Seattle Insurance Dispute Lawyers

If you feel you are being taken advantage of by your insurance company or your claim has been unfairly denied, you need the assistance of the experienced Seattle insurance dispute lawyers at our firm. We can directly challenge your insurer if they are refusing to honor the promises they made to you according to your policy. To schedule a free consultation about your case, call us today at 206-973-0407, or send us a message using our contact form.

When tragedy or disaster strikes, and you become the victim of an accident, it is a relief to know you have insurance coverage to help you restore the value of what you lost. You expect the insurance company to come through and honor their promises. However, too often this turns out not to be true. Some insurance companies engage in unfair practices involving denial, delay, or undervaluing insurance claims. This failure on their part is referred to as bad faith. If you find yourself the victim of such practices, you will need the help provided by our Seattle insurance dispute lawyers at Emerald City Law Group to force your insurance company to pay what you are owed.

What are Bad Faith Insurance Practices?

The insurance business is highly profitable. Insurance companies make their money by paying out less on claims than their customers pay to maintain their policies. The insurance policy between you and your insurance company is a contract that is supposed to ensure you have the protection you need when you need it, and that your claim will be settled in a fair manner. When an insurance company engages in unfair settlement practices, they are acting in bad faith. This is when you need the help offered by highly skilled bad the faith insurance attorneys at Emerald City Law Group.

Although legitimate coverage disputes may come into play under certain circumstances, bad faith on the part of an insurer is different. It Involves several questionable actions, including:

• Ignoring or delaying a response to your inquiries
• Misrepresenting the terms of your insurance policy
• Undervaluing your claim
• Failing to pay your claim in a timely manner
• Demanding unnecessary or unreasonable paperwork to complete your claim
• Failing to investigate a claim promptly and effectively
• Failing to defend you against a claim
• Withholding a specific reason why your claim was denied

Washington Fair Conduct Act

The state of Washington prohibits insurance bad faith under the Insurance Fair Conduct Act (IFCA). Implemented in 2007, the IFCA requires your insurer to fulfill the provisions of your policy. It addresses various forms of improper insurance conduct and outlaws the bad faith practices mentioned above that some insurers use to unjustly delay or deny coverage and payments.

The law in Washington outlines the financial penalties that should be imposed upon companies that engage in bad faith insurance practices. These consequences are designed to deter wrongful behavior by insurers that legitimately owe payment to their customers, but purposely fail to do so. The bad faith insurance attorneys at our firm can help you recover not only what you were originally owed based on your policy, but also additional compensation from the penalties imposed upon the insurer for its bad faith practices. These financial penalties are designed to remove the incentive to deny legitimate insurance claims.

The IFCA protects insurance consumers like you who have been treated improperly by their insurance company. It allows you to initiate a bad faith claim if your original claim has been unreasonably delayed or denied. Auto, life, homeowners, disability, and business insurance policies are all covered under the IFCA. A successful bad faith claim can leave you with more money than what you are owed based on your original insurance claim, including enough to cover attorney’s fees.

In your bad faith claim, a jury will determine the level of compensation you are owed based on the nature and type of wrongful action carried out by your insurer.

In addition to the IFCA, the Consumer Protection Act also provides you with additional protection in Washington State if your insurance company has acted wrongly in delaying or denying your insurance claim in bad faith.

Contact Our Seattle Insurance Dispute Lawyers for the Help You Need

The reason you file an insurance claim is to obtain the financial coverage you are owed according to your policy after suffering a loss. If your insurer has conducted unfair settlement practices or failed to come through and fulfill its obligations according to your policy, our team of bad faith insurance attorneys at Emerald City Law Group can help you obtain the justice and compensation you deserve.

To set up a free case evaluation, call one of our Seattle criminal defense attorneys or personal injury lawyers from Emerald City Law Group at 206-973-0407. We can discuss your specific case in a free initial consultation.