The average person may not be familiar with how insurance companies in Massachusetts typically behave. How can you tell if the insurer’s statements to you or lengthy response times are a sign of bad faith? A lawyer from our firm can help.
Ged Lawyers can provide you with a Massachusetts personal injury lawyer to handle everything related to your insurance claim. You would not have to worry anymore about dealing with the insurer on your own; we would do all the talking—and all the fighting—on your behalf.
Our Massachusetts Team Can Help You Deal With Bad Faith Insurance Practices
Insurance adjusters may attempt to undervalue or outright deny a claim for various reasons. They may argue that your insurance coverage does not apply to specific types of damage, for example. Our bad faith insurance attorneys can conduct a fair investigation into your losses and handle settlement negotiations.
Ged Lawyers does not want to see your family get cheated out of the money you need to fix your home, afford medical care, or repair a damaged vehicle. Here is how we can champion your rights, no matter when you hire us:
If You Hire Us at the Start of Your Massachusetts Insurance Claim
We recommend that you get in touch with our office as quickly as possible after suffering a loss that may require filing an insurance claim. This gives us the chance to:
- Let the insurer know you have hired legal protection, which might make them think twice before attempting to act in bad faith
- Collect evidence regarding the incident while it is still fresh and more easily accessible
- Come up with a sound legal strategy for handling any obstacles we encounter
If You Hire Us in the Middle of Your Massachusetts Insurance Claim
Say that you have already filed your claim. The process may be far more time-consuming than you thought it would be, or the insurer may refuse to offer an amount you think is fair. Can you still hire a bad faith insurance attorney to help you? The answer is yes.
If you have started your case, Ged Lawyers can assist you by:
- Reviewing everything that has occurred so far
- Contacting the insurer to figure out what is happening on their end and determine if there is a logical explanation for their behavior
- Calculating how much the insurer’s bad faith actions have cost you
Bad Faith Insurance Behaviors and How to Handle Them
MGL c.176D definines bad faith insurance tactics, and there are many ways that an insurance company could try to reduce what they pay you. Here is just a sampling of the tactics they might try—and how a Massachusetts bad faith insurance lawyer from Ged Lawyers can protect you:
Bad Faith Act #1: Misrepresenting Your Insurance Policy
The insurer only has to pay out if and when you can prove that the type of damage you sustained is covered by your policy. To avoid paying you, the insurer might, therefore, try to:
- Conceal evidence that would prove your case
- Conclude that the damage was caused by something not covered by your policy
- Conduct a surface-level investigation so they can “truthfully” say they found no evidence to support your claim
Ged Lawyers can review your policy in detail and look for evidence to prove that your losses are covered by that policy.
Bad Faith Act #2: Not Responding to Your Insurance Claim
The insurer knows how desperate you are to get your money. They may take advantage of this by taking an unreasonably long time to respond to you, hoping that any delay will make you more likely to accept the settlement they eventually offer, no matter how small it is.
We protect clients by handling all communications with the insurer. If they do not respond in a timely manner, we can follow up to find out why and push them to restart regular communication.
Bad Faith Act #3: Casting Doubt on Your Losses
Sometimes, the insurer will agree that your losses are covered by their policy, but they will dispute the worth of those losses. For example, they might insist that you only need $5,000 to fix a hole in the roof when you originally asked for $10,000.
Strong evidence is your best defense against this type of bad faith behavior. An attorney from our firm can prove your case’s value by:
- Gathering up all available documentation, including photos, bills, and repair estimates
- Talking to the involved parties, including you and the contractor you hire to repair the damage, about the extent of the damage and the resources required to fix it
- Calculating your losses ourselves so you have an accurate number to compare to the insurer’s offers
Where You Might Encounter Bad Faith Insurance Tactics in Massachusetts
Any type of insurance company is capable of acting in bad faith. You might encounter a bad faith insurance tactics when you:
- Try to sue a careless driver for causing your car accident
- File a claim after your home suffers due to wind damage, hurricane damage, or another natural disaster
- File a claim after a propane tank or a pipe explodes, doing significant damage to your property and/or anyone who was in the house at the time
- Bring legal action against a large corporation, such as a manufacturer or a healthcare institution, whose negligence contributed to your injuries
Do Not Tolerate Bad Faith Insurance Companies
As a policyholder, you have the right to expect a certain degree of respect from your insurer and to receive a prompt, satisfactory settlement when the conditions of your policy are met.
If you ever suspect that your insurer is not living up to their end of the contract, let Ged Lawyers represent you. We are always happy to fight for claimants who deserve both a fair payout and a chance to process their losses in peace.
Is Your Massachusetts Insurer Acting in Bad Faith? Our Insurance Lawyers Can Help
Our team can help you answer that question. One of our Massachusetts bad faith insurance lawyers would be happy to address your concerns, investigate the alleged bad behavior, and ensure your claim is dealt with fairly. Call Ged Lawyers to get started with a free case evaluation.
