Q: What actions are considered vexatious by insurance companies in MO.& what is bad faith? What can I do?
My insurance company used a bias company to estimate loss. The inspection was not thorough and I was pressured to accept a completely unreasonable lowball offer. I complained to my agent and received a call from the supervisor saying they will send a third-party inspector over to inspect the property. That way it will not be biased or one-sided. He lied and only authorized a partial inspection just the kitchen area where the fire started. The 15 year experienced third-party inspector said he has been on dozens of other claims the past several months instructing and authorizing partial inspections saving the carrier millions of dollars. The inspector said he has never encountered a insurance company authorizing such a thing and cannot believe they’re going to get away with it. I was expected to except less than 5% of actual damages. The Insurance company received the third-party inspection report a week after the inspection but denied having it for two months and will not reveal it.
A:
A Missouri attorney could advise best, as your question could involve elements of state-specific law. In terms of what you could do, one option is to arrange a brief consult with an attorney experienced in property damage/fire claims. In terms of pressure to accept an offer, if a release had been signed at the time, it could be difficult to go back and make an argument about being pressured. This appears to be a complex claim, and meaningful guidance would require a closer review of the file than is possible in the brief format of this Q & A Board. You could reach out to local attorneys to discuss in more meaningful detail. Good luck
Tim Akpinar
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