Here are scenarios we see far too often: A person’s car or home gets broken into and things are stolen. A house burns and the contents and home are damaged. A person purchases a life insurance policy and dies shortly thereafter.
You make a claim with your insurance company and ask them to pay you for what was damaged or stolen. The first insurance adjuster is very friendly and helpful. Someone from the insurance company comes to talk to you. It looks like things are moving forward.
But, then, it appears that progress ceases. Instead of providing you with information and answering your questions, the insurance company starts asking you questions and starts requesting a lot of information. They want your tax returns, they ask you if you’ve ever had a fire or theft before, they want to know if you’ve ever been charged with a crime or if you are having financial difficulties. The original adjuster is no longer on your case and the new adjuster is much less friendly and forthcoming. They even sound suspicious of you and may tell you that your case has been transferred to the “special investigations unit.” They also tell you that they want to take your statement under oath. More importantly, they aren’t paying your claim and no one will tell you when they will pay your claim.
What is happening? Why are they taking so long? The answer is that the insurance company is no longer investigating your claim to figure out how much money you lost and how much money they should pay you; they are investigating you and trying to decide whether to deny your claim. The insurance company has probably hired an investigator to follow you and videotape you. The insurance company is also probably working with your local fire department or police department and trying to decide whether to have you charged with a crime (arson, insurance fraud, etc.)!
Does this sound impossible? It isn’t. Does this sound like a conspiracy theory? Well, just remember that “just because you think they’re out to get you doesn’t mean they aren’t.”
Far too often, insurance policyholders who have done absolutely nothing wrong find themselves in the crosshairs of this situation without realizing it – and without realizing the seriousness of the situation.
If this happens to you, you need a lawyer immediately. You need someone to communicate with the insurance company so you don’t have to. You need someone to advise you about what to do and to look out for your criminal rights too. By the time things have gone this far, getting your insurance claim paid is very likely the least of your concerns. The possibility of criminal charges is much more dire, but you must have someone handle both the insurance claims and the potential criminal issues.
If you think you this has happened to you, contact Nelson Boyd today! Do not delay. We have years of experience with cases like yours and we can help you. Call us at (206) 971-7601.
