Houston Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer
Insurance Denied? We are Your Insurance Bad Faith Lawyer.
Millions of people purchase insurance to create a safety net that protects their property, themselves, and their families. An insurance policy is a legal contract where you agree to pay the premiums and, in exchange, the carrier will cover specific damages.
It seems that it should be straightforward, with the company paying for damages after the proper claim is submitted. Things do not always work this way, though, and delays, denials, and disputes are becoming more common.
A bad-faith insurance lawyer will hold these insurance companies accountable and make them honor the claim. Here we explore how an insurance bad faith lawyer can make a difference and why you should use us to handle these claims.
What is a Bad Faith Insurance Claim?
Bad faith insurance is when the company fails to honor its contractual obligations to you. It takes many different forms, including:
- Denying legitimate claims
- Unreasonably delaying the claims process
- Offering inadequate settlements
- Using deceptive practices to avoid paying the claim.
The insurance company’s strategy is to save money by not paying your claim, using various tactics. These practices are illegal, and the carrier must pay your claims promptly.
Texas Law and the Timeline for Handling Your Claim
The Texas Department of Insurance sets specific time frames for insurance companies when processing your claim:
- The carrier must acknowledge the claim within 15 days and may request additional information. After receiving all the information, the company has 15 days to approve or deny your claim.
- The carrier can extend the deadline by 45 days with a notification. It must have reasonable explanations for extending this deadline, such as a natural disaster.
- The insurance company must pay your claim within five days after approval.
If you have been faced with a claim denial or delay, we recommend speaking with a skilled insurance bad-faith lawyer about your situation. Insurance companies use their money, power, and influence to deny paying your claim. We will fight for your rights and use our decades of experience in these cases to help you.
Contact us at (713) 666-1981 to schedule your free phone consultation with a skilled insurance bad-faith lawyer. We will review your situation and discuss the options we could pursue to protect you.
The Types of Bad Faith Insurance Practices
Insurance companies are businesses, and they protect their profitability by reducing payouts. The insurance company will use your lack of knowledge and employ different practices to avoid paying the claim, such as:
Delaying Claims Processing
Delaying claims processing causes financial hardship for you and your family. The insurance company will come up with different reasons for delaying the claim, such as processing errors, additional paperwork, or claiming you are at fault.
Denial of Valid Claims
Insurance companies may try to deny paying your claim without offering a reasonable explanation. Sometimes these denials are unjust and in violation of Texas law. Your attorney will review the claim and decide if this is happening to you.
Lowball Settlement Offers
Another tactic is when the insurance company agrees to honor the claim but offers a lowball offer that does not cover the extent of your losses.
Deceptive Practices
Some insurance companies will go as far as misrepresenting the coverage limits or policy terms. Their objectives are to lower the payout or make it seem like an event is not covered when it actually is. They are trying to use your lack of knowledge against you to reduce any possible payouts.
Signs the Insurance Company is Acting in Bad Faith
Insurance companies that are acting in bad faith will use several tactics to delay and avoid paying the claim, such as:
- Denying coverage and not investigating the claim
- Not acting on the claim at the proper time
- Intentional delays in investigating and paying your claim
- Canceling the policy after you make a claim
- Requesting unnecessary paperwork so the statute of limitations will expire on your claim
- Changing the policy language to deny paying the claim
- Ignoring the law for honoring and paying the claim
- Not responding to repeated efforts to contact them
- Stating that your paperwork or file has disappeared
- Changing adjusters in the middle of the claim to extend the deadline
- Not giving you the necessary paperwork to file a claim with the company successfully.
We recommend speaking with a bad-faith insurance lawyer about your situation. Insurance companies are legally obligated to honor valid claims, and we will hold them accountable for their actions.
The Consequences of Bad Faith Insurance Practices
Bad faith insurance practices could have devastating consequences on you, including.
Financial Hardships
Anytime an insurance company acts in bad faith, the policyholders suffer financial losses. You are filing a claim because of damages and are relying on the payout to move on with your life. Failing to honor your claim increases these hardships and makes planning for the future more difficult.
Psychological Effects
Insurance disputes will take a toll on your mental health. You have to deal with uncertainty and stress, which could lead to depression and anxiety.
The Loss of Trust
One of the biggest consequences is your trust in the carrier is destroyed. You no longer see the point in paying the premiums and will look at using another insurance company in the future.
We recommend speaking with an insurance bad-faith lawyer about your situation. Insurance companies could cause negative consequences for you because of their actions. You did everything you were supposed to and failed to get your money from the claim. Your attorney will review the case and discuss what options we could pursue to hold the insurance company responsible.
Why Should You Visit with a Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer?
We recommend moving fast and visiting with a bad-faith insurance lawyer right away. Insurance companies know the law and seek to use your lack of knowledge against you. Our team helps you in several ways, including.
Recognizing a Bad Faith Claim
Responsible insurance companies handle your claim quickly and reduce bureaucracy. Your attorney ensures they follow the law and are ready to act when they try something. We will hold the insurance company accountable and ensure you get their proper claim.
Avoids the Statute of Limitation from Running Out
Texas law states that the statute of limitations for filing a claim is two years after the incident. The statute of limitations is the deadline for filing a claim; if you miss it, your claim can be dismissed. We work with you to ensure that all actions are taken before the statute of limitations expires.
Our team of dedicated professionals has years of experience dealing with insurance companies. We know the law and use our experience to ensure they honor your claim.
Why Choose Us?
The Weisblatt Law Firm are members of the community, dedicated to giving something back. Every year we support and participate in the Diabetes Walk, and you see us at community activities. We understand the challenges ordinary people face and are here to make a difference.
Our team handles all aspects of your case:
Investigating the Claim
We investigate the claim, gather evidence, and follow up on every lead. The evidence we collect strengthens your case and shows how the insurance company is failing to live up to its contractual obligations.
Negotiating with Carriers
We negotiate directly with the insurance company on your behalf. Our approach is to show the insurance company they are legally liable and can avoid a lengthy court case by settling with you. It saves everyone time, money, and the stress of lengthy litigation.
Litigation
We use litigation as a last resort when the negotiations fail and we have no other option. Your attorney will represent you at all proceedings and use their trial experience to guide you. We prefer to settle cases out of court but are ready to take aggressive action when necessary.
Proud Members of the Texas Bar
We are Texas State Bar Association members and serve on several practice committees. Our focus is to ensure that the highest standards for integrity are maintained so you can receive the finest legal advice.
Bad faith insurance practices are illegal, and we will help you to get the assistance you need. We recommend that you not try to handle such a situation on your own; instead, let our experienced team handle the problem for you and work on your behalf to reach a satisfactory resolution.
Our attorneys listen and will work diligently to stand up for your rights. Contact us at (713) 666-1981 to schedule your free phone consultation with an attorney. You have a window of opportunity to get the help you need and hold the insurance company responsible for their contractual obligations. We urge you to take advantage of this opportunity to protect your rights and ensure you receive a fair settlement from the insurance company.
Attorney Andrew Weisblatt
Mr. Weisblatt has practiced continuously since becoming licensed in 1992 and has represented businesses ranging in size from one person start-up ventures to multi-national corporations employing hundreds of people in multiple countries. From 2005 through 2009 Mr. Weisblatt was in-house counsel and chief operating officer of a multi-national corporation in the steel products industry. That in-house position provided valuable insight into how businesses work and what they actually need from their lawyers – both in-house and outside counsel. Attorney Bio
