If an insurance company isn’t negotiating with you in good faith, you can hold them accountable by working with a San Francisco insurance bad faith attorney.
An insurance policy is effectively a promise between the insurance company and the insured. When you need to file a claim against an insurance policy and the insurance company doesn’t live up to the promise it made, it can be said that the insurer is acting in bad faith.
If the bad faith is possible to clearly demonstrate, you might be entitled to bad faith damages in addition to the settlement your original claim entitles you to. Collecting on bad faith damages is not a simple process, however.
If you think that an insurance company isn’t fulfilling the specifications described in an insurance policy, contact a San Francisco bad faith insurance lawyer from Haffner Law to get the legal help you need to hold the insurer accountable for its lack of good faith negotiations.
Bad Faith Negotiations and Your Own Insurer
Bad faith situations most commonly arise between insurance companies and the people they insure. An insurance policy is a contract between you and the insurer, and both sides must live up to their end of the bargain.
It’s important to note that just because an insurance company has offered you a claim settlement that seems less than it should be, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re negotiating in bad faith. If the insurance adjuster can provide reasons and justification for the sum offered, then that’s a starting point for good faith negotiations in earnest.
However, if the insurance adjuster or representative refuses to provide a basis for the settlement amount offered or seems to be employing a questionable tactic in order to bully you into accepting a lowball settlement offer, then that might qualify as bad faith negotiating.
By bringing a San Francisco insurance bad faith attorney on board, you can not only find out which situation your case falls under, but you can also get the help you need to get the largest settlement for your original claim.
Bad Faith Negotiations and Someone Else’s Insurer
While less common, it’s also possible for bad faith negotiations to occur when you’re dealing with someone else’s insurer. For example, if you get into a bad car accident, you’ll probably need to seek compensation by filing a claim with the at-fault driver’s auto insurer.
While this insurer doesn’t have a written contract with you, they still owe you fair treatment when negotiating a settlement for your claim. However, the bar for bad faith claims is much higher against a third-party insurer.
In this situation, it will be necessary to prove that the insurance company has somehow interfered with your ability to file a claim, such as by outright lying to you or through committing fraud somehow. Working with a lawyer will make it much easier to assemble a case that proves this.
Connect with a San Francisco Insurance Bad Faith Lawyer
Haffner Law has extensive experience handling bad faith claims against insurance companies, and we’ll employ 100 percent of our resources when pursuing your claim.
To discover how we can help, schedule a free consultation with a San Francisco bad faith insurance lawyer by completing the form below or by calling 1-844-HAFFNER (423-3637).
