Insurance Bad Faith Attorneys

Insurance carriers have a duty to policyholders. When you buy an insurance policy, the insurer agrees to provide you with a specified amount of coverage for your home, vehicle, or well-being (to name a few prominent examples) in exchange for timely payments of your premiums. Bad faith occurs when the insurance company breaches its duty to you, the policyholder.

In Oklahoma, simple negligence doesn’t necessarily constitute bad faith. Instead, your attorney must make the case that the insurer breached its duty of negotiating with you in good faith. Examples of bad faith and unfair dealing include:

• Denying a reasonable claim without adequate cause
• Underpaying a legitimate claim
• Failure to investigate claims
• Failure to provide a basis for denial in writing
• Failure to provide payment for a claim in a reasonable timeframe

The insurance claims process is complicated. Large insurance companies have sizable legal teams who represent the interests of their employer, not the policyholders. You need experienced legal counsel to act on your behalf in insurance bad faith cases. Find out how Johnson & Biscone, P.A. can help.

Examples of insurance bad faith include but are not limited to:

• Failure to properly investigate a claim
• Unnecessary delays in processing a claim
• Unreasonable claim denial
• Misrepresentation of benefits
• Failure to pay the total amount due
• Refusal to defend

If you believe your insurance provider is not treating you fairly, it is a good idea to consult with an experienced insurance bad faith lawyer to determine if you have reason to take legal action.

First, the policyholder must show that a valid claim was filed under the policy. Then the claim was delayed or denied by the insurance company in bad faith.

You might have the right to take legal action even if insurance bad faith did not result in additional hardships or damages. Talking to an attorney will help you understand your options.

The Duty to Defend is a contractual obligation that requires liability insurers to cover the legal fees for personal injury defense.

When you are involved in an accident, you are required to report it to your insurer promptly. When you are potentially liable for an accident and report it on time, your insurer must appoint and pay for your legal defense unless you choose to select your own counsel.

If you suspect your insurance company is acting in bad faith, discussing your case with an attorney is helpful. Having a lawyer on your side helps protect your best interests and ensures that bad faith issues are handled swiftly.

If you believe you have been dealt with in bad faith, the first step in filing a lawsuit is getting in touch with our office. During your free case review, we will review your policy information, documentation, and communications regarding your claim, and help you determine the next best steps.

If legal action is necessary, our firm will take care of filing your claim.

Damages that may be sought in a bad faith lawsuit include:

• Contractual Damages
• Extra-contractual Damages
• Punitive damages

Punitive damages are very rarely awarded, but each case is unique. Damages sought will depend on several determining factors, including the type of claim in question. During your initial consultation, we can discuss this in greater detail to help you understand what you may be entitled to seek.