What Can I Do If My Insurance Company Denied My Claim?

When you have been hurt in an accident and are now facing new and expensive bills, you need your insurance to step up and do its job. You need the insurance policies that you have dutifully paid for over the years to pay out. Whether it is the physical property damage to your car or for your many medical expenses, you expect your insurance policy to help you financially recover from the accident. But even though you have insurance and have paid the premiums, it does not automatically mean your accident is covered. You must file a claim with your insurer and wait to hear if it is approved or denied. If it is denied, you have to consider the next steps. You still need to recover, which means you have to move on to Plan B – appealing the decision. If you have had your insurance claim denied, call the experienced Chicago personal injury attorneys of Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. at (312) 600-3727.

What to do if your insurance claim is denied:

• Hire an attorney. If you have been navigating the insurance claims process by yourself so far, it is time to hire an experienced personal injury attorney like those of Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. A denial means you have weeks or months to of negotiations to go before you might receive a reasonable settlement offer. Your insurance company will work to uphold its denial. You need a lawyer experienced in this situations to help you overcome this setback.
• Learn why. An insurance company will usually inform you of why your claim was denied. But if there is any confusion or doubt as to the reason behind the denial, ask the insurer to provide the denial reasons in writing. You cannot properly fight the denial if you do not understand its basis.
• Review your policy. There are many valid reasons for an insurance company to deny a claim. It is important to review your policy to make sure the insurance company’s reason was valid or possibly an act of bad faith.
• Make a formal appeal. You and your attorney have the right to formally appeal the insurer’s decision. By law, the denial letter should contain information on how to specifically go about this, which is usually a formal letter asking for internal reconsideration. Your appeal should include documentation and evidence supporting your claim. It is important to follow the insurance company’s process, otherwise, your appeal may not get anywhere or take longer than it should be reviewed.
• Appeal with the Illinois Insurance Commissioner. If you believe your insurance company has broken the law in relation to your claim, you can file a complaint with the Illinois Department of Insurance. This is a confidential process.
• File suit against the insurance company for bad faith. If the insurance company refuses to approve your claim and uphold the policy, you may have the right to take the insurer to court based on unfair or deceptive trade practices. An insurer acting in bad faith when denying your claim may be breaking the law. If you win this type of case, you will receive your settlement as well as additional damages from the insurer.

Call Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. Today

Having your insurance claim denied can be a nightmare, but an experienced attorney will know what to do. By working with a Chicago personal injury attorney from Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C., you gain an advocate who will aggressively fight for your right to recover under your insurance policy.

Contact us today at for a free consultation.