What Should You Do If Your Auto Insurance Claim Gets Denied?
Getting involved in an auto accident can be an extremely stressful experience by itself, especially if you suffer injury as a result. However, it can be even more frustrating if your insurance claim gets denied by the company you’ve been with for many years. While insurance claim denials happen with some frequency, there are times when they aren’t justified. So it’s important to understand why this happens and what you can do about it if it happens to you.
Reasons Insurance Companies deny Claims
When an insurer denies a claim, they will send claim denial letter explaining their reasons for doing so. Here are 9 reasons why auto insurance claims get denied:
• If you or the person responsible for the accident aren’t named as the insured parties, you won’t have coverage and any claim will be denied.
• You broke the law (e.g. you were driving under the influence.
• You didn’t have sufficient coverage.
• You didn’t report the accident on time.
• You failed to get medical attention immediately after the accident.
• You failed to provide accurate information when applying for your policy.
• You filed an exaggerated or fraudulent claim.
• You missed a premium payment and your insurer canceled your policy.
• You submitted a claim for damages that weren’t covered in your policy.
Along with these reasons, there are a number of factors that can influence the outcome of an insurance claim such as eyewitness statements, police reports, and recreating the accident scenario.
What can You do if Your Claim is denied?
Even if you have submitted plenty of documentation and evidence to support your claim, your insurance company can still deny it. However, you don’t have to accept that denial as the final word. There are 3 ways to fight back if you don’t agree with the insurance company’s decision including:
• Contact your state’s director of insurance or insurance commissioner – you can usually file a complaint at your state insurance commissioner’s website.
• Request a letter explaining the reason for denial – if you were denied for unfair reasons, that letter can be used as evidence in a bad-faith lawsuit.
• You believe your insurance company made a mistake – if so, be prepared to send photos of the accident scene, police reports, witness statements, and anything else that supports your reasoning.
If your claim is still denied, you should consult with an injury attorney in Timmins that specializes in these types of cases. If the denial is based on unreasonable grounds, you have the right to sue your insurer for bad-faith practices and breach of contract. It helps to have an injury lawyer with you for assistance so that they can navigate through the complexities of the legal system.
