On Behalf of Zar Law Firm | May 13, 2024 | Insurance Bad Faith

Individuals who need to file homeowner’s insurance claims have often paid their policy premiums for years without needing any help. A fire, a major storm or other unpredictable events could cause significant property damage. Provided that the type of damage falls under the scope of the policy, a homeowner should be able to request assistance with the cost of repairing the property. Insurance may even cover the cost of alternative housing until their home is habitable again.

Most people are familiar with the advertising slogans of various insurance companies. These businesses try their best to seem friendly and supportive by running advertisements bragging about how quickly and generously they respond to claims. Those who file homeowner’s insurance claims may begin the process with unrealistic expectations because of the advertisements they have watched.

Insurance professionals are often aggressive negotiators who do their best to limit what policyholders receive through a variety of different negotiation tactics. Stonewalling is one of the more common negotiation tactics that can be very frustrating to experience.

What is stonewalling during negotiations?

Stonewalling is essentially a refusal to communicate or negotiate with the other party. When an insurance professional stonewalls during a claim, they do not respond to questions or answer emails. This strategy is often in response to having established an expectation, such as a limit to the payout for work needed on the home.

They refuse to move from the standard they initially set and don’t discuss any other terms. They may ignore inquiries by contractors trying to get approval to do certain work. The goal is to demonstrate that the insurance professional is the one in the position of power and to manipulate the other parties into making concessions.

Someone who hasn’t received a response from an insurance professional might alter their approach by reducing what they request. This tactic plays on people’s emotions and can result in individuals accepting settlement offers or claim outcomes that do not align with the coverage they paid for and deserve.

Most people may have a hard time remaining calm and responding appropriately to the often infuriating negotiation tactics utilized by insurance professionals. People may struggle to even understand the terms of their policies, let alone know how to communicate about those terms with an insurance professional. The bigger a claim is, the more likely someone is to face questionable pushback from the insurance professional handling the claim.

Someone who has already experienced stonewalling from their point of contact with an insurance company or who needs to file a particularly large or complex insurance claim may need assistance with that process. Partnering with a lawyer can take much of the stress and uncertainty out of a homeowner’s insurance claim process in this way.