Fort Lauderdale Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer

Has your insurance claim been mishandled after a recent accident in Fort Lauderdale, Florida? Whether your claim was denied, you were offered a lowball settlement, or you were asked to jump through a million hoops to get a settlement, call Hollander Law Firm for help at (954) 287-0566. 

You may be the victim of unfair insurance practices, and our Fort Lauderdale bad-faith insurance lawyers can help you demand accountability and fight to get you the compensation you deserve.

Since 1996, Hollander Law Firm has earned a reputation for being a fearless and tenacious advocate for insurance claimants in Fort Lauderdale and across South Florida. Founding attorney Gregg Hollander is an award-winning litigator with over 30 years of experience and a proven ability to help his clients win tough cases.

We’ve won tens of millions in compensation for our clients. Let us help you stand up to the insurance company and demand the top results you deserve, too. Call our law office in Fort Lauderdale, FL to set up a free case evaluation now.

How Hollander Law Firm Can Help You Fight Back Against Bad Faith Insurance Tactics in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Insurance companies have a legal obligation to consider claims for benefits in good faith. However, that doesn’t mean they won’t try to manipulate the system and limit payouts. It’s important to take action if you think your rights as an insurance claimant in Fort Lauderdale have been violated. 

Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer Gregg Hollander has spent decades fighting insurance companies throughout South Florida. He knows their playbooks and tactics well. He also understands the best ways to approach bad faith practices, force meaningful conversations, and yield positive results for his clients.

Leave the headache of fighting back against bad faith practices to Hollander Law Firm.

Count on us to:

• Carefully investigate the circumstances of your underlying insurance claim
• Analyze how the insurance company handled your claim
• Identify potential bad faith actions and violations of the terms of the underlying insurance policy
• Represent you during conversations with the insurance agency
• Aggressively work to secure the benefits to which you’re entitled under the policy and fight to secure additional compensation for your troubles, as well
• File a lawsuit and bring your bad faith action to trial in Broward County, FL, if necessary

The insurance company hasn’t paid you what you deserve. Hiring a lawyer can seem intimidating or, worse, impossible. That’s why Hollander Law Firm works on contingency. You pay absolutely nothing to hire our law firm unless we win your bad faith insurance case.

Contact our Fort Lauderdale law office to arrange a time for your free consultation now.

What is Bad Faith?

An insurance policy is a legal and binding contract between two parties – the insurance company and the policyholder. In exchange for premiums, the insurance company assumes a duty to consider all claims in good faith and to pay up when appropriate.

Good faith simply means that the insurance company has to review claims promptly, honestly, and with the intent to uphold their side of the bargain.

Efforts to intentionally mishandle insurance claims or deprive claimants of their rights under the policy are considered bad faith. Bad faith insurance practices are explicitly prohibited under Florida state law.

You may have the right to bring a bad faith insurance claim if the insurance company:

• Did not attempt to settle a claim in good faith when, under all circumstances, they could and should have done so
• Did not act fairly or honestly toward you with regard to your interests
• Made claims payments without an accompanying statement explaining the coverage under which the payments were made
• Failed to promptly settle a claim when their obligation to do so became reasonably clear
• Materially misrepresented terms of the policy

There are two types of bad faith claims: first-party and third-party.

• First-party bad faith actions involve claims between a policyholder and their insurance company. For example, you might have a first-party claim if your car insurance company refused to pay PIP benefits to you after a recent car accident in Fort Lauderdale.
• Third-party bad faith actions involve claims between a claimant and another person’s insurance company. For example, you might have a third-party claim if your claim for benefits was denied by a business’s insurance company after a slip and fall on their premises.

How can you know if your insurance company acted within the law or handled your claim in bad faith? These can be incredibly gray areas. It’s important to enlist the help of an experienced and respected personal injury attorney in Fort Lauderdale to get the answers you need. Call Hollander Law Firm and benefit from our experience handling complex bad faith litigation.

Decades of Experience Handling All Types of Bad Faith Insurance Claims

Anytime you have to deal with an insurance company after an accident, there’s a chance that they’ll engage in deceitful and manipulative tactics to limit your payout. If these tactics violate Florida law and abuse your rights under the insurance policy, Hollander Law Firm can help you take action and demand accountability.

Our bad faith insurance attorneys in Fort Lauderdale have experience handling cases involving:

• Car insurance claims
• Homeowners insurance claims
• Health insurance claims
• Commercial insurance claims
• Boating insurance claims
• Malpractice insurance claims

If you’ve been in an accident, call a Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorney to make sure that your rights are protected. 

What Are Common Examples of Bad Faith Insurance Practices?

Bad faith practices can be obvious or discreet.

Here are some common examples of bad faith insurance tactics:

• Failing to acknowledge an insurance claim within 14 days of receipt
• Failing to conduct a prompt investigation into a claim 
• Misrepresenting facts of a case or terms of a policy
• Requiring the claimant to provide unnecessary paperwork or documentation
• Failing to request additional documentation from the claimant in a timely manner
• Delaying the claims process without a reasonable justification
• Offering a settlement for less than the insurance claim is actually worth
• Denying a claim for benefits without a reasonable justification (or any justification at all)
• Failing to execute payment on a claim once it’s approved

Ultimately, an insurance company can be considered to have acted in bad faith if they intentionally try to mislead a claimant, avoid proper payment on a claim, or unreasonably extend the claims process without justification.

Can an Insurance Company Ever Deny a Claim in Good Faith?

Yes. There are times when an insurance company may have the right to deny a claim, extend the claims process, or engage in activities that complicate matters.

For example, an insurance company can deny or delay payment if:

• The policy’s premiums haven’t been paid, rendering the policy inactive
• The claimant is not covered under the insurance policy
• There is a genuine issue of fact or dispute over liability
• The damage is not covered under the policy

The insurance company still assumes a responsibility to handle these matters promptly and with the intent to fulfill the terms of the policy. However, not all denials will mean that the insurer acted in bad faith.

What Types of Damages Can I Get in a Fort Lauderdale Bad Faith Claim?

When you file a bad faith lawsuit in Florida, you can potentially recover compensation for:

• The initial value of your insurance claim
• Court costs and attorney’s fees
• Emotional distress caused by the insurance company’s unlawful actions
• Punitive damages

In Florida, punitive damages can be awarded when a jury determines that the insurance company’s actions were malicious and wilful or reckless. Generally, there has to be a finding that the insurer has a pattern of abusing claimant rights and engaging in bad faith conduct.

How Long Do I Have to File a Bad Faith Lawsuit in Florida?

In Florida, insurance companies have 60 days to “cure” a problem before you can file a bad faith insurance lawsuit.

If the insurer fails to cure the problem and address the bad faith actions, you will have the opportunity to file a lawsuit for damages. Florida law has a five-year statute of limitations that applies to bad faith actions. This gives you five years from the date of the causal action (bad faith conduct) to pursue compensation through the courts.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Respected Fort Lauderdale Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer

Don’t let insurance companies push you around or mistreat you during the claims process. You have rights as a claimant, and the insurance company has a legal obligation to consider your claim in good faith.

If you’ve been lowballed, given the runaround, or had a claim denied for no reason, call our Fort Lauderdale bad faith insurance attorneys for help.

We’ll put 30+ years of experience to work to get you the outcome you deserve.

Your first consultation is free, so contact our law office in Fort Lauderdale, FL to schedule yours now.

Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office In Fort Lauderdale, FL

Hollander Law Firm
1975 E Sunrise Blvd Suite# 702
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
Phone: (954) 287-0566
Hours: Open 24 hours daily

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