What Are Insurance Claims?

Insurance Claims and Legal Help from a Lawyer

Filing an insurance claim can be a stressful process. Every policy is different, and insurance companies may not pay you what you deserve when it comes to covered benefits for policyholders. In some cases, hiring an insurance claim attorney is necessary to hold insurers accountable and overcome their bad faith actions. This page breaks down the nuances of the different types of insurance claims.

Property Insurance Claims

What Is a Property Insurance Claim?

When you purchase a homeowner’s insurance policy, there is an agreement between the insurer and insured that the policy protects the home from damage under specific occurrences. When you as a policyholder suffer a loss, you should find a dedicated property insurance lawyer to fight for you. Your legal advocate works on your claim to ensure that the insurer gives you the coverage benefits you deserve to repair or rebuild your property.

If the insurer unjustly denies you coverage or unreasonably delays the claim process, policyholders should consult a property insurance attorney to file a bad faith claim against their insurer. If your claim goes to court and you win, you can often recover your court costs, attorney fees and coverage benefits. There is also the possibility of recovering more money depending on the laws of the state in which you file your claim and the jury’s determination.

What Types Of Damage Claims Apply to Property Insurance?

Specific geographic regions impact the design of insurance policies. For example, Florida property insurance policies have more provisions for hurricane coverage versus earthquake coverage, which would be more apt in California. Policyholders can file many types of claims:

  • Fire damage
  • Hurricane damage
  • Flooding damage
  • Water damage
  • Smoke damage
  • Wind damage
  • Property theft
  • Bad faith

How to File a Property Insurance Claim

After you suffer a loss, it is important that you contact your insurer as soon as possible. This begins the insurance claim process and gets things moving along. To do so, you need to notify your insurance company in writing or via a phone call. From there, your insurer appoints a claim representative.

What to Expect Afterwards

After you file an insurance claim, you will have a designated claim representative. The next step will likely involve your insurer sending out an adjuster to inspect your property and prepare a damage estimate. You should hire your own public adjuster to conduct an independent damage assessment just in case you do not agree with your insurer’s estimate.

If the process goes as it should, your adjuster then presents an amount that should. It should fairly compensate you in terms of making repairs or rebuilding. If the insurer agrees with this amount, they will accept. If not, you should consider hiring a property insurance attorney.

A local lawyer will help you determine the best course of action for your compensation. There may be other solutions available instead of filing property damage claims. A legal advocate helps you decide which option is best so that you can get back on your feet.

What Is an Auto Insurance Claim?

Auto insurance claims involve requesting compensation from an auto insurer after an accident. Car accidents are incredibly stressful, especially when they involve uncooperative responsible parties. However, your insurer’s job is to simplify the process and work on your behalf to secure compensation to cover repairs, injuries and other incurred expenses.

What Do You Do After a Car Accident?

If you are in an automobile accident, the first thing you should do is notify the police. Having an officer at the scene ensures that you have a credible, written report of the accident. This report will most likely feature witness accounts, which could come in handy with an auto insurance claim down the road.

The next step is to contact your insurance company from the scene of the accident. You should have already exchanged insurance information with the other party, which is helpful information for your insurer. Your insurance representative should help you through the process and tell you what information she or he needs to move forward.

Auto Claims Adjuster

Your auto insurance company will assign a claims adjuster to your claim report. Your adjuster acts as your representation in any mediation between you and all other involved parties. This insurance representative bears responsibility for investigating the claim and seeing that you receive compensation for any repairs or injuries.

Whether there are just repair claims or personal injury claims, your auto insurance adjuster should see you through the process. Your claims adjuster may recommend a garage to handle your vehicle repairs. He or she may also make arrangements for a rental vehicle if required. The most important thing to note is that your auto claim adjuster is your primary point of contact regarding the status of your claim.

Health Insurance Claims

What Is a Health Insurance Claim?

Policyholders file health insurance claims when they seek reimbursement for medical services or treatments. When you obtain a medical service from a provider, your health insurance carrier should be notified directly. If there are any discrepancies with your claim, consider hiring a health insurance claim specialist attorney.

How Do You File a Health Claim?

There are two ways to file a health insurance claim on your behalf. The first is the medical facility in which you received treatment notifies your insurer for you. They submit the claim directly on your behalf. You may be able to walk out of the facility without spending anything, depending on your policy.

The other way is to file a health insurance claim yourself. This can occur when the health provider you use is not in your insurer’s current provider network. The facility may still file the claim on your behalf, but it is possible that you may need to file yourself.

What To Expect When Filing a Health Insurance Claim

After the submission of a health insurance claim on your behalf, expect to receive an itemized layout of the services rendered. You receive this document either in the mail or electronically. It includes how much you owe, if anything, and any other pertinent information relating to compensation you may expect to receive or further actions required.

Work with an Experience Local Insurance Lawyer

If your health insurance provider refuses to honor a claim or unjustly attempts to have you pay more money than you should, seek out an insurance claim attorney’s help. An insurance claim attorney can help if you have been improperly denied coverage or sent a bill for a service you never received.

Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!

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