As an auto insurance policyholder in Denver, you have certain protections under Colorado law. If an insurance company denies or delays your claim without a reasonable argument, they are violating your rights. One example of this is when they try to delay your insurance rental. This is considered insurance bad faith.
You would think that as a paying customer to the insurance company, they would look out for your best interests, but that’s not always the case. Despite laws that mandate insurance companies to pay claims (ex. Covering rental car costs) promptly and reasonably, they still find loopholes.
In this article, we’ll go over:
- What is unreasonably insurance delay
- How long do they have to pay a claim?
- When an insurance company acts in bad faith
- How a Denver car accident lawyer will guide you to a fair outcome when this happens.
Table of Contents
ToggleUnderstanding Insurance Colorado Insurance Company Bad Faith
Bad faith insurance practice means the insurance company denies your claim without legitimate reason. As a policyholder, you have legal rights that protect you from such injustices. When an insurance company fails to meet its obligation, you may be eligible to seek additional damages.
Additional damages are more than the original amount they tried to pay you or get out of paying you. In other words, if the insurance company acts in bad faith, they might have to pay you more. The extra costs include attorney fees and other relevant expenses. If they really tried to screw you over, they might even owe you punitive damages.
Bad Faith Insurance Laws in Colorado
Colorado’s legislation on bad faith insurance is outlined in:
“Colorado Revised Statutes Title 10. Insurance § 10-3-1115”
and
These laws prohibit insurance companies from unreasonably delaying or denying payment under a valid policy. Victims of bad faith insurance practices have the right to recover attorney fees and twice the amount of the recovered benefit. The purpose of these laws is to address the unfair practice of insurance companies and protect policyholders.
How Are Expenses Taken Care of in a Denver Bad Faith Insurance Case?
Most personal injury attorneys handle fees based on a “contingency agreement”. Which means you only pay if we win.
Determining Whether Bad Faith Has Occurred Regarding Rental Car in Denver
Determining Whether Bad Faith Occurred The court examines the claim from the perspective of the insured at the time to determine whether bad faith occurred. The safety net provider can’t accumulate proof later to safeguard their activities. Essentially, the protected can’t offer extra proof to demonstrate sometime later that the insurance agency ought to have paid at first. As a result, the insured must immediately seek legal assistance for assistance with filing reports and requesting payment from the insurance company.
How to Get Your Rental Car Paid for After a Denver Car Accident
While the at-fault driver is liable for your rental vehicle costs, it can require investment to have your case supported by their insurance agency. How are you going to get around until your claim is approved? Imagine a scenario where they deny your case.
You still require a vehicle, but fortunately you have several choices:
In the event that the at-fault driver’s insurance agency acknowledges your claim, they’ll make plans with a rental vehicle organization to get you a vehicle. Ensure that what they give you is equivalent to your harmed or added up to vehicle. Insurance companies are known for trying to take advantage of accident victims by getting them to rent the cheapest car they can find. You are qualified for get a rental vehicle that is identical to or like your harmed or added up to vehicle.
At any rate, rental vehicle insurance isn’t needed in Colorado, yet a few drivers convey it on their protection contract. Check with your insurance agency or talk with a fender bender legal counselor to check whether you’re covered under rental vehicle repayment. In the event that you are, your strategy ought to cover the cost of a rental.
After that, it will be up to your insurance company to get the driver who was at fault compensated. Also, make sure you have uninsured motorist insurance. On the off chance that the to blame driver has no insurance by any stretch of the imagination and you have uninsured driver protection remembered for your contract, you can record a case with your own insurance agency.
Things can get complicated if the at-fault driver’s insurance company has not accepted your claim and you do not have rental car coverage or uninsured driver insurance on your policy. You’ll have to choose if you can pay for the expense of a rental using cash on hand and expect to get repaid by the to blame driver’s insurance agency sometime in the future.
However, insurance companies frequently postpone or deny your claim. This is the reason countless individuals in Denver and all through Colorado decide to enlist an accomplished auto crash legal counselor from Gary Martin Feeds and Partners. Our lawyers can settle your case rapidly so you can get a rental vehicle while your vehicle is in the mechanics shop.
Denver Bad Insurance Bad Faith Attorneys
If you have been injured and the insurance company has delayed or denied your claim, please get in touch with us today.
We are happy to offer you a free initial consultation.