Attorneys and Auto Insurance

The way that attorneys are used when there is an auto claim differs in some respects depending on the factors involved. This is because anyone involved in an accident is covered by the liability insurance of their auto policy, some states have enacted no-fault insurance laws and problems with a claim that is filed with an insurance company. Sometimes an attorney is needed to settle differences between an insurer and a policyholder.

Every automobile policy comes with varying amounts of liability coverage on an automobile insurance policy. This is coverage that provides legal protection in the event that someone is sued as the result of an accident. This usually involves injury that is sustained by passengers of a person’s own vehicle as well as the passengers of another person’s vehicle. Liability coverage also covers expenses if a driver is found legally liable for an accident. Some states require drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance for bodily injury as well as property damage. This reduces the need for an insured to hire their own attorney.

Insurance claims are dealt in different ways depending on the state that an individual has their auto insurance policy. Many states have enacted what are called no-fault insurance laws. These are laws that attempt to limit lawsuits between individuals by having all claims submitted directly to a person’s own insurance company. This eliminates the need for the victim of an accident to submit a claim to the other driver’s insurance company. The need for an attorney is greatly reduced because they are generally not needed unless there are other factors involved such as bodily injury and additional medical costs.

When submitting a claim to an insurance company the carrier is required to respond to that claim in a timely fashion. There are times when an insurance company may appear to be dragging their feet to resolve a claim. Other times an insurance carrier might deny a claim outright. In cases such as this is when it is beneficial to consult with an attorney. An insurance carrier needs a bulletproof reason to deny a claim and that can be one of two things. Usually there is some indication that fraud is involved or there is some violation of the policy. In cases such as a denial of a claim or the slow response to a submitted claim attorneys are there to argue with the insurance carrier.

An insurance policy is basically a contract of sorts between an insurance carrier and a policyholder in which the carrier promises to pay for a loss covered by the policy. Sometimes the insurance policy is written in such as way that it is not easily understood by the common policyholder. In this case is relief cannot be found by contacting the insurance company the next step is to consult an attorney that is experienced with insurance laws.