If your New York or New Jersey home or business was hit by Hurricane Sandy, the storm was just the first wave of bad news. Now you have discovered your insurance company is dragging its feet over payment for the damages. The delay on your settlement may be on purpose. Your insurance company hopes you will get tired of the unending claims process and accept far less than you are entitled to.
Don’t be a victim twice! Unreasonably delaying settlements is a form of bad faith by your insurance company. As a policyholder, you can fight back with our help.
The experienced insurance lawyers at Belluck & Fox LLP, led by Joe Belluck and Jordan Fox, are standing up for Hurricane Sandy victims in New Jersey and New York, including Staten Island and Long Island. We know how to fight insurance companies – and we have secured more than $500 million for our clients and their families.
Call 212-681-1575 or fill out our online contact form for a free consultation. We’ll get started on your claim right away.
Insurance claims can involve a great deal of investigation and paperwork. Policyholders may be told that the claims management process “takes time” to complete. But in many cases, this is simply a stalling tactic. You should know that after Superstorm Sandy, New York’s governor mandated that claims adjusters send an adjuster to inspect the property within 15 days (6 days in certain situations). Adjusters were also ordered to make a decision within 15 days– or send the policyholder a letter explaining the reasons for the delay.
Policyholders who believe they’re getting the run around should be persistent. Continue to contact your insurance adjuster and your claims representative. Document when you made the calls, who you spoke with and what transpired or was promised during the conversation. Follow up with a letter. If the situation doesn’t improve, take the matter to the next level by contacting a supervisor or your state’s Insurance Commissioner.
If you still don’t get results, it may be time to take it a step further and contact an attorney.
An experienced bad faith insurance lawyer knows that insurance companies use delay as a tactic, hoping that policyholders will accept less than what’s fair. Attorneys know how to counter these practices. Insurance companies know which law firms will take them to court, so they often start treating policyholders more fairly when they know they’re adequately represented.
Contact Belluck & Fox LLP at 212-681-1575 or fill out our online contact form for a free consultation. We’re helping move along delayed insurance claims in New York and New Jersey, including the hard-hit areas of Long Island Staten Island and the Jersey Shore.