Bad Faith Insurance

Bad Faith Insurance Claims in Spokane

Is Your Claim Actually "In Good Hands"?

If you find yourself dealing with a difficult or bad faith insurance process, ask yourself this: why did you buy insurance in the first place? You bought insurance to protect yourself in the event that someone was seriously injured on your property, your house caught fire, to cover costs of injuries in a car crash, or losses associated with your commercial business. The point is this: the whole purpose of having insurance is to protect you from a financial or medical emergency if disaster strikes.

Recovery for the Seriously Injured

When you need help the most, you would expect your own insurance company to honor their commitments to you and to treat you fairly. After all, you have been a loyal customer for years, sometimes even for decades. You have paid your premiums in full and on time. You have every confidence that this will cover the costs of the recovery. You expect the same loyalty in return. Your insurance company is supposed to be on your side – right?

In a perfect world, maybe. In reality, insurance companies are not on your side. Their goals are exactly the opposite of yours.

Sweetser Law Office represents clients who have had their lives turned upside down because of an accident or serious injury. The last thing we would want is for an insurance company to act against your best interests. Contact our Spokane bad faith insurance lawyer today for assistance!

Insurers Are Required to Act in Good Faith

While you want to get the full value of what is owed to you, your insurer wants to hold onto its money – and that means paying you less than you deserve. It means denying your claim entirely or at least creating fear by lowballing offers and delaying payments.

Here’s what you need to know. There is something you can do about it. Every insurance policy requires an insurance company to act in “good faith” when there is an insurance claim. Being in an accident or suffering any other type of loss is bad enough, but when your own insurance company is being unreasonable and unfair, you’re being victimized a second time. This is more common than you think.

Protection from Low-Ball Offers

Most people do not know their rights or Washington's nuanced insurance laws and obligations. Insurance companies make millions denying or lowballing claims; it is their business model. But insurance companies across Washington know the reputation that Sweetser Law Office has for protecting the rights of policyholders and accident victims, and they know that we will not back down. Our office is led by former elected Spokane County Prosecutor, James R. Sweetser, who has over 35 years of firsthand experience standing toe-to-toe with insurance companies that avoid paying legitimate claims.

The consultation is free and completely confidential. Call our Spokane firm at (509) 444-4444 to investigate whether the insurance company is treating you fairly. If possible, please have your insurance policy on hand.

What Is Insurance Bad Faith?

Don’t let the legal term “bad faith” stop you from getting help. When an insurance company is making the claims process more difficult or stalling your recovery, time may be critical in preserving your rights.

When you hear the term “bad faith” think of it this way: an insurance policy is a mutual and binding contract. The contract spells out what the insurance company agrees to do in the event of a claim. When an insurer fails to act as required by the policy or by the laws of the State of Washington‚ it is acting in what is called “bad faith” and you may have a bad faith insurance claim.

Our Spokane bad faith insurance attorney will ensure your rights are protected, that insurance adjusters follow the law and that your claim is fully and fairly valued. Contact us today to request an appointment.

Signs an Insurer Is Acting in Bad Faith

When an insurance company fails to honor its policy, obstructs settlement, or refuses to pay what it owes it can be held responsible for not only paying the original claim but also paying as a result of committing insurance misconduct.

For example:

  • Denying a claim without giving a valid reason (or sometimes any reason) why your claim has been denied
  • Delaying an investigation or payment unreasonably or excessively
  • Refusing to make a fair or reasonable settlement offer – whether that means making only lowball offers that do not account for the loss, or failing to make a settlement offer at all

You cannot assume the insurance company will treat you fairly. Without an experienced bad faith attorney, the insurance company will not budge. Sweetser Law Office is here for families like yours that may not know if the insurance company is unfairly violating their responsibilities, or trying to convince you that your claim is worthless.