What If My Truck Accident Claim Was Denied By GEICO?

If GEICO denied your truck accident claim, you have several options for financial recovery. You do not have to accept defeat quietly. Insurance companies cannot take policyholder premiums and refuse to pay covered claims.

You can fight a multibillion-dollar corporation that employs hundreds of attorneys by yourself. But talking with a lawyer about your rights in this situation could help you understand your options and how to approach Geico about your denied claim.

Steps To Take After GEICO Denies A Truck Accident Claim

It can be intimidating to challenge a massive corporation about why it denied a legitimate insurance claim. Here are common steps to take in this situation.

• Analyze the claim denial letter. After you get a letter from GEICO about why it denied your truck accident claim, you will want to read it carefully several times. Determine why GEICO refused to pay your claim. If the insurer says it does not provide coverage in your circumstances, make sure that statement is true. Insurers can issue denials based on incorrect or incomplete information.
• Write a demand letter. If you are working with an injury attorney, they can write GEICO a demand letter, stating the reasons that GEICO’s insured policyholder is liable for your injuries and losses. The letter can also address why GEICO’s denial was wrong. The demand letter will state the approximate amount of your losses, and the amount of money GEICO should pay to settle your claim against its policyholder.
• Negotiate with GEICO. If GEICO eventually acknowledges its client’s liability, it might come back with a lowball offer to settle the case. Your injury lawyer can negotiate directly with GEICO on your behalf.
• File a lawsuit against the at-fault party. If GEICO continues to deny liability or refuses to settle your claim fairly, your attorney can file a lawsuit against the party whose negligence caused the accident that injured you.

Also, if GEICO is guilty of bad faith practices in handling your claim, you could sue the insurer for improper conduct. In cases involving outrageous behavior on the part of the insurer, the court might assess punitive damage against the insurer, although such damages are rare.

What To Do If GEICO Denies The Claim You Filed Under Your Policy

Sometimes, you need to file a claim against your automobile insurance policy. For example:

• Hit and run. If you got hurt in a hit-and-run accident, there is no at-fault driver with an automobile policy you can file a claim against. In that situation, your insurance company will treat the hit-and-run driver like an uninsured driver. If you have uninsured coverage on your automobile policy, you will file a claim with your insurer.
• Uninsured coverage. When the at-fault party does not carry automobile liability insurance, you could make a claim against your policy if you have uninsured motorist coverage.
• Underinsured coverage. If the at-fault party has liability insurance, but it is not enough to cover all your losses, underinsured motorist coverage in your automobile policy could help pay some of the losses that exceed the at-fault party’s coverage.

If GEICO refuses to pay your claim under your policy in any of these situations, your attorney can proceed against GEICO using the same steps as we discussed for filing a claim under the at-fault driver’s liability insurance coverage.

GEICO Must Act In Good Faith When Processing Truck Accident Claims

As the American Bar Association (ABA) publishes, insurance companies must act in good faith and make reasonable settlement decisions when handling liability claims against their policyholders.

Here are some examples of bad faith conduct by a liability insurance company:

• Denying coverage without reasonable justification
• Failing to engage in timely and appropriate communications with the claimant
• Blaming the injured person for the accident without facts supporting that conclusion
• Failing to compensate the claimant fully under the policy
• Engaging in excessive delays when processing the claim
• Making unreasonable paperwork requirements of a claimant
• Being untruthful about the insurance policy coverage
• Failing to thoroughly evaluate a claim

This is not an exhaustive list of how a liability insurance carrier could act in bad faith when they receive a claim, but it covers common bad faith practices. You can always reach out to an injury attorney who can advise you on the specifics of your situation.

Background On GEICO Insurance

GEICO began as a mom-and-pop startup in the 1930s during the Great Depression. From that husband-and-wife team in Texas, the Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO) grew into a massive insurance corporation with more than 17 million policies as of 2019.

GEICO offers automobile insurance policies in every state and the District of Columbia. More than 40,000 employees work for GEICO at its many locations. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett’s company. With assets of more than $32 billion, GEICO is financially strong.

What To Do If GEICO Denies Your Truck Accident Claim

You can contact Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation if you feel that GEICO denied your injury claim improperly. We are not afraid to take on tough cases and will seek the maximum recovery in your truck accident case. Call us for guidance on the next steps in your potential case.