Insurance Claims in Richmond, VA
What Are Insurance Claims?
Filing an insurance claim in Richmond, Virginia can be a stressful process. Every policy is different, and insurance companies may not pay you what you deserve. In some cases, hiring an insurance claim attorney 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 Richmond, Virginia property insurance lawyer. Your legal advocate works on your claim to ensure that you receive the benefits necessary to repair or rebuild your 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.
USA.com reports that the chance of earthquake and tornado damage in Richmond is higher than the state average. Moreover, Richmond residents must also prepare for wind, hail, and flood damage. Be aware, standard homeowner policies do not cover flood damage. However, Richmond homeowners can choose to buy flood coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program.
How to File a Property Insurance Claim in Richmond, Virginia
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
Virginia Administrative Code governs much of the homeowner claims handling process. For example, an insurer has 15 calendar days to acknowledge the receipt of a claim. The insurer must also provide necessary claim forms, instructions, and assistance to the claimant within 15 days. Alternatively, acknowledgment is satisfied if payment or denial of the claim is made within 21 calendar days.
If your insurer denies your claim, your first step should be to contact the insurer directly. If the dispute does not resolve quickly, you can try to resolve the dispute through the insurer’s internal appeals process. However, if this also fails, you can file a complaint with Virginia’s State Corporation Commission. Finally, you may want to consult with an experienced Richmond insurance attorney to determine if you have grounds for a lawsuit.
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?
Under Virginia law, Richmond drivers must immediately call the Richmond Police or Virginia State Police if the accident involves injuries or death. However, it is always good to notify law enforcement, even for minor collisions. If law enforcement files a report, you do not need to file an additional accident report. However, you may need to file an accident report with the Virginia DMV if the police fail to submit a report.
Your insurance company should be your next call. According to Wallethub, Virginia is an at-fault state for automobile insurance claims. This means that the at-fault driver’s insurance pays for your damages. Consequently, it is important to obtain a copy of the crash report to help prove fault. It may be advisable to consult with an experienced Richmond attorney to determine if you need to file a lawsuit to obtain appropriate compensation.
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 Richmond.
Health Insurance Claims
Richmond, Virginia 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 Richmond, Virginia?
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.
Sadly, medical bills continue to surprise patients, even when they choose in-network hospitals. WTVR – TV reported that a Henrico County woman chose to give birth at Henrico Doctors because it was an in-network facility for her insurer. However, she ended up being seen by an out-of-network doctor during childbirth. Consequently, she was surprised by a $1,300 bill that Cigna refused to cover. Fortunately, CBS 6 Problem Solvers intervened on her behalf and resolved the issue with Cigna.
Work with an Experienced Local Insurance Lawyer in Richmond, Virginia.
If your health insurance provider refuses to honor a claim, seek out a qualified Richmond 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 Virginia 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!
About the Author
Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.
With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations.