Insurance Claims in Wilmington, NC
What Are Insurance Claims?
Filing an insurance claim in Wilmington, North Carolina 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 Wilmington, North Carolina 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 tornadoes versus earthquakes.
Wilmington, and North Carolina as a whole, have seen significant damage from hurricanes in recent years. According to Star News Online, the damage from Hurricane Florence cost millions of dollars and took years to repair. Unfortunately, you may feel that your settlement offer after this type of event doesn’t match your expectations. Appeals and mediation may solve the problem, but you may have to take your argument to court.
How to File a Property Insurance Claim in Wilmington, North Carolina
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
Current law will affect the timeline for your property claim in Wilmington. As reported by the North Carolina Department of Insurance, the state has a prompt pay requirement. This legislation makes it mandatory for insurers to pay or send notice of a denial to claimants in thirty days. As a result, it’s even more critical that you document correspondence closely. Constant delays in communication or missing the deadline without good reason can constitute bad faith actions.
Filing an appeal or grievance can reset the clock on your claim. Insurance companies have another thirty day period to resolve these disputes. If you don’t have much reason to believe a reversal will occur, it may be time to seek legal counsel.
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?
NCDOI publishes a checklist for what they expect motorists to do after an accident in Wilmington. As expected, they have a particular focus on safety. If there are injuries or significant damage, you have a legal responsibility to notify emergency services. Failing to do so can result in claim denials and criminal charges. Once you’ve looked after everyone’s well-being, other recommended tasks from the state government include:
- Exchanging insurance policy details with the other party or parties
- Taking video and pictures of the damaged vehicles
- Ask for phone numbers and addresses from witnesses
- Calling the police for a hit-and-run or when someone suffers an injury
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 Wilmington.
Health Insurance Claims
, policyholders file health insurance claims when seeking reimbursement for medical services or treatments.
Typically, your health insurance carrier should be notified directly by the medical provider when you receive care. However, if any discrepancies arise with your claim, it’s wise to consult a health insurance claim specialist attorney to ensure your rights are protected and your claim is processed correctly.
How Do You File a Health Claim in Wilmington, North Carolina?
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 U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services detail your rights if your insurer denies your claim. At first, patients in Wilmington can start an internal appeal. Simply having your doctor clarify details of your treatment during this period could reverse the decision. When this attempt fails, you can move on to an external review.
Work with an Experienced Local Insurance Lawyer in Wilmington, North Carolina.
If your health insurance provider refuses to honor a claim, seek out a qualified Wilmington 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 North Carolina 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.
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