When you suffer an injury due to the negligence of another, you may be eligible for compensation through a personal injury claim. Unfortunately, insurance companies are notorious for their bad-faith tactics that can prevent people from getting the compensation they deserve. It is important to be aware of these tactics so that you can protect your rights and ensure that your claim is handled fairly.
If you need legal assistance when dealing with the insurance company, contact our Nevada personal injury attorneys at H&P Law. We will help you protect your rights and best interests when communicating and negotiating with the insurer to ensure that you are getting the compensation to which you are entitled.
Common Bad-Faith Insurance Tactics to Look Out for
Below are some of the most common bad-faith insurance tactics you must look out for when filing a personal injury claim.
1. Failure to Conduct a Thorough Investigation
Insurance companies will often try to deny claims without conducting a thorough investigation into the incident. This is because it allows them to save time and money in the short term by avoiding having to pay out any claims. However, this means those filing the claims do not get the compensation they deserve, which can leave them in an even worse financial situation. To avoid this, ensure that all documents are filed properly and require proof from the insurance company that they have conducted a thorough investigation before making their decision on your claim.
2. Unreasonable Delays
Another common bad-faith tactic used by insurance companies is unreasonable delays in processing claims. This is done in order to make claimants wait until they are desperate enough to accept less than they deserve or give up entirely on their claim altogether. To avoid this, keep detailed records of all communication between yourself and your insurer and follow up regularly if there has been no response after a reasonable period of time has passed.
Note: Under Nevada law, the insurance company must either accept or deny your claim within 30 days after you provide proof of your losses or damages (NAC § 686A.675).
3. Denying Claims Without Valid Reason
Insurance companies may deny valid claims without providing valid reasons as to why they are doing so. This can leave claimants feeling frustrated and confused about what went wrong with their claim process. To prevent this, make sure that all documents submitted as part of your claim clearly state why you believe you should be entitled to compensation and ensure that you document any conversations with your insurer regarding your claim status or decisions made about it.
4. Misrepresenting Policy Terms
When filing a personal injury claim, ensure you fully understand the policy terms set forth by your insurance provider before signing any paperwork or agreeing to anything verbally with them. Insurance providers might try to misrepresent policy terms to reduce payout amounts or deny valid claims altogether. Pay close attention when reviewing documents provided by insurers—if something does not seem right, do not hesitate to ask questions and get clarification on anything you don’t fully understand before moving forward with the process.
5. Failure to Communicate Properly
Finally, one of the most common bad faith tactics used by insurers is failure to communicate properly with claimants throughout the entire process of filing a personal injury claim. They will often ignore emails or phone calls from claimants asking for updates on their cases, leaving them feeling helpless or frustrated over how long it is taking for their case to be resolved or approved for the payment amount requested. To avoid this type of situation, keep detailed records of all conversations between yourself and your insurer—including dates/times—and follow up regularly if there has been no response after a reasonable period of time has passed since initial contact was made with them about your particular case/claim status update request.
Contact H&P Law for Legal Assistance
Bad-faith insurance practices can easily derail an otherwise valid personal injury claim if not dealt with correctly from the start. Our personal injury attorneys at H&P Law can help you take all necessary steps to minimize risks associated with dealing with unscrupulous insurers who utilize bad faith practices. If you have questions or need immediate legal assistance, call us today at (702) 598-4529.
