While acquiring an insurance policy may be the easiest thing to do, getting the insurer to settle the claim can be tough. An insurance policy can be purchased very quickly, with all the formalities taken care of within one day. However, when it comes to settling the amount, you may have to wait for weeks, if not months at a stretch. Unwitting caveats pop up one after another, whether you have a term insurance or a life policy, keeping the receiving end entangled with legal formalities.
Establishing Your Helplessness in the Event of “Acts of God”
At this point, you would need the assistance of an insurance lawyer Orlando, standing by your side in professional fortitude. An expert lawyer is acutely aware of the legal scenario that surmounts around a policy claim, simplifying the process so that you are not denied the claim. Embarking on a legal battle with the insurer may be tough but the law does not discriminate between the claimant and the defendant. A feasible evaluation of your particular situation should ideally reveal the points of contention in your favor. The case is typically structured around your helplessness in the face of an “Act of God” such as a hurricane or a tornado, so that you are judged eligible to receive the settlement amount.
How Does an Ideal Situation Change into a Denial of Service?
From a basic perspective, the situation should be straightforward. You place your documents to insist on the viability of your side of the contract. You cite the force majeure that prevents you from continuing the policy. You also cite the clauses in the contract document that can be interpreted in your favor. The insurance company verifies the claim and pays you the amount. While such a situation is ideally expected, bad faith situations often give rise to disputes. They would either deny your entire claim or pay out a nominal sum that is not enough to cover the losses. Paradoxically, the insurer may cite the same clauses that you are referring to, but this time, along with a caveat that comes with a sincere apology.
Apologies unfortunately do not cover the expenses to your property. You would need assurance that you can get the money to your bank account at the earliest. The insurer, on the other hand, seems to be more interested in profits over people, thereby denying your claim on certain grounds. At this point, you need the assistance of an experienced legal service in the insurance scenario. Your lawyer would evaluate the legal circumstances to prove in a court of law whether your claim has a valid ground, denying which is deemed to be unfair. The right lawyer acts as a negotiator between you and the company, eventually settling the claim completely.
The Rule of the Law Above All
Always remember that everything is structured around the law, and it can’t be unfair. Insurance companies often play out various intimidation tactics such as threatening you with fines and fictional legal consequences. To separate the fact from the fiction is the obligatory duty of the legal expert. Your lawyer would verily assess the situation and set up clear premises that prove without a doubt when you have been unfairly denied a claim. The law must run on evidence, and your lawyer would require your cooperation to prepare the paperwork that proves your position in the court.
Here are the possible situations that may result in a dispute of your claim.
- The insurer intends to prove that you are making a false claim.
- The company cites a point in the agreement that offers a tentative settlement.
- You have missed out on a critical window for premiums that makes you ineligible.
- The insurer does not cite any definite clause but apologizes for the inconvenience.
- The time is too short for an insurance claim to mature.
- You are claiming more than you would deserve.
- You are being paid an insufficient amount.
It is the task of the lawyer to assess your case on a point-by-point basis to interpret your position in the case. Suing an insurance company can be a very big decision as you would be pitted against a complex legal system, backed by hardcore insurance lawyers. Even so, if you think that the company has been grossly unfair, and you have a strong case in your hand, you can take the matter to court. However, before any such decision, you need to consult the situation thoroughly with your assigned attorney and determine whether it is a feasible choice.
How to Decide on a Suitable Attorney?
An attorney must have specialized knowledge of the applicable Florida laws in this context just so a fair estimate of your situation is available. Coupling this expertise with decisive knowledge of your insurance policy parameters should prove to be a winning circumstance. Confronting an insurance company may prove to be a daunting task, but your attorney effectively simplifies the process by initiating a fair adjudication in the process. Also, the case may not head over to the court altogether, if it is bound for a mutual settlement in the presence of the lawyer.
Working with an experienced insurance lawyer Orlando has its benefits, especially when the case needs to be settled in earnest. Also, a good attorney often includes convenient payment clauses that make you more confident of receiving the money. Typically, the lawyer gets paid only after you have received your settlement, a clause that works as an incentive for the lawyer to work earnestly in your favor.
A nefarious intent on the part of the insurer is rarely uncovered. Most of the cases are settled after an amicable resolution of the applicable clauses in the insurance agreement. Most often, the dispute results from a misinterpretation of the clauses that can be resolved in your favor by the lawyer in charge. However, just to make sure that you do not miss out on the claim, you need to act fast.
Florida law attests to strict timelines for the payout of the claim, beyond which it can be rather impossible to get the settlement amount. Insurance companies might play unfairly in extending the payout duration with unnecessary delays. However, the right lawyer eventually ensures that the window is maintained and you get to file the claim following due process without wasting time. Legal jurisdictions in the insurance segment can be varied ranging from personal injury insurance to car insurance and roof insurance. You need to make sure that the lawyer has the necessary experience to act on your behalf in a particular situation.
