You pay your insurance premium religiously and on time because you know you need to protect your investment. Understandably, you expect your insurance company to pay when an accident or catastrophic incident occurs. Then you file the claim, and the offer that comes back seems low – not just a little low, but really low. What do you do? Hopefully, you recognize that your insurance company is low-balling you, and you reach out for legal assistance.
Low-Ball Offers Are Surprisingly Common
Although insurance companies are infamous for their feel-good, family-like slogans, they are for-profit businesses. They do not make their money paying out settlements. They collect premiums, bank on consumers not needing the policy, and employ various strategies to try and decrease the amount they pay out for each claim.
One of the most commonly used approaches is the low-ball offer. Most often, this strategy is employed by the adjuster responsible for handling your claim. Their hope is that you will take the offer they give you and cash the check. Thankfully, you do not have to accept this offer.
Fighting a Low-Ball Offer
There are many ways to fight against a low-ball offer, but assistance from an insurance dispute attorney is often more effective than facing it alone. Versed in the law and insurance claims, a lawyer can reduce the stress of dealing with the insurance company. They can review your case and ensure you have submitted all the appropriate documentation, which may have affected the offer you were given. Your attorney can also protect your interests and negotiate the most favorable settlement possible, sometimes without ever having to go through litigation.
Unfortunately, even attorneys can experience push-back from insurance companies. Thankfully, they have numerous tools and legal processes at their disposal. For example, your attorney may suggest filing a bad faith lawsuit to increase your settlement. (Bad faith is when an insurance company is failing to do its job. A bad faith lawsuit encourages them to do the right thing.) While it might not be the most appropriate path in every case, it could be an option for those who continue to experience low-ball offers, claim denials, and delayed processing of their claims.
Contact Our Rolling Meadows Insurance Dispute Lawyers
At Drost, Gilbert, Andrew & Apicella, LLC, we protect the rights of victims, including their right to pursue full and fair compensation. Dedicated and experienced, our
Rolling Meadows insurance dispute lawyers can fight for you. Learn more about how we can assist with your case by scheduling a personalized, no-obligation consultation. Call 847-934-6000 today.
About the Author: Attorney Ken Apicella is a founding partner of DGAA focusing in the areas of personal injury, employment, insurance coverage disputes, and civil litigation. Ken earned his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law in 1999. He has been named a SuperLawyers Rising Star and a Forty Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch. Ken has written and lectured for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education and regularly serves as a moderator at Northwest Suburban Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education seminars.
Source:http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-02-02/business/9602020322_1_adjuster-coalition-against-insurance-fraud-state-farm
