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Frequently Asked Questions about Insurance Law
Q: How do I file a claim with my insurance company?
A: The first thing to do is to read your written contract with your insurance company. If you do not have a paper copy, contact your insurance company and request a current copy. The process for filing a claim should be included in the terms of your insurance contract. If you have any questions, check your insurance company's website, contact your local insurance company representative, or call your insurance company's customer service number. Overall, read and become familiar with your policy. As an insured, you are responsible for reading the fine print and understanding the terms of your insurance policy.
Q: What is uninsured motorist coverage?
A: Uninsured motorist coverage provides benefits to an insured individual for any personal injuries suffered in an accident where the party at fault does not have insurance. These benefits are only paid to an insured individual if he or she is legally entitled to recover or the driver at fault is unknown, as in a hit-and-run accident. This type of insurance is typically required by state statute.
If you are planning on filing a claim with your insurance company make sure you are aware and familiar with the requirements of your insurance company and read the terms of your insurance contract. Failure to understand and comply with filing guidelines can result in an otherwise valid claim being denied. If you are facing a denied claim or believe you have followed your insurance company's claim filing guidelines and have not been compensated, contact an insurance law attorney today to discuss your case.
At Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway, our attorneys advise insurance companies, insurance professionals, claims administrators, and policyholders on complex questions of coverage, defense, and indemnification. Contact us in Shreveport for dependable advice about the extent of your rights and obligations under any insurance commitment.
Insurance Law - An Overview
Most people have at least some type of insurance, such as auto, health, life, home, disability, fire/casualty, renters, title, marine or long-term care insurance. Businesses and professionals often also take out insurance policies, including small business, liability and workers' compensation insurance. Insurance law primarily involves issues arising out of a contract between the insurance company and the insured party. Generally, an insurance contract distributes some type of risk among a substantial number of members through an insurer, typically an insurance company. If you are facing insurance law issues or have questions about an insurance policy claim or related coverage matters, contact our firm to schedule a consultation with an attorney.
Filing Claims with Your Insurance Company
Typically, an insurance policy includes specific requirements that insured individuals must follow to receive any proceeds from their insurance policies. Many people never read their insurance policies, only to be surprised later to find out they did not follow the required procedure to file a valid claim or that their coverage was not as comprehensive as they thought.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage was created to address the problem of drivers with inadequate motor vehicle liability insurance and the subsequent concern of an individual to receive full compensation for a personal injury received in a car accident. Uninsured and underinsured coverage protect insured parties when they are injured by other drivers who do not have insurance or whose insurance is insufficient to cover the cost of the injuries.
Defense of Claims
An insurance company must defend an insured party any time an action is filed against the insured individual where the allegations of a third party would result in a claim; however, an insurance company is only obligated to pay out proceeds to the insured party if there is a legal obligation to pay.
Coverage and Bad Faith Insurance Claims
A bad faith insurance claim may arise when an insurer has wrongfully failed to pay the claim of an insured. In a bad faith claim, often the insurance company believes the claim is not covered under the insurance policy and denies the claim. Many situations can result in a bad faith insurance claim, including a delayed claim investigation, insufficient claim investigation, unreasonable delay of payment and unreasonable denial of claim benefits.
Insurance Law Resource Links
Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute - Insurance Law
This website is maintained by Cornell Law School and provides legal information about a wide variety of legal topics, including insurance law.
State Insurance Information
Use this resource to easily find insurance department contact information for your state.
Insurance Statutes by State
Use this resource to easily find your state's insurance laws.
Fourteenth Amendment of the US Constitution (Insurance Regulation)
Use this resource to learn more about federal regulation and control of those engaged in the insurance business as well as the business itself.
Glossary of Insurance and Risk Management Terms
This glossary was developed to help those within and outside the insurance industry to communicate effectively.
