Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer
When we pay for insurance—whether it be life insurance, car insurance, homeowner’s insurance, or healthcare insurance—we expect the insurance company to withhold their end of the contract and provide the benefits we are owed when the policy terms are met. This expectation is sometimes called one that gets kept “in good faith” since insurance does nothing for us until we need it. To receive insurance benefits, we must believe in the company’s ability to fulfill them.
Insurance companies also have a legal duty to fulfill the end of a signed policy. When an insurer fails to provide benefits or payout when they are supposed to, we say this is a breach of “bad faith.” An insurance company may try to delay the payout period or wrongfully state that the client cannot receive the benefits they are owed. They may also attempt to find loopholes in the contract to get out of paying. All three acts are wrong—and can be fought in court with the help of our Atlanta bad-faith insurance lawyer.
Why do insurance companies do this? The answer is simple. It all comes down to profit margins. Many insurance companies make conscious decisions to prioritize their profitability over their moral and legal obligation to assist and protect customers. When doing so, they hope the individuals and businesses they act unfairly towards will know no better.
If you’re reading this, you know better. If you’ve been a victim of a bad faith insurance crime, you have legal options and can fight back against the insurance company that owes you benefits. U.S. citizens have the right to file a lawsuit against bad-faith insurers. A successful lawsuit can grant you the benefits your family needs and deserves—as well as potential extra compensation that can go towards pain and suffering costs and more.
Insurance corporations should not get away with practices of bad faith. An insurance dispute lawsuit sends a message that’s impossible for these corporations to ignore. That message states that attempting to cheat innocent individuals and businesses from their hard-earned benefits isn’t right. Policies and signed contracts exist for a reason. They need to be followed.
For help with a bad-faith insurance dispute in Georgia, you’ll need the help of an experienced bad-faith insurance lawyer in Atlanta. Insurance companies usually have influential legal departments. Without a skilled lawyer, you will have difficulty going up against an insurer in a court of law.
Understanding the Basics of Bad Faith Insurance Lawsuits in Georgia
In Georgia, the essence of a bad faith insurance lawsuit is that the insurer breached its duty to the insured by failing to properly or promptly defend the claim (which may encompass its failure to make a good faith offer of settlement within the policy limits). Understanding this with an insurance lawyer is one of the fundamental steps for securing your case.
The compensation you will receive if your insurance dispute lawsuit goes through will depend on many factors. One example is a bad-faith auto insurance case in 1992 (Southern General Ins. Co. v. Holt, 262 Ga. 267, 416 S.E.2d 274 (Ga. 1992)). In this case, the insurance company was forced to pay the victim an amount much more significant than the amount of the victim’s original policy. This doesn’t happen in every lawsuit in Georgia, however.
Often, the victim is limited to the amount of the insurance benefits denied. If the jury finds that the insurance company acted in bad faith, the claimant may also recover a penalty of up to 50% of the benefits denied, plus attorneys’ fees. When an insurance company fails to fulfill its legal duty to grant a customer the terms of its policy, it may have to pay a penalty. This extra compensation serves as a punishment for the dishonest company.
An Atlanta resident who’s a victim of a bad faith insurance dispute can file a lawsuit regarding these types of insurance:
- Auto insurance.
- Homeowner’s insurance.
- Fire insurance.
- Legal and medical malpractice insurance.
- Medical/dental insurance.
- General commercial liability insurance.
- Errors and omissions insurance.
Additionally, if the insurance policy was part of a claimant’s employment benefits, a federal law known as ERISA will sometimes pre-empt state law. Our law firm has an experienced insurance lawyer who can help you learn more.
Our Atlanta Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer Can Help
As you may imagine, bad-faith insurance disputes are pretty complex. If you suspect that an insurance company is acting in bad faith and not granting you the benefits you deserve, your first action should be to contact an experienced Atlanta, GA, bad-faith insurance lawyer as quickly as possible. Your original policy and contract will need to be thoroughly examined, and time is often of the essence when it comes to these types of cases.
At Bey & Associates, our team of insurance lawyers has the expertise your case requires. We are prepared to investigate your case promptly and tell you if filing a lawsuit is in your best interest.
Contact us today for more information or a zero-obligation case consultation. Together, we can help you get the benefits you and your family are entitled to.
