When does insurance bad faith merit punitive damages?

If you successfully sue an insurance company for bad faith, you are entitled to monetary damages. In addition to compensatory damages (your actual losses), you may be awarded punitive damages, which are meant to punish and deter the wrongdoing. When do punitive damages apply? How are they calculated? Understanding insurance bad faith

How to file a claim if your home was damaged in a fire

California is again facing a series of wildfires, with numerous large and small blazes burning throughout the state. Some Californians are being forced to evacuate their homes when fires get too close. Being forced to flee from your home is difficult, but returning to a seriously damaged or destroyed home can be emotionally

Fighting a long-term disability claim denial

Suffering from a long-term disability (LTD) means you already have enough to deal with. You do not want to add fighting with an insurance company to the list. All too often, insurance companies try to avoid paying for coverage. That could leave you vulnerable both physically and financially. There are actions you

Understanding ERISA denials and remedies

The basic concept of insurance is that it functions as a pooling of risk for policyholders and the insurer. Policyholders pay into a common fund to be drawn upon at a later date if needed. The money in the common fund belongs to policyholders and the insurer earns a fee for managing

The basics of bad faith

When you enter into a contractual relationship with an insurance company, you expect that they will honor the terms contained in their policy. At the time you decide to accept their offer for coverage, they made promises to you that you would be protected in the event that something should happen. Unfortunately,

9th Circuit case considers disability benefits

Recently, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals released a decision that may have a significant impact on long-term disability insurance matters in California. The ruling could potentially limit some of the power that insurance companies have to deny claims for benefits. The case concerned a woman who worked for Boeing. As a

Changes coming for ERISA disability claims?

New regulations will now govern the ERISA disability claims and their appeals proceedings. These regulations will take effect on all disability claims that will be filed in 2018 – starting from the very first day of January. The new rule will affect all disability plans under ERISA. These include pension plans and all long-term