Do I Have a Home Settlement Dispute Case?

When you file a homeowners insurance claim, the insurance carrier will typically begin this process by doing a thorough investigation of your case. This involves matching up the claim in question to your insurance policy to determine that your insurance coverage was indeed active and that this is a covered event. Meanwhile, the insurance company will likely carry out its own investigation. Many people do not realize that their homeowners’ insurance company does not have to agree with the homeowner about the level of severity or approve every aspect associated with the case. 

For example, although the damage done to a slab may be approved and covered by your homeowners’ insurance company, water that is leaking from pipes that caused that slab damage is not necessarily covered and is in fact excluded in most insurance settlement lawsuits. Many people do not realize this because they do not read the fine print of their insurance coverage and only discover it after the fact when they receive a very low settlement offer. 

This can be a very frustrating situation, however, in some cases, the insurance company might have acted inappropriately or even in bad faith, putting you in the situation of having to fight to recover fair compensation. Not all cases are created equally, but you can start by contacting the insurance agent or company directly. You may learn more about why they made the decision they did and get further information about the kinds of evidence that you would need to submit to protect yourself. 

An independent appraisal is another way to fight back in a home settlement dispute case if you do not agree with the insurance company. Any and all evidence you can provide to your home insurance company can make it easier to present your side of the story, but it does not always mean that the insurance agency will side with you. The sooner that you retain an experienced lawyer, the more you are showing the insurance company that you are taking this claim seriously and will do everything in your power to protect your rights. If you have been unable to resolve the issue by contacting the insurance company directly, you may need to consider hiring an attorney for a home settlement dispute case.

 Unfortunately, it is often the case that many different policy holders have problems with their insurance companies after filing a claim. Although you make regular payments to your insurance company with the expectation that they will be there to support you when you need to make a claim, this does not always and with those expectations. You may experience a number of different challenges in handling an insurance case and may need to contact an experienced lawyer to assist you with moving your insurance dispute along. 

Many insurance companies count on you to get frustrated, give up, and ultimately to accept the results they have given you, such as a denial of an insurance claim or a low-ball settlement offer. You may feel as though you have no other options to consider and are therefore forced into accepting what the insurance company has offered.

If your policy specifically says that the case in question is not covered, it will be very difficult for you to argue that you were entitled to compensation. This is one of the most complicated aspects of a dispute with an insurance company, and it is unlikely that a lawyer can help you if your policy expressly prohibits the claim in question. However, if you believe that your policy does allow you to file a claim, you need to share this information with your experienced attorney to learn more about how to respond. 

You may be able to hold the insurance company accountable through what is known as a bad-faith lawsuit. In bad faith lawsuits, you must show that the insurance company has gone out of their way to violate the terms of their contract agreement with you or state or federal law. If you can prove that the insurance company has done this, you may be eligible to pursue compensation. 

Always start the process by reading your insurance policy in full. If you have maintained this policy and continued to keep it active by making payments, this will become an important document for reviewing whether or not the insurance policy upholds your rights as a claimant. It can become one of the most important types of evidence in a home settlement dispute case, and it is likely the first place that your insurance dispute lawyer will look for further information. 

In many cases after the insurance company has conducted a thorough evaluation of the issue at hand, they will come forward with a settlement offer. This settlement offer might involve a payment made to contractors to fix the problem, cutting a check to you (depending on the specifics of your policy), or anything else you have agreed to with the insurance company. If you're not a general contractor yourself, it could be difficult to recognize whether or not this settlement offer is fair. 

That is a big reason why many people choose to hire homeowners’ insurance lawyers to help verify that they have received a fair settlement offer. It becomes vital to hire a homeowners insurance lawyer to fight back when you're experiencing bad faith on the part of the insurance company, such as refusal to pay out a claim or paying out a claim at a rate that is far lower than the damage indicates. In those circumstances, you need someone to protect your legal rights as soon as possible, and you should not hesitate to get help from an attorney who has been in this position before. 

Your lawyer can also help you get the answer to the question, “Do I have a home settlement dispute case?” They can also prevent you from signing a settlement offer that is far too low for the severity of damages that you have experienced. Hiring an attorney shows that you're serious about your claim and can help you to gather the necessary evidence to help protect your rights. 
An attorney is a valuable source of support during what can be a very difficult time, and you should always consult with a lawyer as soon as possible to get insight.

At Morgan & Morgan, our lawyers know how hard it is to work through an insurance settlement dispute and are aware of the battles ahead of you if you are attempting to communicate with your insurance company. We have helped countless others to understand their rights and to file the necessary paperwork to hold the insurance company accountable when they have acted improperly. The insurance company might be counting on you to ignore the situation or simply want to close it out and move forward. Make sure that you fully evaluate your rights by retaining the services of a dedicated lawyer to review the case in full. Contact Morgan & Morgan today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation for your insurance settlement dispute. We’re ready to fight in your corner and get you the settlement that you deserve.