Facing a denied insurance claim can be devastating.After your property suffers damages, a policyholder reasonably expects the insurance company to pay the claim promptly; now that the time has come for you to file a claim, you discover the insurance company is not actually on your side, breaking the peace of mind you had by knowing that, should a qualifying event arise, you could be forced to shoulder the financial burden of repairing or rebuilding your home.

You expect the claim to be processed and paid in full on time. Still, unfortunately, most policyholders experience extra stress when the insurance company delays, underpays, or wrongly denys their claim.

• Delaying your valid claim often causes the inability to repair your property, and other inconveniences. The insurance company usually has one excuse after another while delaying payment of benefits that property owners badly need after a storm, fire, or any other loss incident. Some homeowners give up, but we never give up on our clients’ claims until we get a fair settlement.
• Underpaying: Underpayment of an insurance claim is almost 10% more common than a wrongfully denied claim. Policyholders often are desperate for relief after a loss; an insurance claim adjuster frequently offers a low settlement of a claim or a lower-than-expected payout. Companies have discovered they can save millions by low-balling policyholders’ claims.
• Denial: While there are legitimate reasons why a claim may be denied, the reasons insurance companies provide may be irrelevant, untrue, or vague. An insurer may deny a claim for several reasons, perhaps by misinterpretation of the policy or damages. Each state has different laws. It is common for adjusters to be unfamiliar with state requirements and wrongly deny a claim. We have achieved reversals of denials for these and many other reasons put forth by insurance companies attempting to deny coverage for our clients. Understanding the common excuses for claim denials can help you determine if your insurance provider wrongfully denied your claim.

New Kingdom Public Adjusters have Experience Getting Claim Denials Turned Around in Illinois

We often get asked by policyholders if the insurance claim that was already denied can be reviewed? The answer is yes!

Even if the insurance claim is already denied, seeking advice from a licensed public insurance adjuster could help you turn a denied claim around.

The sooner you contact a public adjuster, the more they can do to help you recover and negotiate the maximum settlement allowed under the terms of your homeowner’s insurance policy.

Your claim can usually only be denied if the policy does not cover the cause of damage or if you don’t live up to your contractual obligations.

Causes of Insurance Claim Denied in Illinois and How to Prevent Them:

• Missed filing deadline: Your policy specifies the amount of time you have to file a claim after a loss or damage occurs. No matter how valid your claim is, you can have it denied if you miss the filing window.
• Neglect: An insurance policy requires you to maintain your property correctly. Homes are built to last a long time, but the years can eventually take their toll. Without proper care, things will start to look bad. Wear and tear or lack of due care is one of the most common excuses the insurance company uses to deny.
• Missing payments of your premium obligations: Missing payments on your home insurance or paying your premiums late is riskier. Non-payment of premiums can cause your policy to lapse. If this happens and your home gets damaged, your insurance provider may be able to deny your claim.
• Incongruency on the claim: If the adjuster who inspects your home finds conditions different from what was stated in your claim form or application, or if the adjuster does not entirely understand your particular situation, a denial may result.
• Damages caused by excluded perils: Many claims are denied because the policy does not cover the causes.
• Insufficient evidence: Evidence such as photographs, receipts, or other documentation to back up the losses/damage claimed must be submitted. Make sure you document the damage or aftermath of the disaster in detail to help prove your case.

Reasons Why Insurance Companies Underpay Claims

You don’t have to settle for an underpaid insurance claim. Whether your insurance company is underpaying your claim by 5% or 300%, you must get the money you deserve after your property is damaged. You can hire a licensed public adjuster to conduct a free home damage estimation. You can also reopen your insurance claim.

Having a public adjuster who advocates for you ensures that your claim is paid fairly and you get the maximum settlement for your claim.

• Insufficient documentation: If you are filing an insurance claim by yourself, miscalculating the extent of your loss could be detrimental; if the insurance adjuster does not get an accurate idea of the damage, you get less money than you deserve.
• Misinterpret your insurance policy: Homeowner policies can be very confusing. Like most insurance policyholders, you’re probably not an expert in handling insurance claims. Therefore, insurance companies take advantage of their clients and underpay their insurance claims. But you don’t have to settle for an underpaid insurance claim. You can hire a public adjuster and fight for a higher settlement. A licensed public adjuster can help you examine your insurance policy coverage and help you get the money you deserve.
• Untrained Insurance Adjuster: The insurance company might assign an inexperienced adjuster, which means you don’t always receive the best estimate for your property damage. An uneducated insurance adjuster may not understand what to look for in your home. Some public adjusters are not familiar with the software available to adjust claims. Not to mention, you might be missing out on more money than you could imagine!
• It is easier to underpay than to deny: The unjustified denial of claims is too evident for insurance companies, but underpaying claims is more subtle and more insidious. Few people will refuse the money offered to them, even if they don’t think it is enough.
• Lacking Proper Public Adjuster Representation: Not only are public adjusters experts in handling insurance claims, but they also have in-depth knowledge about the legal matters involved with filing an insurance claim. Our licensed public adjusters also work free unless we get money for you.

If you think your claim was underpaid, we can help. At New Kingdom we review your case for free. Send us your documentation here, and we will review your case.

Understand why Insurance Companies Delay Property Claims

It is true that investigations take time and that handling a claim can be lengthy. However, many policyholders are subjected to the frustration and outrage of being forced to wait an arbitrary time before finally receiving an offer of payment, which often constitutes underpaying the claim.

When an insurance company delays claims, it works to the company’s favor in several ways:

• Delaying the claim pressures policyholders into accepting lower settlement amounts than they rightfully deserve.
• Insurance companies also generate revenue by investing the money paid in premiums by policyholders. Generally, an insurance company’s money in premiums goes into investment accounts that generate interest. The insurance company retains this money until they payout to a policyholder, so an insurance company may delay a payout to secure as much interest revenue as possible.
• Another reason that insurance providers may be stalling a settlement is to force unaware policyholders to exceed the statute of limitations on their insurance claim so they cannot take legal action against them.

Tactics that insurance providers use to delay payments:

• Holding back investigations by an insurance adjuster
• Changing your representative
• Requesting unnecessary records and documents
• Requesting the same information over and over
• Bringing in experts to closely review the case  

We have helped hundreds of homeowners in Illinois get their property fully covered through their insurance policy, saving thousands of dollars! Don’t take “No!” or reduced compensation from the insurance company! Instead, trust us to provide the expert advice you need to get fully compensated for your losses as quickly as possible.

Contact us for a free policy review today!