Are you struggling with an insurance company refusing to honor your policy following a storm, fire, hurricane, or other disaster? Bad faith practices by insurers create unnecessary stress and can leave you with serious financial strain. An experienced property casualty lawyer from Insurance Claim HQ can help you hold your insurer accountable and pursue the compensation you deserve.

At ICHQ, we have extensive experience handling bad faith claims in Louisiana and across the U.S., and we know how to fight for fair outcomes. What makes our law firm stand out, however, is that our lawyers know exactly what policyholders like you go through. Many of our lawyers live in the Pelican State and the Deep South, so we know from firsthand experience what it’s like to experience severe property damage. By having a passion for helping our neighbors when they need it most, we’ve recovered over $1 billion for over 70,000 policyholders.

Take the first step toward protecting your rights and securing fair compensation. Contact us today for a free case evaluation with a bad faith insurance attorney in Louisiana.

What a Louisiana Bad Faith Insurance Attorney Can Do for Your Case

It’s natural to feel frustrated and surprised when your insurance company refuses to provide the coverage you expected in your time of need. You signed up for your policy and faithfully paid your premiums with the belief that your insurer would support you if disaster struck — only to find they’re now giving you the runaround. Dealing with this alone can be exhausting, especially when you’re already focused on repairing your home or property.

A Louisiana bad faith insurance lawyer from ICHQ can help by evaluating your case, identifying bad faith tactics, and holding the insurance company accountable. They can communicate with adjusters, negotiate for fair compensation, and gather critical evidence to support your claim. If necessary, your lawyer can also represent you in court to seek the full payout you deserve. With an attorney on your side, you’ll have a strong advocate helping you challenge the insurer’s tactics and working to secure a fair outcome.

The types of bad faith insurance claims we handle at ICHQ include those involving claims for:

What Does ‘Bad Faith’ Mean?

So, what is bad faith insurance? In the context of an insurance claim, an insurance company acts in “bad faith” when it acts dishonestly or fraudulently in dealings with policyholders.

When you buy insurance, you enter into a contract with your insurer, which commits to covering you if a covered event occurs. If the company denies, delays, or underpays your legitimate claim without valid reasons, it might be acting in bad faith.

Examples of bad faith practices include ignoring evidence, misrepresenting policy details, or using tactics to discourage you from pursuing your claim. Bad faith can also include intentionally slow-walking a claim or requesting unnecessary documentation. Insurance companies acting in bad faith put their own financial interests above their commitment to you.

What Are Louisiana’s Bad Faith Laws?

Louisiana’s bad faith laws protect policyholders from unfair claim-handling practices by insurers. Louisiana law outlines the duties insurers owe to their policyholders, including the duties of good faith and fair dealing.

Under these laws, insurance companies must process and pay valid claims promptly, adjust claims fairly, and make reasonable efforts to settle claims. Insurers cannot delay payment arbitrarily or without valid reasons. If an insurer acts in bad faith, policyholders can seek compensation and additional penalties.

What Are Ways Insurance Companies Could Act in Bad Faith?

Insurers are required by law to act in good faith, meaning they should promptly communicate with you, provide accurate information, and settle claims fairly. However, certain practices could indicate bad faith attempts to avoid paying what you’re owed, such as:

  • Making Low Settlement Offers – Insurers might offer much less than your claim is worth, hoping you’ll accept to avoid further delays or hassles.
  • Delaying Communication – Adjusters might unreasonably delay their responses to your calls, emails, or letters to frustrate you and slow your claim.
  • Requesting Irrelevant Documents – Providers might ask for unnecessary paperwork to make the process more difficult and discourage you from continuing with your claim.
  • Setting Unreasonable Standards – Your insurer might impose unreasonably high standards for documentation or proof to make it difficult or impossible to meet their demands.
  • Giving You Incorrect Information – Insurers might misrepresent your coverage details or the claims process to lead you to believe your claim is invalid.
  • Accusing You of Insurance Fraud – In some cases, adjusters could falsely accuse you of fraud to intimidate or frustrate you and avoid paying your claim.

What Legal Rights Do I Have as an Insurance Policyholder in Louisiana?

Louisiana grants policyholders specific rights to protect against unfair practices by insurance companies. These rights, outlined in Louisiana’s policyholder bill of rights, include the right to prompt claim processing, transparent communication, and fair settlement offers.

As a policyholder, you have the right to receive a complete copy of your policy, understand the details of your coverage, and get clear explanations of any claim decisions. If an insurer denies your claim, you are entitled to a clear reason for the denial in writing. Additionally, Louisiana law protects policyholders from unfair tactics, such as unnecessary delays, misrepresentations of policy terms, or refusals to complete proper investigations.

If your insurer fails to respect these rights, you could have grounds for a bad faith insurance lawsuit. Reach out to ICHQ today to schedule a consultation with bad faith insurance lawyer in Louisiana and learn your options.

If an Insurance Company Denies My Claim, What Are My Options?

If an insurance company denies your claim, you still have options. You should start by reviewing the denial letter and paying careful attention to the insurer’s reasoning. Often, insurers deny claims due to incomplete documentation, policy exclusions, or misunderstandings of the event that caused the damage. Consider contacting the claims adjuster or a supervisor to discuss the denial and clarify any points. If appropriate, you can submit additional evidence or request a review of your case.

If the insurer still refuses to pay, you can file a complaint with the Louisiana Department of Insurance. You can also consult a Louisiana bad faith insurance attorney from ICHQ who can review your case, gather evidence, and advise you on the best way to challenge the denial.

What Must I Prove in an Insurance Bad Faith Claim?

You must demonstrate that your insurer acted unfairly or unreasonably to prove a bad faith insurance claim. First, you’ll need to show that your claim was legitimate and covered by your policy. This requires verifying that your policy was active at the time of the event and that you met all filing requirements.

Next, you must provide evidence that the insurer delayed, denied, or underpaid your claim without valid reasons. This could involve showing that they ignored essential evidence, misinterpreted policy terms, or conducted an inadequate investigation.

Proving intent by showing that the insurer’s actions were meant to frustrate you into abandoning your claim can strengthen your case. An attorney from ICHQ can help you gather and present this evidence to increase your chances of a successful outcome.

What Evidence Could My Attorney Use to Prove Bad Faith Insurance Tactics?

Your attorney will know how to prove bad faith insurance tactics by using various types of evidence. They might gather communication records like emails, letters, or recorded phone calls between you and the insurer. These records can reveal if the insurer gave vague explanations, delayed responses, or refused to answer specific questions.

Your attorney might also request internal documents from the insurer, such as the adjuster’s notes or evaluation reports, to show if they ignored evidence or conducted a biased investigation. A timeline of events could also provide useful evidence of any unnecessary delays in processing your claim.

In some cases, your attorney might bring in experts like claim adjusters or insurance analysts to demonstrate industry standards and show how your insurer failed to meet them.

What Damages Could I Receive in an Insurance Bad Faith Claim?

With a successful bad faith insurance claim, you could recover the amount originally owed under your policy for the cost of your losses or damage repairs. In some states, you could also qualify for additional damages (money) to compensate you for the insurer’s bad faith behavior. This could include compensation for financial losses resulting from their delays or refusal to pay, such as lost income, repair costs, or increased expenses.

Louisiana law might also allow you to recover punitive damages, which your insurer would have to pay as a penalty for their unfair conduct. Additionally, if you had to hire an attorney to fight the claim, you could recover compensation for your legal fees.

How Long Do I Have to File an Insurance Bad Faith Lawsuit in Louisiana?

If insurers wrongfully deny insurance claims or engage in other bad faith practices, Louisiana policyholders have up to 10 years to file a bad faith insurance lawsuit in response. However, there could be exceptions that could reduce the time to file a lawsuit to as little as two years.

While 10 years might sound like more than enough time, waiting too long could hurt your chances of a successful claim. Over time, evidence can disappear, memories fade, and witnesses become harder to locate. Insurers might also argue that delays show a lack of urgency to cast doubt on the strength of your claim. Additionally, if you miss the filing deadline, you could lose your right to seek compensation.

These are some of the reasons why you should contact a lawyer from ICHQ as soon as possible. Prompt action on your part gives your attorney more time to build a strong case and secure the fair compensation you deserve.

Contact a Louisiana Bad Faith Insurance Attorney Today

Have you had enough of delays, low settlements, and wrongful claim denials from your insurance company? If so, now is the time to act. At ICHQ, we understand the stress that comes with fighting a bad faith claim, and we’re ready to help you push back against unfair tactics.

Contact us today for a free consultation with a Louisiana bad faith insurance lawyer. Discover how we at ICHQ can help you get the money you need to rebuild your home, your business, and your life.