Colorado Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer
You have paid your insurance premiums and hope you never have to file an insurance claim. But when you do, you expect to be treated fairly and with respect. However, insurance companies are not looking out for your interests. They are for-profit businesses that want to realize the largest profits possible. Insurance companies sometimes use devious tactics to get out of their legal obligation to fairly resolve your claim.
If you believe you might be a victim of insurance bad faith, contact the Colorado bad faith insurance lawyers at Cannon Law. We provide a free case evaluation in which we can explain your legal rights and options.
What Is Insurance Bad Faith?
Insurance bad faith occurs when an insurance company fails to fulfill its legal obligation to pay a policyholder’s valid claim or process it in good faith. Policyholders have a reasonable expectation that the insurance company will fairly handle claims and fulfill their contractual obligation. Insurance companies must follow specific rules when investigating and processing claims. If they do not follow these rules, they may be held accountable for insurance bad faith.
Examples of Insurance Bad Faith
Insurance bad faith can take many forms. These tactics are often used to avoid paying legitimate claims or minimize payouts. Some examples of insurance bad faith scenarios include:
- Refusing to communicate with their insured
- Unreasonably delaying claims
- Delaying investigations or processing of claims without a valid reason
- Delaying processing of claims by requiring policyholders to provide unnecessary documentation
- Failing to conduct a thorough investigation
- Paying too little based on the claim’s value
- Denying valid claims with no reasonable basis
- Citing irrelevant or non-existing policy language as purported justification of a denial
- Making settlement offers that are unreasonable or inappropriate
- Misrepresenting insurance policy terms or facts
- Presenting false evidence or legal arguments as justification for a denial
- Failing to provide any reason for a denial
These are just a few of the possible ways that insurance companies can act in bad faith. A Colorado insurance bad faith attorney can help you determine if you have been the victim of bad faith.
Pursuing an Insurance Bad Faith Claim
A civil claim based on insurance bad faith must be supported by evidence that:
- The insurance company unreasonably refused or delayed payment.
- The denial or delay is made with an unreasonable basis.
- You suffered damages that are compensable through a civil claim.
- Your losses were due to the insurance company’s unreasonable conduct.
Potential Compensation for Insurance Bad Faith
A Colorado insurance bad faith claim seeks payment for the amounts you could have rightfully received under your policy. You can also seek additional damages for the insurance company’s bad faith actions, which can sometimes be twice or triple the amount of the cost of your claim.
Through an insurance bad faith claim, you may be able to receive compensation for:
- Costs of medical treatment you had to pay out of pocket
- Lost wages because you couldn’t work
- Attorney’s fees
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
Contact Our Colorado Insurance Bad Faith Lawyers
A Colorado bad faith insurance lawyer at Cannon Law offers a tailored approach to legal services in which we work closely with our clients to establish goals and develop an appropriate legal strategy to accomplish them. We leverage our years of experience confronting insurance companies and other powerful defendants to help our clients recover the compensation they deserve. Our insurance bad faith consultations are confidential and complimentary. Contact us at (970) 471-7170 to learn more.