Unfortunately, even honest policy holders can become the victim of insurance company bad faith actions. If you have experienced any of the following, you may want to contact a South Dakota insurance bad faith attorney for help.

Once you buy an insurance policy, you have a contract with the insurance company. Even if the contract does not state it explicitly, because of court decisions going back more than a century, it is a matter of law that your insurer must act in good faith.

Here are Some Common Signs that Your Insurance Company is Acting in Bad Faith

  1. The insurance company denies or delays payments without reasonable explanation.
  2. The insurance company does not promptly inform you of the decision to approve or deny your claim.
  3. The insurance company does not properly investigate and denies coverage on the basis of that insufficient investigation.
  4. The insurance company suggests you do not hire a lawyer.
  5. The insurance company increases your premiums or cancels your coverage after you make a claim.
  6. The insurance company does not promptly settle an uncontroversial claim.
  7. The insurance company misrepresents what is in the policy or tries to mislead you about what is covered under your contract of insurance.
  8. The insurance company uses harassing or intrusive methods to investigate your claim.
  9. The insurance company insists on duplicate paperwork that contains the same information.
  10. The insurance company places a reduced value on the loss, thereby reducing the amount paid out under the policy.

You may have experienced bad faith actions from an insurance company, even if what you experienced is not on this list. If you are not satisfied with your treatment from the company, you may want to get help from an attorney.

Talk to a Lawyer

If you are wondering, “Why do insurance companies deny claims?” you are not alone. It is an unfortunate fact that insurance companies are in the business of making a profit, and it is to their financial benefit to put off paying out claims as long as possible.

In many cases, policyholders have to insist that their rights are respected. If this applies to you, talk to an attorney right away. In South Dakota, you can contact Turbak Law Office to get your rights enforced under an insurance contract. Send us an email or call (866) 231-0914 to chat with an attorney right here in South Dakota.