When you’re in an accident, the bills can start piling up fast. Naturally, you want to get your settlement as soon as possible so you can focus on fully recovering. While two to three-week delays aren’t out of the ordinary, they can put an enormous strain on you and your family. How can you guarantee that your insurance company is paying attention to your case?
If your insurance company is making you wait weeks or even months for a settlement, you can use the help of an experienced personal injury attorney. Even if they’re not deliberately delaying your settlement, your case may be caught up in bureaucratic red tape or stalled due to an administrative error. In rare cases, they may be delaying your settlement in bad faith.
Here are the most common reasons for a settlement delay.
Your Claim is Caught in Bureaucratic Limbo
If your insurance company is a large, nationwide corporation, there’s a good chance that your claim is hovering somewhere in bureaucratic limbo. As you may know, the goal of an insurance company is to pay as little as possible. This means that multiple parties and adjusters will review your claim. They’ll look for reasons to reduce your settlement. Eventually, your claim will be sent to another department for a final review and payout. If anything goes wrong in the process, it can create unreasonable delays.
Someone Made an Administrative Error
Maybe your adjuster went on vacation right after you filed your claim. Perhaps you or someone else made an error when filling out forms. Your settlement documents could be lost in the mail. All of these administrative errors can lead to a delayed settlement.
Keep in mind that if you filed a claim during a major natural disaster, like a hurricane or wildfires, your insurance company may be overloaded with claims. It’s important that you or your attorney keep following up with them for a settlement.
The Insurance Company is Acting in Bad Faith
Finally, it’s possible your insurance company is simply acting in bad faith. If there’s evidence of intentional delays, fraud or other deliberate wrongdoing, you and your attorney may be able to file a claim against the company. This is a fairly high bar to clear, so be sure to talk to your lawyer about your suspicions.
Ultimately, when your insurance company fails to pay on time, an attorney can help move the process along.
Dealing with Difficult Insurance Companies? Call Me Today
When your insurance company unreasonably delays your settlement, I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call me today at 877.944.4373 for a consultation. I’ll fight to make sure your medical bills, lost wages and other expenses are covered—and you get your payout fast.
