What Happens When Progressive Denies Your Auto Accident Claim?
The Peach State does have minimum auto insurance requirements, but it also lets drivers choose who provides the coverage. Not surprisingly, plenty of drivers decide to go with Progressive Insurance.
Policies are affordable and drivers have plenty of coverage options. Even the essential steps for filing a Georgia car accident claim with Progressive is relatively straightforward. However, this doesn’t mean the insurer is going to approve your claim.
Filing a Georgia Car Accident Claim with Progressive
Progressive is working hard to make it easy to file an insurance claim. You can head over to your online policy using the insurer’s convenient app.
An online insurance agent will jump online to help you answer the various questions. Don’t worry, the questions aren’t too difficult. Basically, you’re just providing information about the accident. From there, an insurance adjuster comes out to inspect your vehicle damage. You’ll be expected to have some idea of repair or replacement costs. This means getting a few estimates. The insurance adjuster is going to ask for them.
After that, all that’s left to do is get your car repaired or replaced. Sometimes, you can start the same day the adjuster shows up. Yep, they can issue you a check on the spot so no waiting for it to arrive in the mail.
Even though filing a Progressive insurance claim is pretty simple, it doesn’t mean you can’t run into a few issues like an automatic denial. Sometimes, the denial is for a legitimate reason. Maybe you’re trying to get compensation for something outside your coverage. Other times, it may be a sign Progressive is treating your accident as a bad faith insurance claim.
What Does Progressive Consider a Bad Faith Insurance Claim?
The definition of a bad faith insurance claim is pretty easy to understand. You believe you’re in good standing with the insurance company. This means you pay your premiums on time and don’t try to submit fraudulent or frivolous claims. You stick to the requirements of your policy believing that if an accident occurs, your damages are covered.
A bad faith claim occurs when the insurance company doesn’t fairly process your claim. The insurance company may also engage in inappropriate actions in an attempt to slow down the approval process or deny your claim. The insurance company may also only offer lowball settlement amounts, far below the actual value of your claim. Some examples of a bad faith insurance claim include:
- Delaying the investigation
- Refusing the claim
- Refusing to compensate the claim
- Misrepresenting the claim
- Failure to investigate certain pieces of evidence
- Improperly characterizing your insurance policy
- Offering a very low settlement offer
Proving a Bad Faith Claim Against Progressive
If you believe you’re the victim of a bad faith insurance claim, the burden of proof is on you. This means you must prove the insurance company isn’t properly handling your claim. Why do you want to prove an insurance company like Progressive is behaving badly when it comes to your claim? This is a necessary process if you want to receive compensation for your damages.
However, you must prove the insurance company isn’t just making an error. Don’t forget the adage to err is human. Insurance adjusters can make mistakes and this isn’t a crime. You must prove the insurance company knowingly and/or willfully is acting unreasonably or engaging in egregious behavior by denying your claim. Here’s an example of Progressive acting unreasonably.
Progressive Insurance refused to pay out a claim. The reason behind the denial is the insurance company stated the injured party wasn’t insured at the time of the accident. The defendant provided proof of valid insurance and Progressive still denied his claim on the grounds of being uninsured. Since the insurance company refused to thoroughly investigate certain pieces of evidence and improperly characterized the status of the insurance policy, the claimant was awarded both compensatory and punitive damages.
Obviously, proving you’re insured at the time of an accident is relatively easy but it can be more difficult to substantiate other types of bad faith claims. Regardless of how simple or complex your bad faith insurance claim is, it’s always best to work with an experienced attorney. They have the necessary resources to prove more complex claims.
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Let an Attorney Help with Your Progressive Auto Insurance Claim
Insurance companies have a lot of resources at their disposal and aren’t afraid to use them if you file a bad faith claim. Don’t try to go through the legal process without legal representation. From understanding the burden of proof to common law, your attorney can help you prove your bad faith insurance claim.