If you are a homeowner in California, you know that a natural disaster could occur at any time and affect your property. Fires, landslides and earthquakes are all too common in the Golden State.
Some disasters are not covered under traditional insurance policies. Your problem, however, is mudflow damage but your insurer is stalling on the acceptance of your claim. Is this an act of bad faith?
Failing to investigate properly
Your insurance company is running up against the deadline involving whether to accept or deny your claim for compensation related to the mudflow damage to your home. Your policy includes this kind of coverage but you suspect your insurance agent is dragging his feet thinking that you may either give up on your claim or, if the deadline passes, the company will not have to pay you. Almost two weeks have passed, and so far, the insurer has not come out to investigate the damage.
Looking at other bad faith practices
In addition to unreasonable delays, an insurance company can exhibit bad faith by failing to notify you of a deadline for filing a claim or for failing to provide the paperwork necessary. Since an insurance company is in business to make profits, it might also offer you a settlement that is far less than your claim is worth.
Filing an appeal
From lack of a timely investigation to outright denial of a legitimate claim, there are several ways that insurers could act in bad faith. If you believe this is happening with respect to your mudflow issues and the failure of your insurance company to help, filing a bad faith claim might be the next step.
