Have you been denied coverage by an insurance company? There are many valid reasons why an insurance company may deny your insurance claims. These include the terms and conditions of the insurance policy. Many policies have valid exclusions from coverage. However, on the other hand, many insurance companies will improperly deny claims and attempt to cite to the terms, conditions and exclusions from coverage as their reason for doing so.
An Experienced Insurance Lawyer Can Help You Navigate Denied Claims
A policy insurance is merely a contract between you and your insurance company. You pay a policy premium in exchange for insurance coverage under certain conditions. Insurance companies are not in the business of paying out claims. Instead, they become more profitable when they are able to deny insurance claims.
Therefore, it is important for you to know the difference between a valid claim denial and an invalid claim denial. Typically, an insurance company will attempt to deny a claim based on the language of the contract (insurance policy). Some denials are based on the fact that the claims fall outside the terms and conditions of coverage, while other denials are based on the fact that the claims are specifically listed in exclusions from coverage.
Because the insurance policies (contracts) are written by the insurance companies, the language is often convoluted and confusing in order to allow them to interpret the language in a way that is favorable to them. Accordingly, it is important to hire an attorney that has experience in litigating insurance claims cases and has the experience in both representing insurance companies and claimants. Typically, cases involving disputed insurance claims are highly fact sensitive and either the inclusion or exclusion of coverage will depend upon the facts of each case.
Importantly, under New Jersey law, if you are wrongfully denied a claim by an insurance company it is possible that you can force the insurance company to pay the costs of your attorney. Further, it is also possible that you could obtain punitive damages against the insurance company if the insurance company acted in bad faith in denying your claim.
It is also important to note that there are numerous statutes and regulations which govern what an insurance company can and cannot do with respect to claims. For instance, there are several regulations which prohibit an insurance company for denying claims even when your premium payments are late. Other regulations require the insurance companies to take action within a specific period of time.
Accordingly, if you believe that an insurance company has improperly denied your claim or you are unable to tell if the claim denial is proper or improper, you should reach out to an attorney at the Law Offices of John T. Bazzurro, LLC to further evaluate your case.