Insurance Bad Faith

Insurance companies, like any other business, are interested in making money. As such, they may not always have your best interests at heart. When an insurance company does not act in good faith, it may be liable not only for what should have been covered under your insurance policy but for any other damages you may have suffered due to their bad faith. At The Walker Law Group, our experienced Insurance Bad Faith Attorneys have an understanding of what it takes to bring a claim for and recover bad faith damages.

Call us at 727-865-5724 or schedule online now to set up your free consultation with our experienced personal injury attorneys.

We Handle All Types of Insurance Claims

At The Walker Law Group, we represent clients who have had insurance claims denied or unreasonably delayed in a variety of cases, including those related to:

• Personal Injury Claims
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Claims
• Homeowner's Insurance Policies
• Wrongful Death and Life Insurance Policies

Regardless of the type of claim you have, you can rely on our Florida insurance bad-faith lawyers to take on examiners, adjusters, and their legal teams. Every kind of insurance policy is different, and each is subject to its own set of laws and procedures. We have the knowledge and experience to help policyholders navigate these complicated waters, and make informed decisions on how to proceed.

Personal Injury Claims

Insurance companies have a duty to act in good faith when handling personal injury claims. This includes conducting a thorough investigation, evaluating damages accurately, and communicating promptly with the claimant. Bad faith in this context often involves unfairly denying claims, delaying payments without justification, or undervaluing the injuries suffered. When insurers fail to meet these obligations, claimants may face unnecessary financial hardship and emotional distress.

Short- and Long-Term Disability Claims

Disability insurance is meant to provide income replacement when illness or injury prevents work. Insurers handling these claims must assess eligibility fairly and without improper pressure to deny benefits. Bad faith may take the form of unjustified claim denials, excessive requests for documentation, or abrupt termination of benefits. Both short- and long-term disability claims require careful scrutiny to ensure insurers don't exploit you during vulnerable times.

Differences in Claim Evaluation and Litigation

Short-term disability (STD) claims typically involve a limited period of disability—often a few months—where the insurer focuses on temporary inability to work due to illness or injury. The evaluation centers on medical proof of acute conditions and the claimant’s capacity to return to work soon. Litigation in STD cases often hinges on whether the condition genuinely prevents work for the specified timeframe and if the insurer acted reasonably in denying or delaying benefits.

Long-term disability (LTD) claims involve more complex, often chronic conditions with extended or permanent inability to work. The evaluation requires detailed medical records, functional capacity assessments, and sometimes vocational analysis. Litigation here is generally more involved; disputes may include interpreting policy language, assessing ongoing disability, and challenging insurer efforts to terminate benefits prematurely. LTD claims tend to demand more extensive evidence and expert testimony than STD claims.

Filing and Processing Timelines

Short-term disability claims usually have faster turnaround times—filing deadlines often fall within days to weeks after the disability begins, and claims are typically resolved within a few months. Because the disability is expected to be temporary, insurers aim to process these quickly, though delays or denials still occur.

Long-term disability claims have longer filing windows; initial claims may follow shortly after STD coverage ends, but ongoing claims require continuous documentation. Processing LTD claims can take months to over a year, especially if disputes arise over the claimant’s ability to return to any form of work. The extended nature of LTD benefits means that claimants and insurers engage in prolonged communication and, sometimes, litigation.

Homeowners Insurance Policies

Homeowners policies cover losses related to property damage, theft, and liability. Insurance companies must investigate claims accurately and offer fair settlements based on the terms of the policy. Bad faith practices include underpaying claims, refusing to cover damages without valid reasons, or delaying payments that cause additional harm to the insured. Disputes may arise over coverage interpretation, but insurers cannot use these disputes as a basis to avoid their contractual responsibilities.

Wrongful Death and Life Insurance Policies

Bad faith in wrongful death and life insurance claims often manifests as unjustified denials or delays in payment that impose additional emotional and financial burdens on grieving families. Insurers may demand excessive or irrelevant documentation from beneficiaries, prolonging the claims process without a legitimate basis. Such tactics can exacerbate the hardship already faced by policyholders and their loved ones.

Another common form of bad faith is disputing the validity of a claim without reasonable grounds, sometimes relying on technicalities or ambiguous policy language to avoid timely payment. Insurers may also prematurely deny claims or impose unreasonable deadlines that beneficiaries cannot meet. These actions undermine the purpose of life and wrongful death insurance—to provide financial security in times of loss.

Call for A Free Consultation with an experienced insurance bad faith attorney.

Just because an insurance company has denied your claim or has hit you with a canceled policy does not mean that you have no means of recourse. Contact our experienced insurance bad faith attorneys online or call for a free initial consultation to discuss your case.