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Bad Faith Insurance Tactics & Examples

Posted on April 18, 2022 in

Insurance companies have a duty to investigate and settle claims in good faith. Unfortunately, not all carriers uphold this responsibility. If an insurer acts in bad faith, it may be liable for any damages that result from its actions.

It is difficult enough to file an insurance claim, but identifying bad faith tactics can be even more challenging. The following tactics are some of the most common examples of the ways that insurance companies act in bad faith. bad faith insurance tactic examples

#1: Denying a Claim without Valid Reason

When an insurance company finishes investigating a claim, it must issue a decision. If it chooses to deny the claim, the company must provide a reason. Usually, claims are denied due to insufficient evidence or lack of coverage.

However, if a company denies a claim without providing a reason, it is acting in bad faith. The insurer also acts in bad faith if it denies a claim for an invalid reason. For example, a company may state that an accident is not covered under the policy, despite the terms stating otherwise.

#2: Failing to Conduct a Thorough Investigation

Insurance companies must conduct a complete investigation into any claim that they receive. If a company fails to review all pieces of relevant evidence and thoroughly investigate the claim, it may be liable for bad faith tactics.

For example, say that you are filing an accident claim in Portland for injuries that you sustained in a collision.

The insurance adjuster rules that your injuries were pre-existing without reviewing your medical records and denies your claim. This is an example of bad faith tactics.

#3: Refusing to Pay a Valid Claim

Insurance companies must pay claims that are valid under the terms of the policyholder’s coverage. If a company denies a valid claim or refuses to pay out your settlement, you could hold the carrier accountable in a lawsuit.

#4: Unreasonably Delaying a Claim

Insurance companies have a duty to investigate, negotiate, and settle a claim in a prompt manner.

Oregon law requires insurance carriers to acknowledge a claim and provide all required forms within 30 days after receipt. Additionally, the insurer must complete the investigation of the claim within 45 days.

Then, the company will need to provide a decision to the claimant within 45 days of receiving the required forms. If the company needs additional time to investigate the claim, it has a duty to notify the claimant about the delay.

In situations where a company fails to abide by these rules and delays a claim for an unreasonable amount of time, it may be liable for bad faith tactics.

#5: Engaging in Deceptive Practices

Some insurance companies engage in deceptive practices that are designed to prevent claimants from recovering compensation. For example, the company may fail to disclose that you hold a certain coverage so that it can avoid paying you.

It may fail to provide you with the required forms before a deadline. Any act of deception is an act of bad faith.

Contact a Portland Bad Faith Insurance Attorney

If you believe that you have experienced bad faith tactics, you have the right to hold the insurance company accountable. In these situations, you need a Portland insurance claim attorney on your side who can represent your lawsuit and fight for your right to compensation. As soon as you suspect that your insurance company is acting in bad faith, consult with a lawyer to discuss your legal options.

Tillmann Law Personal Injury Lawyers
101 SW Main St. #1905
Portland, OR, 97204
(503) 272-8986

 

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I had the pleasure of working with Aaron and his team over the course of the last year. They were very professional and responsive. Dealing with injuries can be dreadful, but Aaron made it as painless as possible. I highly recommend.
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Arisbet Bustos
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I am very grateful and pleased with the services of Lawyer Aaron and his team work, especially Julia, who was always attentive to my concerns and resolved my doubts with a good attitude and empathy, and best of all, she speaks Spanish. Thank you so much!!!
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I was involved in a serious auto accident. Not that there is a good time to be in any accident, it just happened to be 2020. Tillman Law and support staff kept me in the loop as the court system was disarray with all the Covid issues. The staff was very professional and courteous. In a nutshell, they took care of me.
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My husband was in a bad car accident a few years back, and he was stopped due to traffic. He was behind a fuel truck, and someone rear-ended him, going 60mph. The worst part was our 6 mo old was in our and the truck was totaled beyond repair and my husbands back injured severly he ended up with 2 broken vertebrae. Our child had ptsd any time getting into a vehicle after that. Tillman made this right even though we couldn't do much for our son other comfort him and make car rides more comfortable from there on out Tillman was able to get my husband the money he deserved after the other driver was extremely negligent and either not paying attention or on his phone or something unfortunately this was during covid and when the police came they didnt do a single thing to check for any of that. We can't say enough good things about Aaron Tillman he gave us our hope back and the ability to have back surgery to repair a lot of his back issues due to the car wreck. So if you have been in an accident definitely call Tillman Law they're amazing super professional, kind and empathetic beings who will work for the best possible outcome for your case and fight they won't just roll over and play dead they spent about 2.5 years on my husbands case never giving up. He was always super honest with my husband and always communicated everything. So again, thank you, Aaron Tillman, and thank you to your law firm for working so tirelessly. We appreciate it more than you know.
Cassie Kocker
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Aaron is great. He is professional and personable which makes you feel cared about during the process. He will provide advice and resources so that the process is smooth and renders positive results. I highly recommend!
Michael Darling (Mike Rich)
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Still working with them to this day! Great firm great people. Much recommend
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I can’t recommend Tillman Law enough. We were in a sticky situation from a car accident in December and my partner was out of work for over a month. Aaron told us we may not be able to get those lost wages, but he would definitely try to fight the insurance for them and even then we might not see the money for a long time. It’s only been 3 1/2 months since the accident and we just got our lost funds today. Tillman Law was quick, efficient, and made this entire situation much less painful. I appreciate everything they’ve done for us.
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Really pleased with my experience at Tillmann Law. Mr. Tillmann and his team were on top of my case, worked hard to answer any questions I had and finished my case in a timely manner. I was really happy with the outcome . Thank you!
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Mr. Tillman took care of my care seamlessly! He immediately hopped on my case immediately and guided me through the entire process. His team is professional, organized and well-resourced! He even went back to ensure the settlement was beyond fair. If you want someone who will fight tooth and nail on your behalf- Mr. Tillman is your lawyer!
Robert Aley
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I am so happy to promote Aaron and his team. They did such an amazing job handling my case. Call them if you need service. I called him when I first needed help with my accident and he called me back within five minutes. This team is so great! I am so happy to have worked with them.
Teresa Ochoa
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Mr. Tillmann and his paralegal Jason were fantastic to work with! They were always available to answer my questions in a timely manner and delivered a very good outcome after I was rear ended. I would recommend their services to anyone.
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Amazing team at the Tillman Law, LLC . His work speaks for it self. Thank you for being professional and above all understanding to different people. God bless everyone that works there .
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Aaron and his staff, especially Jason, were all extremely courteous, timely, and professional. Highly recommend, truly appreciate your hard work!
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Danielle Martin
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The Tillman Law Firm is amazing! I have been very pleased with everyone that I came in contact with concerning my case. They filed the case against the insurance company and fought hard in litigation to get what rightfully was taken from me. I would highly recommend them, they are the best in the Portland metro area!
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