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Washington State Personal Injury Lawyers Assisting Clients with Denied Nationwide Auto Insurance Claims
Insurance claims can be denied for many reasons, and it is important for injured parties to know that they have the right to appeal these decisions. In some cases, a denied claim is the result of a minor error in the claims process, and an experienced Washington denied Nationwide auto insurance claim lawyer can help you to be successful with your claim upon appeal.
In other situations, the insurance company may not have acted in good faith in denying your claim. Regardless of the reason that your claim was denied, a dedicated advocate at the Khan Injury Law PLLC can help.
Was My Nationwide Auto Insurance Claim Denied in Bad Faith?
If your Nationwide auto insurance claim has been denied, it is possible that the claim has been denied unlawfully. Auto insurance companies like Nationwide have a duty to investigate and to attempt to settle legitimate insurance claims in good faith. Actions intended to unfairly deny a claimant a reasonable settlement are unlawful and may constitute bad faith.
Examples of Unfair Claims Settlement Practices in Nationwide Cases
Under Washington State’s unfair claims settlement laws, the following are examples of unfair or deceptive practices by insurance companies concerning the settlement of claims:
- Misrepresenting important facts;
- Misrepresenting insurance policy provisions;
- Failing to acknowledge a claim arising under an insurance policy;
- Failing to act reasonably promptly on a claim under an insurance policy;
- Refusing to pay a person’s insurance claim, or denying a claim, without conducting a reasonable investigation;
- Failing to attempt, in good faith, to promptly, fairly, and equitably settle a claim in which liability is clear (including in situations where a person has filed a third-party insurance claim);
- Generally failing to promptly settle claims when liability has become clear;
- Generally failing to make a good faith effort to settle a claim;
- Lowballing a claimant in order to compel that claimant to submit to litigation, arbitration, or appraisal;
- Generally attempting to settle a claim for less than a reasonable person would expect under the circumstances (or, lowballing);
- Making a payment on a claim without clarifying the coverage information;
- Appealing arbitration awards in order to compel a claimant to accept a lower settlement;
- Delaying the investigation of claims;
- Failing to provide a prompt and reasonable explanation for a denied claim;
- Unfairly discrimination against claimants who are represented by public adjusters;
- Failing to honor drafts in the settlement of claims;
- Failing to use reasonable methods for processing and paying claims;
- Intentionally delaying appraisals; and
- Negotiating or settling a claim directly with a claimant when the insurance company knows the claimant is represented by an attorney.
In addition to rights under Washington State insurance laws, you also have rights under Washington’s consumer protection laws. A dedicated Nationwide claims denial lawyer can help to determine the best way to move forward with your case to give you the best chance of obtaining compensation for your losses.
