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- Insurance Law -
The field of insurance law has a long history. In California there is a separate set of laws that regulate the insurance industry, The California Insurance Code. Insurance law is complex because many times over the past 100 years the insurance companies have cheated their clients and those persons to whom they may have to pay. It is very important to remember that the insurance companies are in the business of collecting premiums from their policy holders, not of writing checks to injured persons or for damaged property.
The longer the insurer holds on to their funds, the more money they make. As a result, many insurance companies try to drag out the negotiations or wait until they are on the court house steps before paying. This allows them to hold on to your money for a longer time, and to make more money for themselves. The insurance company may deny coverage outright, or provide coverage under a reservation of rights. In either case the policy holder is in danger of not being protected by the policy they bought.
Insurance companies will also try to get you to settle for far less than you should. When your apartment or house is in ruins, and you need money to find shelter, the insurance company will offer you immediate funds if you sign a settlement. This was a common practice after the recent California earthquakes and many home owners and renters settled for far less than they were entitled to.
Most insurance policies provide for the defense of a policy holder if they are sued for a covered peril. This means that the insurance company provides the attorney to represent the policy holder. Insurance companies may have a conflict of interest with some of their policy holders. For example, the insurance company may have a way out of paying if the policy holder acted intentionally. Thus, the insurance company may want the court to find that the policy holder’s acts were intentional; while the policy holder would want the acts to be found unintentional so that his/her/their insurance would protect them. If this happens the policy holder is allowed to hire their own attorney who will be paid by the insurance company rather than use the attorney chosen by the insurance company.
The Law Firm of Kallis & Assoc. has attorneys who have represented both the insurance companies and the injured or insured party. We know how to deal with insurers and their tactics so that you will be protected and receive the insurance benefits you deserve.
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