When you get into a car accident because of someone else’s negligence, you naturally expect to get compensation. Whether you suffered property damage, injuries or both, you’ll want the insurance company to pay in a timely manner. Unfortunately, insurance providers often deny car accident claims even though there are laws governing their operations. Many accident victims give up at this point. They believe there is no way that they can win a fight against a big insurance company. However, if you work with an Albany, Georgia auto accident lawyer, you may still be able to get the compensation you deserve, even if your car accident claim was initially denied.
Reasons Why Insurance Companies Deny Claims
You need to know why the insurance company denied your claim before you do anything. Some denials are valid and there is nothing you can do the change the insurer’s decision. However, there are other claim rejections that can be appealed. Let’s look at the most common reasons for denied claims before looking at some of your options.
Invalid Claims
Sometimes the other driver’s auto insurance policy wasn’t valid. They may have allowed their payments to fall behind or the insurer may have canceled the policy for non-payment.
Improperly Filed Claims
You may have filled out the claim form incorrectly or left out important details. This makes it easy for insurance companies to reject a claim.
Dispute over Liability
The insurance company may argue that their client didn’t cause the accident. Alternatively, they may say the accident didn’t cause the losses you’re claiming. They may also allege that you were partly to blame for the crash.
Policy Exclusions
Insurance policies often contain a long list of exclusions including intentional actions and acts of God. Depending on the circumstances, they may use one of the exclusions to deny the claim.
Failure to Notify
Policyholders must notify their insurers about an accident within a certain period of time. If they don’t, the insurance company may say it didn’t get a chance to investigate the crash.
When you reach out to a Georgia car accident lawyer, they will work hard to get your claim paid. Sometimes, insurance companies have legitimate reasons for denying claims. When they don’t, your attorney will help you to dispute the decision. If the policy wasn’t valid, there isn’t anything even the best attorney can do to make the insurance company pay. However, we can guide you in finding an alternative method of compensation.
Options for Responding to a Denied Claim in Georgia
There are three main things you can do if your car accident claim was denied. One option is to write to the insurance company and appeal their decision. Insurance companies typically include instructions about how to appeal along with the denial letter. When you submit your appeal, you need to include documentation which supports your case. This may include medical records, doctor’s reports, police reports and pictures of the accident scene. Your attorney will help you to show clearly how each piece of evidence contradicts the insurance provider’s decision. Insurance companies must make a decision regarding your appeal within strict deadlines.
Another option is to file a bad faith insurance claim against the insurance company. If the company bullied you, denied your claim without good reason or otherwise violated insurance laws, this may be appropriate. Your Georgia automobile accident attorney will review your claim and determine whether this type of legal action could be effective.
In some cases, your attorney may instead recommend filing a lawsuit against the at-fault party. Maybe your appeal was unsuccessful, or the insurance company was well within its rights to deny the claim. Filing a lawsuit doesn’t mean you’ll have to go to court. Most cases are settled well before trial and going to court is a last resort. This may be one of the last options for getting compensation.
Get Help with Your Denied Car Accident Claim Today
If you’re interested in learning more about how long it will take to recover your losses, visit this page.
If your insurance claim was rejected, contact the Albany personal injury attorneys at Joe Durham Jr. PC. Don’t give up on getting compensation before you explore all the options available to you. Instead, contact us and let us help you stand up to the insurance company. If there’s no possibility that your claim will be approved, we may be able to find an alternative source of compensation. Schedule a free consultation today to discuss your case. If you weren’t at fault for your injuries or property damage, you shouldn’t have to handle your losses alone.
