Florida Insurance Officials Calls for Study Into Homeowners’ Insurance Claims; Tampa Insurance Lawyer Says Hiring Attorney Policyholders’ Best Move

Tampa, FL (PRWEB) July 24, 2013

The Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate, Robin Smith Westcott, announced this month that she is forming a working group to study ways to better handle homeowners' insurance claims. The group will specifically look at the length of time it takes for claims to be processed. Tampa homeowners' insurance lawyer Michael B. Germain said the inquiries are welcome, although the most important thing policy holders with a claim can do is hire an attorney.

"An attorney can assist the policy holder with filing claims and dealing with difficult insurance companies," Germain said.

According to Insurance Journal, the working group will include both representatives from the insurance industry and from consumer organizations ("Florida Consumer Advocate to Review Insurers' Homeowners Claims Handling," July 12, 2013). Westcott said she formed the group after hearing from consumers that the process of collecting on a claim is often long and frustrating, according to the publication.

Germain welcomed the study, saying that it is certainly true that insurance companies behave in a way that can make the process onerous. Insurance companies may drag their feet, unnecessarily delaying payment to point where it is effectively denying a claim, he said. When an insurer is unreasonably slow or makes the process exceedingly difficult, they may be acting in bad faith, Germain said.

When an insurance company acts in bad faith, the insured has a civil remedy, Germain said. He or she can file a lawsuit against the insurance company. A Tampa insurance bad faith can help those in the Tampa area who are facing difficulty collecting recover in several ways, Germain said.

Not only can the insured collect on what the policy would cover, but other damages might be available, too, Germain said. The longer a person is made to wait to recover, the more expenses he or she accumulates, he continued. When an insurance company makes a client wait in bad faith, they should pay for the damages the insured incurs, he said.

"When an insurance company deals in bad faith, it is not being honest with their policyholders and it is not holding up their end of the bargain," Germain said. "Insurance companies should be made to pay for their actions."

Germain said he hopes Westcott's group is productive and changes some of these issues, but for the time being, policyholders should contact a lawyer to help collect on their claim.

"A lawyer can handle all the negotiations with the insurance company, and the insurance company will know that the policyholder means business," he said.

Michael B. Germain is a Tampa insurance lawyer who assists policyholders in claims against their insurance company.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/tampainsurance/badfaith/prweb10950934.htm