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After suffering car accident injuries, you turn to your insurance company for compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and more. Unfortunately, there are cases when insurance claims are denied. When this occurs, it is important to understand exactly why the insurance company denied your claim. Since insurance companies don’t always act with your best interests in mind, you should know how to identify bad faith insurance practices.
Reasons for Claim Denials
Below we have put together the most common and valid reasons for insurance claim denials:
- Avoidable actions caused the accident: If the insurer believes that you did something that rendered the policy coverage ineffective, like drunk driving at the time of the accident or letting an unlicensed driver use your car, they can deny your claim.
- Failing to file a complaint shortly after the accident: If you failed to file a claim right after the accident, it could lead to claim denial. The insurance company may argue that the injuries didn’t happen as a result of the accident.
- Medical records don’t indicate an injury: If you don’t have medical records proving that you were injured in the accident, the insurer will likely deny your claim.
Bad Faith Insurance Practices
Insurance companies are expected to act in good faith when a person with insurance policy issues a claim. An insurance company acts in bad faith when they fail to fulfill the obligations stated in the insurance policy. Common examples of bad faith insurance practices include but are not limited to the following:
- Refusing to pay a claim that it owes
- Failing to explain the reason for a claim denial
- Failing to deny a claim in a timely manner
- Failing to conduct a complete investigation
If you believe your insurance claim shouldn’t have been denied and your insurance company is acting in bad faith, our team at Daspit Law Firm is here to help you. Contact our Houston car accident attorneys today at (888) 273-1045 to schedule a consultation!