How insurance companies raise premiums, deny legitimate claims, and refuse to provide insurance to those who need it the most. Delay, deny, and defend are some of the tactics used by insurance companies to beef up their bottom lines of profit. Think you're in "Good Hands"? Think again.

Insurance Coverage Disputes & Bad Faith Claims

One of the growing areas of Washington insurance legal claims practice is against your own insurance company for wrongful insurance claims denial, coverage disputes, and bad faith claims.  If you have filed a claim for property damage to your car under the collision or comprehensive coverage, or for medical and wage loss benefits under your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, or uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, your insurance company may "unreasonably" delay, deny, and defend against your claim.  You may be forced to file a lawsuit against your own insurance company just to recover what they should have paid from the beginning.

The reason for this is that the corporate office of insurance companies is looking after its bottom line to maximize profits and its shareholders best interest over the interest of its own insureds who have purchased the insurance policies to cover the loss to their cars, trucks, or motorcycles that have been wrecked in an auto accident.

If the vehicle is totaled, the insurance company may undervalue the total loss value.  In cases of newer and more expensive cars like a Mercedes Benz, BMW, Lexus, a car that's been repaired may have diminished value (DV) but the insurance company will reject this claim unless an experienced Bellevue, Washington diminished value attorney like Andrew Kim steps in and fights for your legal rights.

You are not in "Good Hands" or treated like a "Good Neighbor" if the same insurance company that you have been paying premiums for all these years, makes you jump through a bunch of hoops before they pay anything.

If you are injured in a car accident in Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma or the Puget Sound area and the insurance company wants to send you to one of their doctors for an "Independent Medical Exam" (IME), don't fall for that one because there is nothing "Independent" about the exam.  It is better described as an "Involuntary Medical Exam" because you are forced to go by the terms of your insurance policy, which in most cases is used by your insurance company as reason to either delay, deny or terminate your PIP benefits when you are still injured and need additional treatment.  Again, the insurance company profits from money they don't have to pay out to you, the insured, and the IME doctor profits by getting paid for writing reports that the insurance companies need to document their claim file to terminate coverage.

But don't worry, you have legal rights and can take action against your insurance company by demanding arbitration, filing an Insurance Fair Conduct Act (IFCA) claim, and also filing an insurance bad faith claim.  Contact a Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma insurance claims dispute attorney, insurance claim denied lawyer, bad faith claims attorney at Andrew Kim Law Firm, PLLC right away before they can hurt you further.  We will aggressively pursue these claims for you.

 

 

See the Ten Worst Insurance Companies in America

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Blog for Insurance Coverage Disputes & Bad Faith Claims

Library for Insurance Coverage Disputes & Bad Faith Claims:

  • Who Decides What Confusing Or Vaguely Written Insurance Policies Mean?   
    Description: You probably have car insurance, life insurance, home insurance, flood insurance, etc. - but have you ever sat down to read and review your policies? Insurance policies can be dense, vague, and even confusing. Make sure you know what to do when determining the exact meaning of a segment of your policy.
  • Recent bad faith Supreme Court of the State of Washington opinion "St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co. v. Onvia, Inc."   
    Description: The Court held that there is a cause of action for bad faith claims-handling in a third-party context, which is not dependent on whether the insurer has breached its duty to defend, settle, or indemnify. The Court further held that under the certified facts of this case, Coventry controls the question of harm and remedy; RMS must show actual harm and may recover only for its proven damages. Finally, we hold that the CPA recognizes a claim for violation of claims-handling regulations that does not depend on a finding of bad faith or the existence of a duty to settle, indemnify, or defend.
  • Insurance Company Tricks of the Trade   
    Description: How Insurance Companies Deny, Delay, Confuse and Refuse legitimate claims to maximize their bottom lines.
  • The Ten Worst Insurance Companies in America   
    Description: How insurance companies raise premiums, deny claims, and refuse insurance to those who need it most.

    • View All

Web Resources for Insurance Coverage Disputes & Bad Faith Claims:

  • Press Releases

    Description: Allstate Ranks as Worst Insurer for Consumers

  • Press Releases

    Description: U.S. Chamber Created Current Financial Crisis, New Report Says

  • Press Releases

    Description: Insurance Company Tactics Add to American's Financial Hardships

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Bellevue
10655 NE 4th Street
Suite 208
Bellevue, WA 98004
Phone: (425) 289-1990
Fax: (425) 289-1991
Toll Free: (800) 636-3676

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Tacoma
4301 South Pine Street
Tacoma, WA 98409
Phone: (253) 682-2000
Toll Free: (800) 636-3676

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Offices

Bellevue
10655 NE 4th Street
Suite 208
Bellevue, WA 98004
Phone: (425) 289-1990
Fax: (425) 289-1991
Toll Free: (800) 636-3676

Tacoma
4301 South Pine Street
Tacoma, WA 98409
Phone: (253) 682-2000
Toll Free: (800) 636-3676

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