Watch Out For These Bad Faith Insurance Practices

The road to recovery following a car accident can be long and painful. However, if your insurance company refuses to cooperate and instead tries to reduce the value of compensation you deserve and need, your healing process may also be delayed.

When an insurance company tries to refuse a claim without a reasonable basis, it is acting in ‘bad faith’ and is essentially, breaking Illinois law. Unfortunately, this tendency is more common than you may realize. The good news is you can call them out for it – if you know what you are looking for. Here are common bad faith practices you or the other driver’s insurance company may try to pull on you:

Unjustified Claim Denial

If the insurance company denies your claim without giving a valid reason, you can file a claim of bad faith against them. A common example is if your auto insurance company refuses to get a policy holder’s vehicle repaired after it is involved in an accident without giving a reason for denial.

Denying Or Delaying Requests For Approval For Medical Treatment

When it comes to receiving approval for medical treatments after a car accident, time is of the essence. Insurance companies know this and many exploit it to deny or delay treatment requests.

The bottom line is: If your doctor says a surgery or any medical procedure is necessary, your insurance company should act on this request. If it doesn’t and your request is delayed, you can file a claim of bad faith against them.

Devaluing the Compensation

Insurance companies have more than enough money to compensate for their policy holders. They just aren’t enthusiastic about it because prioritize their profits over their clients. That is why many try to offer less money than what the claim is actually worth.

For example, if a tree fell on the roof of your house, your insurance company may only offer to pay half from the quote you received – even if your policy can pay for everything. In this case, they are acting in bad faith and can be called out for it by your attorney.

If an insurance company has unfairly denied your claim, you have the right to take legal action against them. Get in touch with the Law Offices of Robert Edens today. We know insurance companies prioritize their own profits over their policy holders and have substantial experience in handling bad faith cases in court. We offer our services in Chicago, Waukegan, Woodstock, Libertyville and Antioch, IL.