Insurance Companies Acting in Bad Faith

If you’re ever in a situation where you need insurance to pay — whether it’s someone else’s insurance paying for repairs or injuries after a crash or your health insurance paying for a hospital stay, or even a long-term care insurer refusing to pay benefits — the last thing you want to think about is what you’ll do if the insurance company refuses to pay or won’t investigate the situation.

In those situations, your hands are already full, and an insurance company ignoring its contractual obligations can feel overwhelming. 

It’s called acting in bad faith. When insurance companies act in bad faith, it can majorly upset the lives of those affected. 

Bad Faith Laws

In Montana, state law prohibits this behavior and allows both the insured person and the injured person to sue an insurance company for acting in bad faith. However, there are statutes of limitations for both.

There are many ways an insurer can act in bad faith under the state law, including: 

• Misrepresenting pertinent facts or insurance policy provisions relating to coverages at issue;
• Failing to acknowledge and act reasonably promptly upon communications concerning claims arising under insurance policies;
• Failing to adopt and implement reasonable standards for the prompt investigation of claims arising under insurance policies;
• Refusing to pay claims without conducting a reasonable investigation based upon all available information;
• Failing to affirm or deny coverage of claims within a reasonable time after completed proof of loss statements; and
• And many more.

Taking on insurance companies acting in bad faith can be complicated. That shouldn’t discourage you if you believe you are the victim of such practices. 

Our experienced attorneys can talk you through your options, see if you have a case, and guide you through the complicated legal process. Call us at 406-541-2550 to set up an appointment.