A delayed insurance claim can leave you in a financial bind. After all, you’re probably relying on your insurance to help you cover whatever damages you’ve suffered, whether that be medical expenses due to an injury, damage to your home or financial loss due to an unexpected nursing home stay. While the claims process is naturally going to take some time to play out, far too often, the insurance company intentionally drags its feet in hopes of avoiding payout and saving itself some money.
You shouldn’t be subjected to this kind of behavior. But, if this is your first time dealing with a challenging insurance company, you might not know what to do. That’s okay. We’re going to give you some tips to help spur your claim along and, if those efforts are unsuccessful, tee your case up for legal action.
What you can do if your claim is unreasonably denied
Even though you might feel powerless in this situation, there are several things you can do to protect your interests. This includes the following:
- Contacting your insurance company: You might’ve done this already, but if you haven’t, you should. Ask targeted questions about why your claim is taking so long to process. You might find out that the insurance company needs additional information from you, or you may discover that the insurance company doesn’t really have a reason for the delay.
- Taking notes: If you want to protect your ability to pursue legal action, you need to be able to remember everything the insurance company told you. So, as you have communications with the insurance company, make sure you’re writing down what you’ve been told and the justifications provided to you for the claim delay.
- Reviewing your policy: Your insurance policy might help shed some light on the situation. In some instances, the policy will specify when a claim must be paid out. If the insurance company has strayed from the terms of your policy, you’re in a strong position to take legal action. But even if your policy is silent on that point, it might more thoroughly describe the claims process so that you have a better understanding of what may be causing the delay.
- Being thorough: If you plan on taking legal action against your insurance company given the delay that you’ve seen, you need to make sure that you’re being thorough in providing the insurance company with everything that they need to properly process your claim. Again, reviewing your policy can be key here, as it will probably give you guidance on what you need to give your insurance company in order for them to adequately review your claim.
Insurance companies act in bad faith all the time. You shouldn’t have to deal with it, but you might not have a choice. That’s why it’s critical to think through everything you can do to protect yourself and highlight the wrongs that your insurance company conducted. Talking to your attorney can help you figure out your best path forward.
Don’t let your insurance company get away with illegal actions
Insurance companies aren’t above the law. They have several contractual obligations to their clients to which they must adhere. When they don’t and you’re financially harmed as a result, legal action is justified.
These can be confusing and complex cases, but don’t let that worry you. Attorneys who regularly handle these kinds of cases are ready to help analyze your case and provide you with the strong advocacy that you need to position yourself for success.
