Insurance Law Attorneys

What we do.

We represent people who are being treated unfairly by their insurance company after submitting a claim under a variety of different kinds of policies, including:

• Homeowner claims
• Commercial claims
• Theft claims
• Fire claims
• Water claims
• Uninsured Motorist/Underinsured Motorist claims
• Personal Injury Protection claims

Our insurance practice includes helping people navigate first party insurance claims following a loss prior to initiating a lawsuit. 

When these claims are not resolved appropriately, we have experience litigating claims against insurance companies for breaching the insurance policy agreement, acting in Bad faith, violating the Consumer Protection Act, RCW 19.86 et seq., and violating the Insurance Fair Conduct Act, RCW 48.30.015, in both state and federal courts.

How insurers act wrongfully.

Insurance companies make a promise when they sell a policy to treat you fairly and honestly when a claim is made.  This is called the insurer's duty of good faith and fair dealing.  An insurance company violates this duty of good faith and commits "bad faith" when it unreasonably handles a claim for its policyholder.  

Typical problems with an insurance company handling a claim include:

1. Failure to conduct a reasonable claims investigation
2. Failure to conduct a timely claims investigation or adjustment
3. Wrongful denial of coverage or payment of benefits
4. Unreasonable delay in payment
5. Unreasonable underpayment of a claim
6. Failure to negotiate in good faith
7. Failure to settle within policy limits
8. Failure to defend a policyholder sued under a policy provision for liability coverage

When an insurance company commits any of these it have violated its duty of good faith, committed Bad Faith, and likely in violation of Washington's insurance laws.

How the law can protect you.

Washington's insurance laws are designed to (1) compensate you for all the harm caused when an insurance company acts wrongfully and (2) deter an insurance company from treating others similarly.

Some of the laws that are meant to protect a person who is making a claim include:

• Insurance Fair Conduct Act, RCW 48.30.015
• Consumer Protection Act, RCW 19.86 et. seq.
• Bad Faith / Breach of Duty of Good Faith
• Negligence of the Adjuster
• Breach of Contract (or Breach of the Policy)

Generally, a policyholder that proves an insurance company violated one or more of these laws is entitled to the full amount of policy benefits, plus attorney's fees.  A wronged policyholder may also be entitled to recover damages for the additional harm caused by the insurance company's misconduct along with all the costs incurred to prove the insurer acted inappropriately. In some situations, the insurer may be required to pay a penalty (called "exemplary" or "treble" damages) to the policyholder it mistreated.

Why you should seek legal counsel quickly.

We recommend that if a person has been treated wrongfully by an insurance company, he/she should seek legal advice as soon as possible from an experienced insurance lawyer. Insurance companies typically put a short time limit on filing a legal claim after a loss.  Failure to quickly seek legal counsel may result in a policyholder being unable to bring legal action against the insurance company.

Why we offer free consultations.

We understand that often a person following an insurance loss does not have the means to hire an attorney on an hourly rate to obtain compensation.  Because of this reality, we offer free consultations on insurance matters.  

Contact our office in Everett or Seattle, Washington to schedule a free consultation with an experienced and aggressive insurance attorney. Let our firm get to work immediately to protect your rights.

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