The Texas Supreme Court recently answered the question above in two cases with different results depending on what type of insurance code violations the insured is alleging. The court addressed Texas Insurance Code chapter 542 violations (often called prompt payment of claims) in Barbara Technologies Corporation v. State Farm Lloyds.1
Continue Reading Does Payment of an Appraisal Award Wipe Out Claims Handling Insurance Code Violations?
Insurance companies are supposed to have insurance adjusters that are empathetic, professional and ethical when dealing with policyholders and claimants. The first chapter in the insurance treatise, Claims Handling Principles and Practices, has multiple lessons about these obligations. Claims adjusters should not make policyholders scream out of frustration about the service you receive.
Continue Reading Insurance Adjuster Makes You Scream in Frustration? Complain About Poor or Unethical Treatment From Insurance Companies
It is important for policyholders to know and understand the steps they must complete before filing a complaint when an insurance claim has been delayed, denied and bad treated by an insurance company. As mentioned in a previous post, (please see my blog on this topic published on December 5, 2018: Puerto Rico Approves Amendments to the Insurance Code to Protect Policyholders and Improve Claim Handling Procedures), Puerto Rico’s Insurance Commissioner has established new requirements for the process of filing a complaint against an insurance company when it has delayed, denied, and treated their insured badly.
Continue Reading How To File A Complaint With The Puerto Rico Insurance Commissioner Office About Your Delaying, Denying And Bad Treating Insurance Company
Hurricane season 2019 is officially underway, and so now is the time to take action and prepare before a possible hurricane threat. It’s imperative that policyholders understand the coverage and rights provided under their insurance policy. Therefore, one of the first things a policyholder should do is request a copy of their insurance policy now and confirm that they have the coverages provided are correct and appropriate for the type of property or interest being insured. Additionally, the policyholders should have a good understanding of the exclusions provided under their insurance policy, in other words, what is not covered under their policy if they suffer a hurricane loss.
Continue Reading Puerto Rico: Guide To Unfair Settlement Acts By Insurers During The Adjustment Of Claims
Ha iniciado la nueva temporada de Huracanes 2019, y son muchos los preparativos que debemos llevar acabo ante la posible amenaza de un huracán. Es imperativo que los asegurados entiendan la cobertura y los derechos bajo su Póliza de Seguros. En primer lugar, cada asegurado debe solicitar una copia de su póliza de seguros y confirmar que las coberturas sean las correctas según su propiedad o interés en asegurar. Además, el asegurado debe entender cuáles son las exclusiones bajo su póliza de seguros si sufre daños a causa de un huracán, en otras palabras, lo que no está cubierto bajo su póliza.
Continue Reading Puerto Rico: Guía De Las Prácticas Desleales Por Aseguradoras Durante El Ajuste De Reclamaciones
Derek Chaiken is in the Merlin Law Group Los Angeles office. He is a Los Angeles Dodger fan and a student of drone usage during the property insurance claim process. Drones are no longer science fiction, but a fairly common part of modern property insurance claims adjustment. With stronger cameras and other advanced technical measuring devises, drone usage is an efficient tool all property insurance adjusters should use during the adjustment process.
Continue Reading Derek “The Dodger” Chaiken Does Drone Analysis of Property Damage Claims
The California Fair Claims Settlement Practices Act outlines specific insurer conduct prohibited and considered unfair to insureds. Identifying prohibited insurer conduct and effectively communicating to a carrier it committed prohibited acts will lead to better claim results.
Continue Reading What Insurer Conduct Is Prohibited and Considered Unfair Under California Law? A Quick Guide to Holding an Insurer Accountable
The California Fair Claims Settlement Practices Act imposes multiple deadlines to respond and report to insureds during a claim adjustment. Knowing and understanding an insurer’s reporting duties and deadlines can speed up the adjustment and payment of a claim. Although a failure to meet a deadline by a day or two may not, in and of itself, constitute bad faith, failing to respond to an insured or repeated failure to meet deadlines is evidence of an insurer’s poor conduct and may be evidence of bad faith.
Continue Reading Does an Insurance Adjuster Have Deadlines To Work and Finish My Claim? A California Guide
Appointed by Governor John Hickenlooper, Michael Conway serves as Colorado’s Insurance Commissioner where he is tasked with regulating and monitoring insurance companies and insurance agents in Colorado. With the mission of Consumer Protection, Michael Conway and the Colorado Division of Insurance have streamlined a simple process for insurance consumers to file complaints against insurance companies that are mistreating, slow paying, or not paying their insurance claims.
Continue Reading How to File a Complaint with the Colorado Insurance Commissioner Office about your Delaying, Denying and Bad Treating Insurance Company
The Georgia Office of Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner has a simple online process for filing your complaint.
How the office responds to this Complaint may not be satisfying but it is important that a record is made of the insurance claims that are not properly handled.
Continue Reading How To File A Complaint With The Georgia Department of Insurance About Your Delaying, Denying and Bad Treating Insurance Company