Insurance Dispute Lawyer Blog
When buying insurance, it is often hard for homeowners to know if they are buying too much or too little. When asking an agent, people expect and appreciate candor and honesty when it comes to know how much insurance is necessary to protect their home. This trust that is placed into an agent’s skill and honesty is one that must be respected by the agent but also inspected and checked by the client.
When getting an insurance plan, requesting a second opinion from another agent or insurance company is a safe way to not only guarantee that you are getting the best rate but also the coverage you need. It will also confirm or deny the claims of another agent regarding what best suits your needs. After Katrina and many other hurricanes and tropical storms, lawsuits come to the public’s attention where an agent assured their client that hurricane damage would be covered under the homeowner’s insurance in place. This, however, is often not the case and leaves the homeowner out to dry.
In the Louisiana case of Schwartz v. Chubb & Sons Inc., the courts dealt with a similar issue of when the time for filing suit against an insurance agent who commits such misdirection expires. The courts in this case held that many current laws may be extended when an agent’s misinformation regarding coverage is damaging to the home owner.
Whether in the process of purchasing insurance or simply checking the plan in place, it is important to not only document what the agent states regarding coverage but also read the language yourself. A homeowner would much rather be properly protected before something happens to their home rather than have to go to court to get the financial compensation they require.
However, if an attorney is necessary because of the negligence or bad faith acts of an insurance agent, call the Berniard Law Firm at (504) 521-6000 to have your situation analyzed.