Hold dishonest insurers accountable by getting in touch with an El Monte bad faith insurance attorney.
Everyone gets what they pay for with their regular insurance premium payments—except when they don’t. Insurance companies, which are certainly far from perfect, are known for sometimes abandoning their customers, which can end up leaving you, the policyholder, in dire straits.
Although things may look bleak for a bit, it’s important to remember that insurers can be sued, allowing you to recover, at the very least, the compensation to which you are entitled.
To feel as if you’re back in the driver’s seat, contact an El Monte bad faith insurance lawyer at Haffner Law.
What Is Insurance Bad Faith?
Insurance bad faith is a broad term that can describe any set of acts in which an insurer fails to meet implicit or explicit expectations.
Examples of insurance bad faith that might apply to your case in El Monte include the following:
- An insurer that doesn’t fully and promptly investigate the claims of its own policyholders, hampering an injured policyholder’s ability to receive fair compensation
- Denying the claim, either in part or in full, of an injured policyholder whose assertions are accurate
- Exposing a policyholder to legal action from other claimants (i.e., the insurer not upholding its “duty to defend”)
- Refusing to accept or offer a reasonable settlement proposal
Keep in mind that your bad faith insurance case in El Monte can also target someone else’s insurer, should that company act unethically. These types of cases usually aren’t as easy to win, however, as you will likely have access to less evidence.
As a point of distinction, insurance bad faith suits and claims are generally considered a breach of contract, as opposed to a tort case, in California.
Bad Faith Damages in El Monte
When you sue for damages in an El Monte bad faith insurance case, you may be eligible to receive not only your denied compensation, but interest and punitive damages.
Punitive damages, while not awarded in every case, are meant to compensate—and punish— for truly egregious conduct. They have the potential to increase your compensation significantly.
Note that it is legal precedent in the Golden State that the total amount of punitive damages awarded shouldn’t exceed ten times all other damages awarded.
In California, plaintiffs carry the burden of proof as it pertains to providing “clear and convincing evidence that the defendant has been guilty of oppression, fraud, or malice.”
Finally, the importance of having clear evidence that you were blocked or dissuaded from taking the compensation to which you were entitled cannot be understated. Your El Monte bad faith insurance claim will truly rest on your ability to provide convincing and legally sound proof of negligence or poor intent on the part of your insurer.<
Speak with an El Monte Bad Faith Insurance Attorney
A promise made isn’t always a promise kept, as many insurance claimants have learned. Not all hope is lost in such a predicament, however—Californians may be eligible to file a bad faith insurance suit to recover what’s rightfully theirs.
For legal counsel that will hold insurers accountable, contact an El Monte bad faith insurance lawyer at Haffner Law today. Dial 1-844-HAFFNER (423-3637) or head to the bottom of this page to fill out our online contact form.
