Many people implicitly rely on their health insurance to cover and protect them in the event they become ill, are seriously injured or their health is otherwise in danger. Despite paying the premiums on health insurance policies, however, some insured individuals can be left high and dry in their time of need, as insurance companies may deny their legitimate claims.
These instances of insurance bad faith can leave the insured individual facing extremely expensive medical bills, which can catapult them into debt. In such cases, it’s crucial that insured individuals remember that:
- Their health insurance policy is a contract.
- They can sue their insurance company for breach of contract and insurance bad faith.
- The insurance bad faith lawyers at Brown & Brown, LLP are here to aggressively defend their rights and help them secure the maximum possible compensation they deserve.
Examples of Health Insurance Bad Faith
Some specific ways in which insurance companies may act in bad faith when dealing with health insurance claims include:
- Attempting to claim that a legitimate claim is not “medically necessary” and, therefore, does not fall within the scope of the health insurance policy
- Denying coverage for a physician-ordered treatment because there were less expensive alternative treatments available
- Attempting to cancel a health insurance policy when a legitimate claim is made by alleging that the insured individual was not truthful about his medical condition on insurance paperwork (an unethical practice known as “post-claims underwriting”)
If your insurance company has denied or undercut your health claim and you are currently in need of an attorney with experience taking on the insurance companies, call Brown & Brown at 314-333-3333 or 573-333-3333 for service in St. Louis, Missouri, or 618-888-8888 for our Illinois office. We offer free consultations.
