What to do if a car insurance company denies your claim
Key takeaways
- If your car insurance claim is denied for any reason, you will receive a claim denial letter from the insurer.
- Your claim could be denied because your policy is lapsed, you don’t have enough coverage or for some other reason.
- If your claim is denied, you can appeal the decision—a lawyer can help but is optional.
Can your car insurance deny a claim if you’ve been involved in an accident? If you have found yourself in this situation, this question may be important to answer. There are multiple reasons why your car insurance claim might be denied. No matter the reason, if you are facing a denied claim, there are steps you can take to appeal the decision. Bankrate’s insurance editorial team researched some reasons why your claim might have been denied and shares some tips about what to do when car insurance denies your claim to help you decide what to do next.
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What’s a claim denial letter?
After you file a claim with your auto insurance company, an insurance adjuster will be responsible for documenting the details of the accident. After analyzing the facts provided, the adjuster will determine whether or not the car insurance claim will be denied or accepted. If the accident is deemed not covered by your auto insurance policy, the insurance company will send you a formal letter stating what factors led to the decision.
A denied car insurance claim doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the claims process. If you do not agree with your insurer’s claim denial, you have the right to appeal the insurance company’s decision. If your insurance denies a claim, the reason for the denial will influence how you should go about the appeals process.
Why did my car insurance company deny my claim?
In addition to questions like can an insurance company deny a claim, you may be wondering why your insurer might take this action. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your car insurance claim, several factors could lead to your claim being denied. Police reports, eyewitness statements, recreating an accident scenario and more can influence the outcome of a submitted auto insurance claim. In some cases, a claim could even be denied due to bad faith or misrepresentation of the facts, making it important to be truthful and accurate to your car insurance company when reporting your claim.
If you receive a denial letter, read it carefully, as it will typically include supporting evidence for the decision. Some common reasons a claim is denied include the following:
What to do when car insurance denies your claim
You can appeal the decision if you feel an error has been made in the car insurance company’s claim denial. Most insurance companies have a process in place for you to contest a denied claim. Here’s what to do when car insurance denies your claim, including the steps to take if you want to appeal an auto insurance claim decision on your own:
- Gather evidence: Review any documentation provided by the insurance company and gather the evidence you need to appeal. This could include police reports, eyewitness information, photographs, medical reports and other supporting evidence. Make copies of everything to provide to the insurance company so you can keep the originals.
- Draft an appeal letter: This letter will spell out why you do not agree with the insurance company’s decision. Make sure you explain why each piece of information was provided in step one, such as any police reports. Provide as much detail as possible, referencing policy information and the claims denial letter as needed.
- Consider hiring an attorney: If you are not comfortable taking these steps or want an expert’s opinion, it may be a good idea to hire an attorney. They can review the case and supporting documents to draft a demand letter requiring the insurance company to respond and defend its claim denial. While it may cost you money upfront, it could be a worthwhile expense to have the claim denial overturned if you feel your insurer made the wrong decision.
Understanding the claim denial letter and why an auto insurance company decided not to make a payout is the first step in determining the validity of a denied car insurance claim. Most instances of auto claims denials are valid, although others may not be. In this case, appealing the insurance company’s decision can get the decision reversed or an offer made to cover the damages.
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