What Are Insurance Coverage Disputes?
When you make a valid insurance claim with your insurance company, you expect the claim to be paid. Whether you have a homeowners’ insurance claim or commercial property insurance claim, you expect your insurance company to honor its obligations. Insurance coverage is important. We pay for this necessary service and, above all, we depend on it in our time of need. There are few events more troubling than when an insurance company does not live up to its obligations. Having an insurance claim denied, unreasonably delayed, or underpaid could put you, the policyholder, in a financially strained position.
“Claim denied” and “Your policy does not provide coverage” are terrible phrases to see or hear, especially when you are trying to recover from a costly and perhaps debilitating loss. Outrage at your insurance company’s conduct is a perfectly understandable response to the wrongful denial of your claim. Wrongful denials can cause extreme hardship to your family or even result in your business shutting down.
Insurance companies will sometimes deny claims, delay payment of claims, or underpay claims. Insurance claim disputes typically come down to two issues 1) what types of losses the insurance policy covers; and 2) the extent of damage claimed. A careful and knowledgeable review of your insurance policy is essential to determining what should be covered.
Our large hotel was severely damaged by hail. After significant delays by the insurance company, our claim was denied. We hired Bill Kendall and Grisham & Kendall soon after. Through Bill’s efforts during our lawsuit, we were able to reach a favorable settlement close to trial. We would certainly recommend Grisham & Kendall, PLLC to any property owner whose insurance company isn’t treating them fairly.
D. Patel - Hotel Hail Claim
My wife and I thought we were heading into a complicated legal odyssey with a destroyed commercial property until we hired Bill Kendall. His sustained focus and hard work was so effective that we had a great settlement within hours of the first deposition.
F. Jones - Multi-Family Property Claim (Dallas, TX)Many cases we handle involve “low-ball payments” made by an insurance adjuster
Unfortunately, it is all too common for insurance companies to try to avoid paying your claim — especially a large claim for substantial property damage. In our experience handling insurance companies, we have seen and dealt with many acts of denial, deception, and insurance bad faith. We have won favorable results for numerous clients whose homes or businesses have incurred severe damage because of a loss covered by the insurance policy, such as a hailstorm or fire.
In one case, our client’s large commercial building was severely damaged by hail, leaving the property with numerous leaks. While the insurance company did make payments, they were only a fraction of what they actually owed under the policy. We retained qualified and competent consultants to assist with testing and analyzing the full extent of the damage to the property. We fully documented the cause and extent of the loss and were able to show how the insurance company had under-evaluated the claim. Ultimately, our client was able to resolve the dispute, perform repairs and move on with business.
Dallas Coverage Disputes Attorneys
Insurance plays a critical role in protecting property and other financial assets. In the event of an unexpected crisis, victims could sustain financial losses or even property damage. Without an adequate insurance plan, victims could be financially responsible for bills well beyond their means. Additionally, if a business needs to close its doors for repairs or renovations after damage, that business may be relying on insurance to help them make ends meet until they are able to re-open.
Purchasing a comprehensive insurance plan should ensure the availability of coverage to policyholders. Unfortunately, even with proper insurance coverage, people can experience trouble when insurance companies refuse to pay. In the event of a coverage dispute, the knowledge of an experienced attorney could be an asset to policyholders. The Dallas attorneys of Grisham & Kendall, PLLC understand how difficult policy disputes can be, especially when insurance coverage is needed quickly.
Reasons for Coverage Disputes
Though coverage disputes with an insurance agency can occur for an array of reasons, the most common causes include:
- An insurance company acting “in bad faith”
- Deceptive insurance representative practices
- Deceptive insurance company practices
- Miscommunications about coverage
- Sudden / unexplained changes in coverage
- Disagreements about extent of coverage
Despite the reason for the dispute, it is important for policyholder to determine an effective course of action in order to get the coverage needed.
Contact a Coverage Disputes Attorney in Dallas
The attorneys at Grisham & Kendall, PLLC have represented hundreds of residential and commercial property owners whose claims have been wrongly denied or underpaid. If you find yourself in a dispute with your insurance company, please contact us to discuss how we may be of assistance. The attorneys at Grisham & Kendall, PLLC can help you recover what you are owed under your insurance policy. Please call Grisham & Kendall, PLLC at (713) 999-5085 or contact us online today.
