Denial of Insurance Benefits

In every insurance policy there is an implied obligation of good faith and fair dealing that neither the insurance company nor the insured will do anything to injure the right of the other party to receive the benefits of the agreement. To fulfill its implied obligation of good faith and fair dealing, an insurance company must give at least as much consideration to the interests of the insured as it gives to its own interests.

A breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing may lead to contract and tort damages having to be paid by the insurance carrier. These insurance bad faith claims often arise in the context of life and disability claims, where the insurance company denies benefits based on a faulty interpretation of the policy language, the law, the nature of a particular disability or the cause of death. Additionally, these claims can arise where an insurance carrier has denied their insured benefits under an uninsured/under-insured motorist provision in an automobile policy. Sometimes, simply a delay in paying any of these benefits may give rise to a bad faith claim.

If you believe you were unfairly denied insurance benefits, please call Mr. Ralph for a free consultation.