Many car accident claims are rejected for minor reasons such as missing information. Resolving denied claims like these is usually fast and easy. Car accident claims that are rejected for more complicated reasons might be harder to dispute. This is especially true when the auto insurance company is wrongfully denying the claim with bad faith practices. Do not let this happen to you. Talk with a Kansas City auto accident attorney about your claim.
Reasons Accident Claims Are Rejected
There can be a variety of reasons a car accident claim is rejected. A claim might be rejected for missing one piece of information, evidence, or paperwork. This is why submitting as much car accident evidence and documentation is essential for speeding up the claims process.
Start by finding out why your claim was denied. Contact the auto insurance company to ask for the reason. If the reason is a simple missing document, all you have to do is submit the document. However, if the reason is something more complex, you may benefit from contacting a Kansas City car accident lawyer.
Bad Faith Insurance Practices
- A lawyer can help you solve complicated reasons for denied claims like contradictions with evidence, a lack of evidence, and wrongfully denied claims.
- Lawyers are wary of bad faith insurance practices that some auto insurance companies use to deny claims. What this would mean is that your claim was not denied because of you but because of the insurance company trying to save money. An attorney understands how to deal with this.
- You could be dealing with bad faith insurance if your claim was denied for insufficient reasons. The insurance agent may refuse to provide an explanation, may make excuses that do not hold up, and may cut communication. Other signs of bad faith insurance include delaying your claim for unreasonable long periods of time and refusing to negotiate. An attorney is able to help.
How to Dispute a Rejected Claim
You have options for your disputed car accident claim that range from negotiations to taking legal action. Start by consulting with a lawyer who can negotiate on your behalf with the insurance company. Working together could resolve the dispute through a compromise with the insurance company.
If negotiations fail, you or a lawyer can file a complaint. In some cases, this is all it takes to motivate the insurance company to offer a settlement. However, when this also fails, you may need to look at legal options. Going to trial is usually a last resort.
Many people start by hiring an independent appraiser, mediator, or arbitrator first. These are cheaper and faster options. Lastly, you have the option to file a lawsuit against the insurance company for bad faith practices. Be prepared to collect and provide evidence of bad faith insurance.