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Our law firm with offices in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, tailors our legal practice to protect insurance consumers and policyholders from the bad faith tactics of insurance companies throughout the state of Arizona.

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from our blog


February 10, 2021

Seatback Failures

Front occupant seatbacks play a vital safety role in rear-end crashes, similar to the purpose of airbags and seatbelts in frontal impacts. In a rear impact, a front seat should be designed to absorb energy and contain the occupant in the front seating space. Weak, defective front seats can fail, collapse and cause front occupants […]

 

Desert Scenery
 

Arizona Car Insurance Lawsuit Attorney

The types of Car Insurance Available in Arizona and how Insurance Companies deny Claims

Many people don’t know exactly what coverage they have in Arizona. Most people do not read the fine print in their auto insurance policy until they are involved in an accident. And even when the fine print is consulted, it is written in dense and formal language that only a lawyer can decipher. Many times people who have suffered through an accident turn to their insurance company to face only frustration and denial. Even in ideal circumstances, the car accident insurance claim process in Arizona can be lengthy and complex. In addition, many auto insurance companies deny or unreasonably delay claims. You can fight back if this is happening to you.

Call 480-874-2918 to speak with Scottsdale Attorney Shane L. Harward. He is the ally you need to get the compensation you deserve. You may have issues related to:

  • Collision claim denial
  • Your insurance company’s failure to defend you against a liability lawsuit
  • Healthcare coverage and medical costs related to a car crash
  • Med Pay insurance coverage
  • Uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance
  • Gap insurance coverage denial

The most common types of insurance plans that lead to insurance bad faith lawsuits include the following:

Comprehensive Automobile Insurance Coverage may not be Comprehensive at all

This may be one of the most expensive types of insurance but it is also one in which insurance companies often demonstrate bad faith. The insurance is supposed to cover against any and all types of damage and typically assures fair market value if the vehicle must be replaced. This type of insurance includes the legally necessary liability insurance plus many other attractive features. However, many policy holders are shocked when their claims are denied or unfairly delayed. They believe that that have been paying a premium for excellent service. Instead, many people get countless bureaucratic hoops to jump through and “gatekeepers” to challenge their claims.

Don’t settle for a denial or a low ball settlement if you have comprehensive automobile coverage. Call 480-874-2918 to speak with Scottsdale Lawyer Shane L. Harward.

Arizona Liability Automobile Insurance

This is the bare minimum that every driver must have in order to be in accordance with Arizona state law. This provides coverage for bodily injury and should pay the medical expenses for the people involved in an automobile accident. Property damage to another person’s vehicle or private or public property should be covered by liability insurance. While you may select how much liability insurance you are willing to pay, the state of Arizona requires at least $15,000 bodily injury limits and $10,000 property damage limits. However, even in cases involving much smaller dollar amounts, many insurance companies will unfairly deny or delay claims. When the damages, injuries and medical bills become extremely expensive, the companies are even more likely to avoid paying claims.

Gap Car Insurance is Supposed to Cover What you Owe on a Car that is Totaled or Stolen

If your car is totaled or stolen but the insurance company determines that your vehicle was worth less than what you owe on it, Gap coverage should give you the difference if you have it as a part of your insurance policy. This should allow you to stop making payments on a car that is no longer in your possession or is inoperable. An insurance company, however, may show bad faith if they do not honor this part of your coverage. They may find excuses not to pay on your claim for Gap coverage in Arizona.

Cars depreciate in value almost as soon as they are purchased. Many Arizona drivers in Maricopa County, throughout Phoenix and across the state believe that they are making a wise and responsible decision when they include Gap insurance coverage in their plan. In theory, this insurance is a good decision. In practice, unfortunately, too many motorists find out the their insurance company is not on their side, does not treat them like a good neighbor, and does not treat them as if they are in good hands. When you need your insurance the most, the insurer may treat you like a stranger. In such cases, there may be a breach of contract and your insurance company might force you to file a lawsuit against it for breaching its duty of good faith and fair dealing, i.e., for your insurance company handling the insurance claim in bad faith.

To sue an auto insurance company, call Scottsdale Attorney Shane L. Harward: 480-874-2918

Uninsured Motorist Insurance Claims Denial or Delay

The purpose of such insurance is to guarantee that if you are injured in car accident with an uninsured motorist, you will be granted the same level of care as if that motorist had full coverage.  In Arizona, your insurance company is required to give you the opportunity to purchase uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage limits equivalent to your liability coverage limits.

Many times, however, the insurance company delays the investigation of the claim or looks for excuses to deny the insurance claim partially or completely. Even though you have paid your Arizona insurance premiums, you are treated poorly by your insurance company. This may be a demonstration of insurance bad faith.

Underinsured Motorist Insurance Bad Faith Happens too Often in Arizona

Many drivers purchase the most economical insurance coverage so that they can adhere to the Arizona law that requires auto insurance. Unfortunately, many of these inexpensive policies do not cover the types of damages and injuries that can occur in a car accident. More troubling, however, is that you may have purchased a type of insurance that was supposed to prepare you for just this circumstance – You are involved in car, truck, motorcycle or other vehicle accident with someone who has inadequate insurance. You thought you were protecting yourself by having insurance, but now your insurance company won’t pay your claim. You may be the victim of insurance bad faith.  The insurance company may have sold you, or the other party involved in the crash, a policy that was supposed to adhere to or exceed state law. After the accident, however, you may find that the insurance company was dishonest or deceptive when they sold the initial policy.

In such cases, you need Scottsdale Insurance Bad Faith Attorney Shane L. Harward on your side. Contact us online or call 480-874-2918 to discuss your situation with one of Arizona’s leading attorneys.

Arizona Med Pay Insurance

Med Pay is a car insurance option that is supposed to cover medical expenses that are accident related, even if you are deemed to be at fault. Also called personal injury protection or “PIP” this type of coverage provides peace of mind to many drivers throughout Arizona. However, in many cases, Med Pay claims are denied because of vague claims by the insurance company that the medical treatment received was “unreasonable” or “unnecessary.” Many of these denials are inconsistent with the insurance consumer’s expectation of coverage, inconsistent with the actual terms of the insurance policy, and made in bad faith in violation of Arizona law.  Even more disconcerting, some of these insurance companies are basically accusing their own insureds of engaging in insurance fraud without any reasonable basis to do so.

Arizona Collision Coverage Insurance Bad Faith

This insurance is supposed to provide the value of a damaged vehicle no matter who is at fault. This is a type of coverage that is not required by law but it is a coverage that many people opt for especially if their vehicle is paid for or is a rare automobile. While it sounds like an excellent type of insurance to have, many times insurance companies will not show good faith when a claim is submitted. Low ball offers, denied claims, or an unreasonably delayed claims process are all too common. If you are facing such a circumstance and are being mistreated by your insurance company, call the Scottsdale Law Offices of Shane L. Harward at 480-874-2918.

You may think that you have full coverage. Your Arizona car insurance agent or company may have been so eager to sign you up for insurance that they did not explain your policy clearly. They may have even misrepresented the coverage you purchased or engaged in agent malpractice. If you purchased your insurance from an on-line insurance company, you may be especially at risk.

Don’t wait to contact Shane L. Harward to discuss your automobile insurance bad faith experience. You may be entitled to compensation that helps you move on with your life.

  • 10.0Shane L Harward