The basic concept behind insurance is simple – you pay a monthly premium during the good times. When some calamity strikes that would otherwise wipe out your finances, insurance kicks in and pays an agreed-upon amount.
The particulars of that can surely be complicated, and reasonable parties can disagree as to whether or not a particular event qualifies under the insurance contract to which both you and the insurance company agreed.
But too often, it’s apparent that the insurance company had no intention of paying your claim. You suffered a catastrophic personal injury, and the insurer rejected your claim as a matter of course. This isn’t right, and our lawyers can help.
If you need an experienced bad faith insurance claim lawyer in South Bay, Torrance, Redondo Beach, or any other Southern California community, please call Kirtland & Packard, LLP today at (310) 536-1000 for a free consultation.
What Is Bad Faith?
In any contractual dispute, the parties involved are expected to legitimately work toward the end of reaching an agreement. This is called “good faith negotiation” – everyone is engaging in a genuine attempt at reading contract language in a fair and reasonable fashion.
Sometimes, insurance companies will deny a claim as a result of a good faith interpretation of their contract with you – the company genuinely believes the terms of the contract weren’t met. They might be wrong, but they’re not deliberately trying to keep you from getting the money you deserve.
However, many insurance companies do not engage in good faith analysis or negotiation. Instead, they work in bad faith – that is, they are not legitimately trying to find a solution or analyze the insurance contract they signed. Their only goal is denying your claim and not paying out, and as such, they will use any legal argument or interpretation necessary.
Some signs of bad faith include:
- Unreasonable delays in responding to a claim
- False or misleading business practices
- Arbitrary demands for information or proof
- Abusive resolution tactics
- Failure to properly investigate a claim
Obviously, proving bad faith can be difficult. How will you demonstrate that an insurance company is acting in bad faith and not just zealously protecting a certain legal standard?
This is where our experienced lawyers come in. We know these cases and we know these companies. We understand the tactics insurance companies use and we know what bad faith looks like. We’re skilled at investigating these cases and proving bad faith when bad faith is in evidence.
If your claim was denied by an insurance company and you want to speak with our lawyers about a potential bad faith claim, please call Kirtland & Packard, LLP today at (310) 536-1000 for a free consultation.