Handling Insurance Bad Faith Claims in Texas
Have you recently experienced unfair treatment from your insurance company?
Sadly, this is a common occurrence, and many of our clients have dealt with negative experiences when trying to submit a personal injury insurance claim.
When insurance companies take advantage of their clients by failing to honor their obligations, they may be engaging in something called “bad faith insurance” practices. Understanding how insurance bad faith practices can affect you and your settlement is essential for protecting your interests after an accident or injury.
What Does Bad Faith Mean in Insurance?
Insurance companies are legally or morally obligated to act in good faith when handling personal injury insurance claims.
What does that mean for you? Simply put, they must handle your claim fairly, promptly, and honestly.
Sadly, some insurers engage in sneaky practices that violate this duty and take advantage of accident victims – known as bad faith insurance practices. This means that they are acting in a way that is unfair or unreasonable way by denying, delaying, or underpaying a valid personal injury insurance claim.
People purchase insurance to protect themselves against monetary burdens caused by personal injuries or property damages. When a company engages in bad faith insurance practices, it is detrimental to the already suffering policyholder.
What Bad Faith Insurance Practices Look Like in Real Life
The concept of insurance bad faith practices can seem pretty vague. What does bad faith mean in insurance terms, and what does this look like for you?
Here are some real-world examples of bad-faith insurance practices to give you an idea of what you might be dealing with:
- Unreasonable denial of a valid claim
- Excessively delaying a personal injury insurance claim
- Misrepresenting information in your policy language or direct conversations
- Failing to properly investigate a personal injury insurance claim
- Interpreting your policy’s language in an unreasonable matter
- Failing to reimburse the insured party with a valid claim
- Failing to settle a lawsuit in a reasonable timeframe
A Skilled Personal Injury Lawyer will Protect Your Rights Against Bad Faith Insurance
Texas insurance law protects residents against insurance bad faith.
The Texas Insurance Code and Deceptive Trade Practices Act establishes specific requirements for insurance companies to operate in good faith. This means they must provide solutions for when these obligations are violated – such as punitive damages or costs that go beyond the scope of your original claim amount.
If you are unsatisfied with the outcome of your dispute, you are encouraged to hire a skilled personal injury lawyer to help you file an insurance bad faith claim. Bad faith insurance claims in Texas are designed to help you recover the additional damages associated with your experience with bad-faith insurance practices.
7 Major Signs of Insurance Bad Faith
It isn’t always clear when bad faith practices are being engaged in insurance to take advantage of you.
If you’ve noticed any of these seven major signs of insurance bad faith practices:
- Your insurance company denies a completely valid claim
- Your insurance adjuster makes an unreasonably lowball initial settlement offer without any reasonable explanation
- They refuse to settle even when the details of the accident are completely clear
- They only consider the evidence that supports denying your personal injury insurance claim while ignoring genuine evidence that supports a larger payout
- They misrepresent policy language to avoid payouts.
- They make a very hasty, subpar investigation or refuse to investigate a personal injury insurance claim outright
- After agreeing to a settlement amount, they refuse to pay
The Consequences of Bad Faith Insurance Claims in Texas
Bad faith insurance claims are way more than a minor inconvenience.
The consequences of insurance bad faith practices can be devastating for accident victims. When personal injury insurance claims are delayed or denied, it can lead to lost wages, huge medical bills, and undue financial stress. These issues can place a major burden on you and your family, and you deserve better treatment.
A skilled personal injury attorney will have your back whenever your insurance company acts in bad faith. A jury may even award punitive damages to punish the insurance company for their behavior.
The Importance of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer to Combat Insurance Bad Faith Practices
In order to prove your bad faith insurance claim is valid, your personal injury lawyer must conduct a thorough investigation to document the insurance company’s unfair practices.
To prove your case, you will need to gather evidence of any unreasonable delays, denials, or unfair practices. This can be challenging on your own, but a skilled personal injury attorney will leverage their experience dealing with bad faith insurance companies to maximize your payout and get you what you deserve.
If you suspect your insurance company may be acting in bad faith, you must take action to protect your rights. Make sure you document all communications, keep copies of any paperwork you receive, and maintain a detailed timeline of the events of your accident.
Angel Reyes & Associates is Here to Fight for Your Insurance Bad Faith Claim
You are protected under Texas insurance laws when dealing with bad-faith insurance practices.
With the help of a personal injury attorney, you can get compensated for the original claim amount, additional damages for the bad faith conduct, attorney’s fees, and in some cases, you may even get punitive damages.
Before you accept a lowball settlement offer or sign any releases, consider hiring legal representation to protect your rights.
With over 30 years of experience handling bad faith insurance cases in the Texas, we have the ability and the passion to help you through any challenge you face. Our team of dedicated personal injury lawyers can help you understand your options and pursue the appropriate legal remedies. Don’t wait, don’t hesitate.
Anytime you have to deal with bad faith insurance claims in Texas, the challenges can feel insurmountable. Just remember, you do not have to face these struggles on your own. Research shows that if you hire a skilled personal injury attorney to help win your insurance bad faith case, you are likely to receive 3.5x more than you would if you tried to represent yourself. The compassionate team at Angel Reyes & Associates is 100% committed to helping you navigate these issues with our expertise and empathy.
Contact us today to start your journey to compensation with a free consultation, or stop by one of our offices in Dallas, Fort-Worth, Houston or Austin so we can discuss your case face-to-face. You’re in good hands with Angel Reyes & Associates.
