Insurance Bad Faith

We pay insurance premiums to protect us in the event that we are sued or suffer a catastrophic loss. This loss may be to our health and well-being or even material goods. In such a situation we expect the insurer to treat us fairly and look after our interests. There are certain standards your insurance company is expected to meet.  As a result there is a “covenant of good faith and fair dealing” implied into every insurance agreement between you and your insurance carrier.  Simply put, the carrier must treat you fairly.  However, an insurance company does not always act in your best interest.  After all, the insurance company’s motive is profit, and if it can pay less, it likely will.  Thus, the implied duty to the insured it opposed to the profit motive the insurance company has.  When an insurance company fails to deal fairly with you or act in good faith, they are acting in bad faith. 

If you have ever sought compensation from an insurance company, you know the challenges of this tedious process. Some of the most common acts of bad faith include:

• The insurance company undervalued or denied your claim after failing to adequately investigate your claim. 
• The insurance company intentionally misinterpreted or inaccurately represented their own policy to minimize the cost of your claim.
• They took an unreasonable length of time to process or pay your claim.
• Your claim was denied but you were not given a satisfactory reason for the denial.
• Insurance Agent Negligence. Insurance agents also operate a duty of care.  If they provide customers with incorrect information or fail to file proper paperwork, the insurance company may be held responsible.

These acts of bad faith it compromises our trust with the insurance company who are supposed to be there to protect us.  People need to be able to rely on their insurance to be there when the unexpected happens. This is where an experienced, skilled insurance dispute Arizona lawyer can be invaluable.

In Arizona, Bad Faith is unfortunately seen often in personal injury cases, especially when the driver was an uninsured motorist (UM) or underisnsured motorist (UIM).  The goal in a personal injury case is to make you whole again, meaning the injured party gets the money they need to pay for medical costs, property damage, lost wages, pain and suffering and other financial hardships brought on by their injury.

Whether the insurance company is trying to minimize the value of your claims or engaging in bad faith, our Scottsdale firm understands how insurance companies might try to limit their liability to you.  We will ensure that you are fairly compensated and recompensed in a timely manner.

While not every negative action by an insurance company amounts to bad faith, we know that these agencies work hard to deny your claim. You need someone on your side who works even harder to hold them responsible for the services they promised to provide but have failed to do so. When you or a loved one are suffering loss or ill health, we will deal with your claim and reduce the stress and anxiety felt by you and your family.