Insurance Companies Are Delaying Claims (& People Know It)

For nearly two months, our firm has reported on the underpay-and-delay tactics insurance companies use to shore up profits on the back of suffering people. We’re sad to say that insurance companies are doing exactly what we predicted they would do: forcing families to wait unacceptable lengths of time to receive relief—relief that won’t nearly match what they need.

Today’s story comes out of Rockport and Port Aransas, where the wind damage from Hurricane Harvey left barely any structures left standing. The people of these coastal cities experienced the worst of Hurricane Harvey, including winds over 130 mph that carried entire houses off of their foundations. For insurers like the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, this was their moment to step up and make good on their promises.

Instead, most homeowners are on their second or third claims investigation, with no answers (or end) in sight.

More Than an Inconvenience

Public adjusters serving the region have commented that the TWIA is failing to keep their promises to people who have faithfully paid thousands in premiums over the years. Despite hundreds of reports from public adjusters, very few people have gotten their checks—the ones who did get money were forced to accept “grossly low” estimates. Public adjusters have noted something else troubling: TWIA has been hiring private investigators to investigate fraudulent claims, and these investigators have been asking for the contracts filed between public adjusters and clients.

These investigators have no such authority to do so. Public adjusters like Clay Morrison believe that this is a simple case of harassment to waste customers’ time and delay payment. Our firm would agree—we’ve seen these tactics hundreds of times before, and internal reports from insurance companies like Allstate establish that these tactics are a common way for insurance companies to protect and increase their quarterly earnings. Delays like this aren’t just an “inconvenience”—they’re potentially ruinous for homeowners and families.

First-time homeowner Jeni Kite put the problem perfectly: "You can't fix anything until insurance comes through. Well, we haven't heard anything from insurance, so how do you keep moving on? You're just frozen.” Kite was told by an adjuster to gut the home…but when her family looked for the adjuster’s official report, it was missing. No explanation was given for why the adjuster’s report was never filed.

Put Pressure on Your Insurance Company

Arnold & Itkin has fought against insurance companies in thousands of cases—and their tactics never seem to change. They order investigation after investigation, sending new adjusters every few weeks while you’re left living in a shell that you once called home, or while your business bleeds out. The fact is, the insurance company isn’t incompetent; they know exactly what they’re doing to you.

They’re forcing you into a position where you’ll take the first offer you get, even if the offer is a fifth of what you deserve. They know that you have nowhere to go—why else would TWIA look for “fraudulent” claims in the midst of the worst storm damage South Texas has ever seen?

Our team includes qualified adjusters, expert damage assessors, and seasoned litigators who all work together to file a claim for you with your insurer. Our approach means if they delay or underpay your claim, we’ll take them to court—and insurance companies hate the idea of going before a jury. It’s how we’ve obtained billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements.