insurer can’t comply with or provide an unrealistic deadline, wait for the insurer to make a mistake, then accuse the insurer of acting out of bad faith. This can result in legal repercussions but can be avoided with the help of an attorney. Insurance lawyers understand insurance jargon and can review your policy requirements. They can educate you on how the insurance process works so that you don’t jump to conclusions and falsely accuse your insurer of fraud.
They Perform Their Own Investigation
When your insurance company isn’t properly scrutinizing or documenting the apparent evidence, you can have your lawyer perform an investigation. They will collect the evidence necessary to prove how much your claim is worth. This evidence can be used to dispute your claim, where you can demand a more accurate settlement to the amount of compensation you deserve.
Attorneys Enforce the Law
When you have a legal representative on your side, your insurance company is encouraged to follow the rules. Because you entered into a contract with your insurer, they are legally bound to the agreement set forth by your insurance policy. If they stray from this agreement, then they are held liable for acting in bad faith. Your attorney can enforce these laws and file a lawsuit against them for bad faith.
They Provide Representation in Court
If your insurance company does not agree to a settlement, your attorney can file a petition and bring them to court. Here, the jury will review the evidence and decide whether the insurance company is unjustly withholding your payment. Based on the judgment that is passed, your insurer may also have to pay legal fees in addition to the total amount you are owed.
Lawyers Make Sure You Don’t Receive an Unfair Settlement
Insurers can deny, reduce, or delay the amount you deserve. For example, if you got into a bad fire accident and have property damage to your home, but your insurance adjuster denies the full amount, then you should seek help. Your attorney can prove that you are due the full amount of compensation according to your policy limits based on the evidence at hand. They can hire their own public adjusters and determine the total costs of the damages based on objective industry standards. They won’t allow the insurer to con you by providing you little payment for your damages.
Learn How to Get Started with an Insurance Lawyer in Tampa Florida
Insured individuals are often at risk for not getting the full amount of coverage they deserve. This is because many insurance companies are trying to reduce the amount of risk they have to accept. You can work with dedicated insurance attorneys in Florida when you believe you are experiencing little to no insurance coverage in Tampa, Fl. Contact Florida Home Claim for a free consultation.
