Is your insurance company acting in bad faith? Signs to look for

When you sign up for an insurance policy, you do so hoping that the insurance company will come through for you in your hour of need. When a tragedy strikes, the insurance company owes you a duty of care when handling your claim so you can receive the compensation you deserve and get back on your feet.

While most insurance companies live up to their end of the bargain, it is not uncommon for some providers to make a bad situation worse through bad faith practices. If an insurance company backtracks on its duty to compensate a legitimate claim, you deserve justice.

Before taking the legal route, however, you need to be absolutely certain that the insurance company is acting in bad faith. Here are two signs you need to look out for when building your bad faith insurance claim:

Sketchy information

Poor communication can be frustrating, to say the least. Regardless of the insurance company you are working with, time is usually of the essence following the accident. If you are having a difficult time getting hold of the insurance company while pursuing your claim, then there is a pretty good chance they are trying to buy time so you can either give up your claim or accept a lowball offer.

Lowball settlement offers

Talking of lowball offers, it is important to understand that insurance companies are in business to minimize their expenses while growing their bottom line. To this end, it is not uncommon for the insurance company to make a significantly lower offer than you ought to receive given the extent of your damages.

When it comes to a settlement, it helps to know that you can negotiate a settlement amount or proceed to court if you believe the insurance company is offering a significantly low amount.

Protecting your rights

If you are involved in an accident that is not your fault, or if you sustain damages that are covered by your policy, you need to pursue the insurance company for damages. But if the insurance company is acting in bad faith, you need to explore your legal options and decide whether you are going to sue them for acting in bad faith or not.