What To Do When The Insurance Company Stops Responding
If it’s taking a long time for your insurance claim adjuster to respond to your insurance claim questions, chances are you claim is on the way to a denial. Texas law provides deadlines for when your insurance company must accept or deny your claim. If you haven’t received a written estimate or a denial letter you could be trapped in insurance claim purgatory where claims go to die.
There are a few options to consider:
Hire a property damage insurance attorney. A skilled insurance attorney can take over management of your property damage claim and get the claim rolling again. If the insurance adjuster fails to timely investigate and settle your claim, you can be entitled to money damages. It’s important to call a licensed property insurance claim attorney to can file suit if you are experiencing undue delay in resolving or taking action on your claim.
Invoke the appraisal clause. The squeaky wheel gets the oil. The same is true for property owners that complain about mishandled property damage claims. The insured and the carrier both have the right to invoke the appraisal clause when coverage has been confirmed but the amount of the settlement / cost of repair is in dispute. Invoking the appraisal clause gets your claim moving by bypassing the court system and letting an umpire resolve the estimate dispute.
Hire a Public Adjuster. A licensed Public Adjuster can provide an estimate of your claimed property damage and compare it with the carrier’s estimate. Public Adjusters work solely on behalf of insureds. Public Adjusters charge a fee for their services, usually 10% of your claim, so make sure you find a skilled Public Adjuster to reinspect your property damage. If your Public Adjuster can’t get the company adjuster to agree to a negotiated settlement amount, hire a property insurance attorney that can get it settled or pursue litigation.