Insurance providers will typically try to avoid bad faith lawsuits as much as possible to protect the reputations of their companies. Yet bad faith lawsuits aren't only troublesome for insurance companies. They're also a hassle for plaintiffs because of all the expense and time consumed by the lawsuit process. 

If your insurance company is denying your claim after an accident has damaged or totaled your car, you should definitely try all of the following before filing a bad faith lawsuit: 

Mention "bad faith" to your claims adjuster

If your claims adjuster has been giving you a hard time about reimbursing you for accident damages, you need to let him or her know that you mean business by mentioning a possible lawsuit.

At some insurance companies, mentioning a bad faith lawsuit will immediately cause a claims adjuster to change his or her tune and become much more open to negotiation regarding the claim in question. 

Pinpoint reasons for the claim denial

Your claims adjuster should readily be willing to explain why the claim is being denied. An insurance company is not providing any convincing explanations regarding a claim denial will probably not be able to win a bad faith lawsuit.

Discuss the reasons for denial with your claims adjuster and explain your counterarguments. 

Ask to speak to your claims adjuster's supervisor

If you're facing a denial of your car accident damage claim, you should go up as high as possible on your insurance company's ladder of command.

A supervisor might be more sensitive to the suggestion of a bad faith lawsuit and more willing to negotiate than a claims adjuster. If a supervisor is adamant about denying the claim, ask to speak to someone higher up in the company. 

Submit a written accusation

In some cases, a written accusation threatening a bad faith lawsuit might have success at convincing an insurance company to hand over the money they owe you for car accident damage compensation. 

When you draft a written accusation, you should mention the details of the accident and of your previous communications with the insurance claims adjuster and supervisor. 

Contact your state's insurance board

In addition to filing a lawsuit, you can also submit a complaint to the insurance board in your state if you feel that your insurance provider is wrongfully denying a claim. 

Claims with a state insurance board put pressure on an insurance company by compromising their ability to remain in business. Contact a professional like one from The Law Offices of Gregg Durlofsky for more information.