Insurance Bad Faith
Utah Attorney serving Salt Lake City and surrounding counties
Insurance is a form of protection for homes, vehicles, boats, consumer appliances, computers, and equipment or in the event of accidents or illnesses. We all buy insurance to give us peace of mind and hope we never need it.
After paying premiums, often for many years, individuals, families, and businesses are often shocked to find their insurance company denying payment for coverage they were sold and believed protected them.
When you buy insurance, you enter into a contract. You agree to pay set premiums on time and the insurance company agrees to provide coverage for specified events or occurrences and fairly administer claims. The law requires you and the insurance company to act in good faith. When an insurance company wrongfully denies a legitimate claim, it is in breach of contract and is said to have acted in “bad faith.”
Insurance companies have designed the system and exert enormous control from lobbying efforts to control regulations for their benefit, to influencing state insurance commissioners, the process of insurance sales, adjustment and claims process. Their aim is to protect their bottom line and increase corporate profits. Insurance companies may reward adjusters to minimize claims and have strong legal defense departments to help them to prevent you from recovering damage.
At the Salt Lake City Law Offices of Steven B. Smith, our legal services include assisting clients throughout Utah with insurance coverage issues and bad faith claims. Typical examples of insurance tactics that represent acts of bad faith include arising from failure to investigate claims, failure to offer settlement within a reasonable amount of time, delaying claims, alteration of a policy without the insured's knowledge, outright denial of a claim, refusal to reimburse for a loss in its entirety.
When you have a disagreement with your insurance company and suspect you are a victim of bad faith, an experienced attorney is invaluable to protect your interests. Insurance companies have powerful legal teams to defend them and for the same reason, you need a strong advocate in your corner, fighting for your rights.
Attorney Steven Smith has extensive experience acquired from 18 years as a trial attorney, negotiator, arbitrator and mediator. Known as a problem solver, you can count on his expertise to get positive results. Call (801) 534-4443 to arrange a consultation to explore how an attorney/client relationship with our firm can help you resolve your insurance coverage problem.
