Most people in Fort Lauderdale faithfully pay their insurance premiums with the expectation that if a disaster occurs, they will be covered by their insurance. That’s the reason people take out insurance policies in the first place.
But too often, following a serious car accident, house fire, or hurricane, families in Fort Lauderdale are left high and dry when their rightful insurance claim is delayed or even denied. Some insurers will fight their own policyholders in their time of need, simply to cut costs.
That’s why Florida has enacted special laws to curb this behavior by insurance companies towards their policyholders. If you or someone you love had their insurance claim denied without a reasonable basis of explanation, it’s time to contact an experienced insurance dispute lawyer.
Our attorneys in Fort Lauderdale have decades of experience helping policyholders who are ignored, delayed, or wrongfully denied benefits and payouts by their insurance company. Fill out our free, no-risk case evaluation form to learn more about how we may be able to help you.
What Types of Insurance Disputes Does Morgan & Morgan Handle?
Our Fort Lauderdale attorneys are dedicated to helping clients settle their insurance claims disputes, regardless of the type of insurance or damage. Just a few of the types of insurance disputes handled by the attorneys in our Fort Lauderdale office include:
- Hurricane and Windstorm Claims;
- Homeowners and Business Property Losses;
- Unfair Claims Handling and Bad Faith;
- Disability Insurance;
- Professional Liability Coverage;
- Errors & Omissions Coverage (E&O);
- Personal Insurance Protection;
- Uninsured Motorist Coverage;
- Car Insurance Coverage;
- Health Insurance;
- Life Insurance; and
- Fire Damage.
Why Was My Insurance Claim Denied?
There are multiple tactics that insurance companies will use to try to minimize or deny your valid claim, such as using the language of their policies to trick and manipulate their policyholders. They may claim the following:
- That the policy itself has a material misrepresentation;
- The policyholder failed to pay their policy premiums on time, resulting in a coverage lapse; or
- The injury/property damage falls outside the scope of your coverage.
Sometimes, insurance companies will ignore your claims or not even provide a basis for their denial of your claim. In these cases, the insurance company could be considered acting in “bad faith” and neglecting their duty to you, their policyholder.
Florida’s Insurance Bad Faith Law
Florida has an Insurance Bad Faith Law designed to protect policyholders when insurance companies incorrectly deny or undervalue their claims. This law not only allows the policyholder to sue to recover the amounts rightfully owed to them, but also provides additional penalties to the insurance company. These punitive damages are levied in order to punish the insurer and discourage them from acting in bad faith in the future.
Our Fort Lauderdale Attorneys Can Help You
Filing an insurance claim usually means you’re in a time of immense need, and if you’ve been paying the bills, you should be able to rely on your insurance company to come to your aid. And if they don’t, you can rely on our Morgan & Morgan attorneys instead.
If your insurance was denied for seemingly no reason, you owe it to yourself to investigate and make sure your claim was not denied in bad faith. Fill out our free, no-risk case evaluation form to learn how our insurance dispute attorneys in Fort Lauderdale may be able to help you today.