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Stand Up to Insurers’ Unfair Claim Denials and Delays With a Homeowners' Insurance Bad Faith Attorney in Pittsburgh, PA, as Your Advocate
After devastating damage, an accident, or another type of loss, you’re relieved that you at least have homeowners’ insurance to cover the costs. However, dealing with the insurer isn’t easy. If you’re facing unreasonable delays, unfair settlement offers, or denials of valid claims, you need the hands-on representation that only an experienced Pittsburgh homeowners' insurance bad faith claim lawyer can offer. At AlpernSchubert, P.C., our team of experienced attorneys steps in to manage interactions with the insurance company, fight for fair handling of your claim, and pursue full accountability under Pennsylvania’s bad faith law.
Our law firm is known throughout Western Pennsylvania for handling more plaintiff-side bad faith insurance cases than anyone else. We stand out from the crowd with our unmatched devotion to helping policyholders in our community receive the benefits and legal remedies they deserve and a client experience that’s as good as it gets.
For a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced homeowners' insurance bad faith attorney in Pittsburgh, PA, contact us today.
Get the Compensation and Justice You Deserve
Your Rights When Dealing With Homeowners Insurance Bad Faith Conduct in Pittsburgh, PA
Insurers can engage in bad-faith conduct in the course of processing any type of homeowner’s insurance claim. At AlpernSchubert, P.C., we often assist clients with issues that arise while pursuing claims involving:
- Fire damage
- Water damage
- Wind damage
- Hail damage
- Freezing and snow damage
- Damage due to a burst pipe
- Sewer backup damage
- Theft of property
- Vandalism-related damage
- Damage due to falling trees, branches, or other objects
- Liability claims against the homeowner arising out of injuries on the property, including dog bites and slip and fall accidents
Whether the claim filed with your homeowners’ insurance company involves only the cost of repairing or replacing property, additional living expenses during displacement, or liability for someone else’s injuries, you need these benefits paid as promptly as possible. If the insurer fails to do so through conduct that constitutes bad faith, you have the right to take legal action against the company.
What Actions Constitute Bad Faith in a Homeowners’ Insurance Claim?
Bad faith on the part of a homeowner’s insurance company means more than just denying the claim or taking a while to process it. The conduct is generally considered to constitute bad faith only if the insurer lacks proper justification for it or failed to follow proper procedures.
Examples of homeowners’ insurance bad faith actions that our legal team often encounters in the Pittsburgh area include:
- Unreasonable denials of coverage that deviates from the actual language of the policy
- Complete or partial denials of coverage that cite exclusions that don’t apply to the actual cause of loss
- Selective, unfair interpretation of policy language that benefits the insurer
- Denials without proper investigation or evidence
- Misrepresentation of coverage limits, exclusions, and other policy terms
- Decisions about paying a claim or its value based on only the opinions of biased contractors or adjusters’ limited findings
- Failure to thoroughly inspect the property
- Lack of consideration of independent expert reports, photos of damage or cause of loss, or repair estimates
- Refusal to pay necessary repairs
- Settlement offers that significantly undervalue repair or replacement costs
- Failing to settle claims against the policyholder within the limits of the policy
- Requests for documentation that are repetitive or unnecessary
- Failure to promptly respond to claim communications or to update the policyholder
It isn’t always easy to tell whether an insurance dispute or denial is justified or whether it constitutes bad-faith conduct, especially if you don’t have extensive experience with the insurance claims process. That’s why having trusted legal counsel is so critical.
As practitioners of bad faith law, our team understands all the ins and outs of the homeowners’ insurance claim process. We know what’s standard procedure and what isn’t, and we’re uniquely equipped to not only identify when an insurer’s conduct rises to the level of bad faith but also to begin building a strong foundation for legal action against the carrier.
How Pennsylvania Law Protects Policyholders From Bad Faith
In the insurance industry, efforts to minimize payouts can go too far, crossing the line between smart due diligence and intentional bad faith. For policyholders in Pennsylvania, state law provides a path to legal recourse.
Under 42 Pa. C.S. § 8371, a court that finds that an insurer has acted in bad faith can award the insured:
- Interest on the amount of the claim payment
- Punitive damages against the insurer
- Defendant responsibility to pay plaintiff’s court costs and attorney fees
The state takes allegations of bad faith on the part of an insurance company seriously, because it’s critical that the companies that enter into these contracts and accept payment from policyholders uphold their obligations. Pennsylvania’s bad faith law raises the stakes so that insurers have more to lose in a bad faith lawsuit than just the value of the original homeowner’s insurance claim.
How to Prove a Homeowners Insurance Company Acted in Bad Faith
Insurers in the Pittsburgh area defend themselves aggressively against bad faith claims and the penalties they can carry. Having a dedicated Pittsburgh homeowners' insurance bad faith claim lawyer on your side is critical for proving that the company’s conduct was unreasonable, unfair, and grounds for taking legal action under Pennsylvania law.
Our firm successfully proves bad faith claims against homeowners’ insurance companies by establishing two essential elements required under PA law:
- The insurance company lacked a reasonable basis for denying, delaying, or undervaluing the claim.
- The insurer either knew that the conduct lacked a valid basis or recklessly disregarded that lack of justification.
Proving bad faith on the part of a homeowners’ insurance company requires extensive legal knowledge and familiarity with insurance claim processes and procedures. We support every argument in our clients’ favor with the strongest possible evidence and, when needed, with testimony from expert witnesses who can identify how the insurer’s conduct deviated from industry standards.
When Do You Need a Homeowners' Insurance Bad Faith Attorney in Pittsburgh, PA?
If you’re wondering whether it’s time to consult an attorney, here are some signs that professional legal help is warranted:
- Your homeowners’ insurance claim has been denied, and you aren’t sure what to do next.
- You’re stuck waiting, sometimes for months, for the insurance company to address claim communications or provide requested updates.
- Negotiations have stalled, with the insurer refusing to budge from a settlement offer that seems too low to be reasonable.
- The insurance company keeps asking for the same information or documentation over and over.
- Your insurer has ignored repair or replacement estimates, expert opinions, photos of the damage, and other evidence or documentation that you have submitted.
- The insurance company cites exclusions you don’t understand or policy provisions that deviate from what you were previously told or sold.
- You have questions that aren’t getting answered or concerns that aren’t being addressed.
If in doubt, it’s always in your best interest to err on the side of caution and consult an experienced bad faith claim attorney. Our law firm offers a free consultation that allows you to gain professional insights on whether your homeowners insurance has acted in bad faith and what your next step should be.
How AlpernSchubert, P.C., Can Help
A Pittsburgh homeowners' insurance bad faith claim lawyer at AlpernSchubert, P.C., can assist you by:
- Challenging misrepresentations or unfair interpretations of the policy language, backed by a thorough explanation of this contractual language
- Calling into question the insurers’ inadequate methods of investigation, including overlooking estimates from independent contractors, recommendations by industry experts, and other valid evidence
- Gathering all evidence that supports your assertions of bad-faith claims handling, including documentation of correspondence and industry expert testimony
- Pressuring the insurance company to promptly resume negotiations in good faith or else face bad faith litigation and the consequences permitted under Pennsylvania law
- Filing a lawsuit against the homeowner’s insurance company and navigating the entire litigation process with your best interests in mind
Bad faith claims against homeowners’ insurance companies aren’t exclusively won in the courtroom. They require skillfull preparation, diligent investigation, and advocacy at every stage. That’s what we provide our clients.
Why Choose AlpernSchubert, P.C., as Your Pittsburgh Homeowners' Insurance Bad Faith Claim Lawyer?
Clients throughout Western Pennsylvania turn to AlpernSchubert, P.C., for help because we provide the experience of a big firm with the service of a boutique practice. We’re committed to helping clients within our community and to providing legal support for various issues exclusively to plaintiffs.
A Small Firm With Extensive Experience
At AlpernSchubert, P.C., we have quantity where it counts: our long history of legal practice, which amounts to more than 100 years combined. However, as a small team of three attorneys, we’re able to provide the personalized attention you won’t find at big law firms. We care about helping policyholders who have been wronged by their insurers, and we’re committed to providing meaningful support to get through the legal process and the difficulties that gave rise to your homeowners’ claim in the first place.
A Mission to Serve Members of Our Community
Every attorney at our firm went into practicing law because we wanted to help people, not to chase the money. We have a long history of doing things differently at our practice compared to many other law firms, and we take these actions even when they cost us money because our highest priority is always making sure that our clients are in the best position for a successful outcome to their case.
Comprehensive Plaintiff’s Representation
Our legal team never stops fighting for plaintiffs, because we know how important it is that your claim is handled reasonably, fairly, and in good faith. We won’t work for insurance companies under any circumstances, as many law firms do. Instead, we focus on providing both a breadth and depth of representation for plaintiffs. We handle bad faith insurance cases of all kinds, from homeowners’ and auto insurance to life and disability insurance. We also represent clients in cases that involve workers’ compensation claims, disability claims, and personal injury lawsuits.
Contact a Pittsburgh Homeowners' Insurance Bad Faith Claim Lawyer at AlpernSchubert, P.C., Today for a Free Case Evaluation
The first step to holding the insurer responsible for bad-faith conduct is analyzing the facts of your case. Only through careful assessment can you identify any ways in which your homeowners insurance company acted without justification, proper procedure, or fairness. During a free initial consultation with AlpernSchubert, P.C., we will review the unique facts of your situation and advise you of your options.
Our team of experienced attorneys understand how a homeowners’ insurance company’s bad-faith conduct can add even more stress when you’re already going through a difficult situation, and we manage the legal process so you don’t have to. For help from a homeowners' insurance bad faith attorney in Pittsburgh, PA, contact AlpernSchubert, P.C., online or call 412-556-2326 today.