Property Damage

Insurance in Texas

In the state of Texas insurance is a necessity for property owners, and oftentimes you are not able to purchase a house or a car without proof of insurance. There are many different types of insurance, and therefore there are many different types of insurance claims. 

Types of Insurance Claims

Car insurance claims, homeowner’s insurance claims, natural disaster claims, health insurance claims, and general claims are all considered types of insurance claims. 

Property Insurance Claims

Homeowner claims include damages caused by unforeseen events. Homeowner’s insurance covers a wide variety of things. Not only does this include your physical home structure, but it can also include your personal belongings, liability coverage, and living expenses if you are displaced. Depending on the coverage level you choose with your insurance company, you have the potential to be reimbursed for damages caused by:

• Robbery
• Vandalism
• Mold

Natural disaster claims are typically grouped under your homeowner’s or car insurance coverage. If you opt to include natural disaster coverage you are protected from damages caused by: 

• Flooding
• Hail
• Fire damage
• Tornado
• Hurricanes
• Earthquakes
• Lightning
• Excessively strong winds

Health Insurance Claims

Health insurance in Texas is usually provided by your employer. This can make the claims process a little bit more convoluted. Again, what you are covered for depends on your coverage choices, but typically you can be reimbursed for claims regarding:

• Hospital stays
• Dental visits
• Prescription medication
• Surgery
• Emergency visits

First Party Vs. Third-Party Insurance Claims

When you are making an insurance claim, there are two classes that it can fall into—a first-party claim or a third-party claim. 

• First-party Insurance Claims: A first-party insurance claim is one that is made directly from the insurance holder to the insurance company. An example of this would be when you make a claim in regards to your vehicle repairs. 
• Third-party Insurance Claims: Third-party insurance claims are made by a third party to the first-party’s insurance company. An example of this is when two people get in an accident and someone becomes injured so the person who is not injured has to contact their insurance company to pay for the other person’s injuries. 

What to Do When You Are Underpaid or Denied

In some cases, the insurance company is well within its right to deny your claim. Reasons for rightly denying your claim include: 

• Lack of Coverage: The thing you are claiming is not covered in your policy.
• Fraudulent Application: The insurance company will review your initial policy application and compare it to your claim. If anything is found to be false, omitted, or over-inflated, they can deny the claim. 
• Unable to Fulfill a Condition of Coverage: Some insurance companies require the insured to meet certain conditions before they are covered. This could include not meeting the premium, not making payments, etc.

In other cases, the insurance company is just being shady and not paying the claim. This will typically look like this:

• Offering you money and requiring you not to contact an attorney
• Offering you less than the full cost of your losses
• Forcing you to restart the claims process
• Changing agents on you
• Requiring unnecessary documentation
• Denying the claim without doing a proper inspection of the damages
• Delaying payments without a reasonable excuse
• Refusing to pay your claim despite all documentation that supports it

In these cases, it is time to contact the attorneys at the Paxton Law Firm in Texas.

Insurance Claims Attorney at the Paxton Law Firm

At the Paxton Law Firm, we know how stressful and complicated insurance claims can be, even without having to deal with a shady insurance company. Adding the extra stress of fighting with your insurance company can cause unnecessary stress and financial pressure on you. Don’t let your insurance company get away with it. The insurance claims attorneys at the Paxton Law Firm are ready to fight for you. The Paxton Law Firm can often find thousands or tens of thousands of dollars that the insurance company failed to pay you. Contact us for a free consultation, and join the thousands of others we have helped.