Insurance Claims in South Dakota

What Are Insurance Claims?

Filing an insurance claim in South Dakota 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 South Dakota property insurance lawyer. Your legal advocate works on your claim to ensure that you receive the benefits necessary to repair or rebuild your South Dakota 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 South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation provides tips and frequent inquiries for homeowners that have filed claims. Wind, hail, water damage, and fire damage are all fairly common for homeowners filing a property damage claim. There are also extra coverage options for those in South Dakota. These include, but are not limited to, guaranteed replacement coverage, flood insurance, and earthquake insurance.

How to File a Property Insurance Claim in South Dakota

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

WalletHub states that an insurance provider in South Dakota has 30 days in which to acknowledge the claim, and send a homeowner the proper paperwork in which to proceed. However, this is where the law stops being specific. After these 30 days, there is no time frame stated in which the company must approve or deny the claim. There is also no timeline in which a company must pay the claim. The law simply states that it must be paid in a “reasonable amount of time”.

The South Dakota Division of Insurance advises you to never make full repairs until you have met with your insurance company. If the insurance company offers you a settlement, you are entitled to ask the claims adjuster for an itemized explanation of the settlement offer. You may also want to retain the services of an experienced attorney in South Dakota to help you reach the settlement you deserve.

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 South Dakota Department of Insurance affirms that every individual with a South Dakota driver’s license who operates a vehicle, must also purchase auto insurance. If you are involved in a car crash, you must remain on the scene. Stay calm, and check yourself and others for injuries. Call emergency services if necessary, and also contact the police. Gather as much information as possible. Get the name, and insurance information of everyone involved in the accident. You should also interview any bystander that may have seen the accident occur.

Once you have given your report to the South Dakota Highway Patrol, you should contact your insurance provider as soon as possible. Be sure to share with your provider the information you collected. This will help when it comes time to file your claim.

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 South Dakota.

Health Insurance Claims

South Dakota 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 South Dakota?

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.

Dakota CARE provides an online portal you can use to file a claim for your health insurance. This can be especially helpful for you if you are accustomed to having a medical care provider file your insurance claims. Once you file a claim, you will generally receive an itemized bill, detailing the services you received, as well as a final total.

Filing for yourself can also be the result of receiving care outside your covered network. This may increase for 2022, as KHN reports that state lawmakers have voted against expanding Medicare for the state. If possible, you should review your coverage to be certain of your network.

Work with an Experienced Local Insurance Lawyer in South Dakota

If your health insurance provider refuses to honor a claim, seek out a qualified South Dakota 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 South Dakota 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!