.jpg)
As a policyholder, you purchase insurance and pay premiums as a means to protect yourself against financial loss. This includes losses resulting from car accidents when you have auto insurance, or damage to your home when you purchase homeowner’s insurance to cover losses caused by fire, mold, water damage, and hurricanes, among other incidents.
Although insurance companies are required by law to treat you fairly and honor any valid policy you file, they do not always do right by their policyholders. When they fail to properly handle and investigate your claim, create unreasonable delays, or otherwise refuse to fairly settle a valid claim, they may be acting in bad faith. When this happens, you can face added frustration and fear over your financial well-being. Fortunately, you have the right to fight back.
At Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP, our Cleveland trial lawyers are passionate about leveling the playing field between our clients and the powerful insurance companies they often face off against in civil claims and lawsuits. As advocates for consumers and injured victims across Ohio and the country, we know all too well that insurance companies prioritize their profits over people – including their own policyholders. If you believe your insurance claim is being handled in bad faith by your insurance provider, we want to remind you that you have rights, and that an attorney can help you navigate the process of pursuing a bad faith insurance claim.
Here are a few reasons why working with an attorney for your bad faith insurance claim can make the difference:
- Insight – Due to the complexity of laws surrounding insurance and the duties of insurance companies, working with an attorney knowledgeable in this area can ensure you have the insight to effectively pursue a claim and the coverage you rightfully deserve. Our legal team understands the various reasons why valid insurance claims are filed (ranging from theft, fires, and floods to hurricanes and natural disasters) and how insurance companies commonly handle disputes. We also know that actions constitute bad faith – including failures to properly investigate claims, providing false or misleading information about your policy, unreasonable delays, failures to provide a reason for the denial of a valid claim, and more. With this insight, you can better understand your rights as a policyholder, and have the support of proven professionals who can help you avoid mistakes that could cost you compensation.
- Level the playing field – Insurance companies are powerful corporations with an interest in protecting their bottom line. This means they’ll often leverage their resources and capitalize on what you don’t know in order to pay less that you need and deserve. By working with a lawyer who has not only the experience and insight needed to raise effective challenges to an insurance company’s bad faith dealings, but also the resources required of these cases, you won’t be limited in your attempts to fight back and level the playing field.
- Ability to litigate – Attempting to resolve a dispute without an attorney can be tremendously difficult. Because insurance companies know policyholders without attorneys are also limited in their understanding of the law and ability to bring a claim to trial, they are also less likely to treat you fairly when you dispute their decisions or actions. By working with a lawyer with a proven insurance litigation record, you have more options to fight back and greater chances of resolving your case if it goes to trial.
- Protect your interests – Although you may have been led to believe insurance companies are on your side, their actions in handling your claim in bad faith show that they are more concerned about their own interests and bottom line than they are yours. Because your interests and the insurance company’s naturally conflict during disputes, it is logical and wise to work with advocates who work exclusively to protect your interests and rights.
Dealing with the insurance company is never a welcomed experience, especially when that insurance company has already failed in its obligation to treat you fairly. If you believe your insurance claim filed as a homeowner, business owner, or other policyholder was handled in bad faith, you can find the support and representation you need by working with our award-winning legal team at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP. Our firm has a long history of fighting insurance companies, and recovering over a billion dollars on our clients’ behalves. We can help you take the next steps.
To learn more about bad faith insurance claims and how our firm can help you, contact us for a FREE consultation.
