An Attorney Explains How to Best Support Your Insurance Claim

1. May 15, 2017 An Attorney Explains How to Best Support Your Insurance Claim Image 1: Hiring An Attorney is One Sensible Step Towards a Successful Claim 1

2. Everyone assumes that their insurance company will be there to help them financially after falling victim to a traumatic situation, such as burglary, medical emergency, or property damage. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, with claims of up to one in seven people being denied. When you’ve trusted that things will be taken care of in the event of a claim, and paid your premiums faithfully, this can be painful to hear. If your insurance company is making things difficult by delaying payment, offering unacceptable amounts, or refusing your claim altogether, there are a few things you can do to support your claim and bring about a positive resolution. Hire an Attorney It’s always a good idea to engage the services of an attorney right from the start of an insurance claim. Legal assistance helps guide you on the proper steps to take in filing your claim. Without prior experience settling a claim, you may not know how much financial compensation you may be entitled to. You risk settling for a figure that’s too low, or overestimating a figure and delaying a pay out. An attorney will help ensure you receive the amount you deserve. Gather Lots of Evidence Always look out for new evidence that can support your claim. If you’ve been burgled or your property has been damaged, you’ll need a police report as proof that the event happened. If you’ve been injured and have ongoing care needs, these will need to be documented in medical reports. Photographs, scans and documents can all help to prove the facts surrounding your claim and the severity of your situation. Check the Terms of Your Policy Carefully You can guarantee that your insurance company will be checking the fine print of your policy, so you should certainly do the same or, better yet, ask your attorney to do it for you. You may need to demonstrate that you’ve adhered to all the terms and conditions laid out in a policy to make your claim valid. Any phone calls you’ve made to your insurance company should have been recorded, so if anything has been said over the phone that you think can support you, this evidence can be requested. 2

3. Never Exaggerate When you know you have grounds for a claim, it can sometimes be tempting to embellish details to your story to ensure your case is successful. Unfortunately, this can be detrimental to your cause and could affect the outcome, so always be completely honest with your attorney and any other involved parties. Although it sometimes feels it, putting in an insurance claim shouldn’t be a stressful experience. By following these suggestions, you’ll be doing everything you can to support your claim and lead it to a positive outcome. About D & Z Law Group, LLP: There are some law firms that stand by their clients no matter what, and D & Z Law Group is one of them. We’re proud to say that our team, located in Los Angeles, is honest, trustworthy and experienced in all kinds of cases, including insurance, personal injury claims and wrongful death cases. Sources: Insurance Industry at a Glance, III.org Insurers Denied Health Coverage to 1 in 7 People, Citing Pre-Existing Conditions, ProPublica.org 3