Has an Insurance Company Denied Your Claim?
Insurance companies are, like most establishments, in business to make money. Paying out every claim they receive would not allow them to make a profit, so they work hard to deny claims whenever possible. Insurance adjusters look for every possible reason a claim could be denied and in some cases, may even deny claims that should rightfully be paid.
If you’ve had your claim denied after an accident, this can be a huge blow. You likely need the insurance money to pay extensive medical bills related to the accident and help replace some of your lost wages after being out of work for some time after the incident. Here’s what you can do if your claim was denied.
1. Get In Writing Why the Claim is Denied
Call your insurance adjuster and ask why the claim was denied. Get this information in writing. It is your right to know under what terms your claim was denied and insurance companies cannot be ambiguous about this — they must tell you exactly what it was about your claim that caused the denial.
2. Check Your Policy
Go over your insurance policy with a fine toothed comb. Read the small print and find out what your policy does and does not cover. Sometimes, people will find that their policy does not cover their accident. Most of the time, however, they’ll find that their policy does indeed cover what they are filing a claim for and this information must be presented to the insurance company.
3. Contact an Attorney
Many times, insurance companies will take advantage of the fact that people are intimidated by them and often take their word as “law.” They might give a person the “run around,” telling him or her to call this department or that department without giving any real answers. They might still refuse to pay the claim, even with proof that the claim should be paid under the policy. An attorney can help you deal with unscrupulous insurance companies by putting legal pressure on them to act in good faith. Individuals who work with an attorney to appeal their insurance denial have a higher rate of approval than when they attempt to appeal on their own.
At Sarkisian Law Offices, we understand how difficult accidents and the resulting injuries can be to deal with and how receiving a claim denial can feel like salt in an open wound. Our goal is to help you navigate through these challenges and obtain the compensation you deserve. Call our insurance claims attorneys today for a consultation at 219-942-7171.
