When policyholders pay their insurance premiums, they expect that their insurance companies will act in their best interest. This is not always the case. Pennsylvania and most states recognize that insurance companies, like all contracting parties, must honor their contractual obligations in good faith. The law requires that insurance companies act fairly and honestly towards their insured and settle claims when they can and should do so.
Insurance companies often:
When an insurance company is presented with a claim and refuses to cover the claim, the policyholder is forced to defend itself without the assistance of its insurance company. Often times, this failure of the insurance company to cover a claim results in a settlement or judgment against the policyholder for an amount above and beyond what the policy limits of the applicable insurance policy would have covered.
Russo Law Firm, LLC is dedicated to providing our clients with the highest level of representation regarding bad faith in both first and third party insurance claims.
First-Party Bad Faith Claims
A first-party bad faith claim occurs when an individual or business has made a direct claim to an insurance company and a settlement has been refused/denied, delayed, or only partially paid.
Third-Party Bad Faith Claims
A third-party bad faith claim occurs when a policyholder has been sued and the policyholder’s insurance company does not act reasonably to settle the claim or has failed to defend the policyholder. When an insurance company fails to settle on behalf of or defend its insured, the insured can be exposed to a large personal judgment.
The Russo Law Firm, LLC, will work with policyholders to aggressively pursue all potential claims for bad faith against their insurance companies when these situations arise. There are often substantial financial advantages for insurance companies to deny or delay claims. If you believe you are a victim of an insurance coverage disputes or insurance bad faith, contact the Russo Law Firm, LLC, at 267-251-4040.