Insurance Claims in Pennsylvania
What Are Insurance Claims?
Filing an insurance claim in Pennsylvania can be a stressful process. Every policy is different, and insurance companies may not pay you what you deserve. In many cases, hiring an insurance claim lawyer is necessary. This page breaks down the nuances of different types of insurance claims.
What Is a Property Insurance Claim?
A homeowner’s insurance policy is an agreement to protect the home from damage under specific occurrences. When you as a policyholder suffer a loss, you should find a dedicated Pennsylvania property insurance lawyer. Your legal advocate works on your claim to ensure that you receive the benefits necessary to repair or rebuild your Pennsylvania property.
If the insurer denies coverage or delays, policyholders should consult a property insurance attorney about a bad faith claim. 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 state laws under which you file your claim.
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 hurricanes versus earthquakes.
The Pennsylvania Department of Insurance provides a homeowner’s insurance guide for those residing in the state. While most associate homeowner’s insurance with fire or floods, a surprising amount of claims are filed in Pennsylvania due to wind damage. This is not only damage from a storm or hail, but high winds can knock over tree limbs and power lines, damaging homes and automobiles and creating dangerous situations for nearby residents.
How to File a Property Insurance Claim in Pennsylvania
After you suffer a loss, you must contact your insurer as soon as possible. Taking this step begins the insurance claim process and gets things moving along. You need to notify your insurance company in writing or over the phone. From there, your insurer appoints a claim representative.
What to Expect Afterwards
Pennsylvania Code affirms that every insurance company has 10 working days to acknowledge the receipt of a claim, and provide you with the necessary paperwork. However there is a difference in time frames if you are dealing with your own insurance company, or the insurance company of another. If you file a claim with your own insurer, they have 15 days to determine its validity and pay the claim. If you are filing with the company of someone else, they will be given 30 days.
Still, it is important to remain up to date on your policy, and know what is and is not covered. National Law Review recently posted that a claim filed by Joseph T was denied by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. This was a claim filed due to coverage losses brought on by the covid-19 pandemic.
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 if there are uncooperative responsible parties. However, your insurer’s job is to work on your behalf to secure compensation for repairs, injuries and other expenses.
What Do You Do After a Car Accident?
The Pennsylvania DOT confirms that those licensed to drive in the state must purchase auto insurance. If you have been involved in an auto accident in Pennsylvania, you should make sure to get the insurance information of any other driver that happened to be part of the crash. Make sure to check for injuries, and seek proper medical attention if anyone is injured. Take statements from any witnesses that are present, and make sure to wait for the authorities to give your statement. Once you have finished those responsibilities, you should contact your insurance agent immediately, if possible.
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 repair claims, personal injury claims, or you are dealing with someone who does not have insurance, your auto insurance adjuster should see you through the process. Your claims adjuster may recommend a garage to handle your vehicle repairs. They 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 in Pennsylvania.
Health Insurance Claims
Pennsylvania 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 in your claim, consider hiring a health insurance claim specialist attorney.
How Do You File a Health Claim in Pennsylvania?
There are two ways to file a health insurance claim on your behalf. The first is the medical facility notifies your insurer for you. You may be able to walk out of the facility without spending anything, but that depends on your policy. The other way is to file a health insurance claim yourself. Taking this route can occur when a health provider you use is not in your provider network. The facility may still file the claim on your behalf, but you may need to file it yourself.
The Attorney General of Pennsylvania provides all residents of the state with an overview of their health coverage rights, so they can know when to exercise them. Filing a health insurance claim for yourself may seem daunting, but it is important to remember that it is a process. Once you file your claim, you’ll generally receive an itemized bill, as well as the sum total that you owe. Make sure to review the itemized bill, as ABC 27 recently reported several errors were found in the healthcare coverage of UPMC.
Work with an Experienced Local Insurance Lawyer in Pennsylvania
If your health insurance provider refuses to honor a claim, seek out a qualified Pennsylvania 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. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Pennsylvania state lines.
Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!
Do you have a different legal concern that requires the help of a lawyer? We have a network of attorneys for any area of the law you need in Pennsylvania.
