How bad faith insurers try to avoid paying house fire claims

In just a few minutes, a house fire can destroy your home and everything you own. You and your family may be left with virtually nothing but the clothes on your backs. The future can seem very unclear. Where will you go now? How will you pay for all this damage?

Your family’s health and safety are the most important concern during a fire, but the loss of a place to live and personal property can be devastating. Homeowners insurance is supposed to be there for you to help you pick up the pieces after a house fire, but sometimes the insurance company rejects a seemingly straightforward claim.

Why does this happen? Often, the cause of the fire affects the insurer’s decision whether or not to offer a fair settlement. For example, in many homeowners insurance policies, there is language stating the insurer does not have to pay a claim based on a fire caused by arson or a negligent third party.

Such language is often quite ambiguous, allowing the insurance company to make a dubious claim that it is absolved of its obligations. From the homeowner’s perspective, it can be difficult to tell if the denial of their claim was legitimate, or the product of insurance bad faith.

That is where your attorney comes in. A wildfire insurance claim lawyer in San Diego experienced in bad faith litigation will help you understand what happened to you — and work to get you a settlement to help you pay for new housing and replacing the valuables you lost in the fire.