Adding Insult to Injury: Insurance Bad Faith After a Car Accident
McPhillips Fitzgerald Cullum LLP • January 15, 2020

January 15, 2020

Adding Insult to Injury: Insurance Bad Faith After a Car Accident

It is not unusual for auto insurance companies to deny or underpay claims whenever they can get away with it. If you are dealing with an at-fault driver’s insurance company, it will try to prove that you were to blame or partially to blame, or that your injuries were caused by something else or not nearly as serious as you claim. The list goes on and on, and it’s really just standard operating procedure for the insurance companies. But, sometimes the insurance companies go too far and get askew of the law, operating in bad faith. If that is happening to you, you may be able to recover damages above and beyond the value of your original claim.

Our Florida auto accident attorneys have in-depth knowledge of insurance bad faith, how to spot it and what to do about it. If you think your insurance company or the other driver’s carrier is trying to cheat you, call us today for a free consultation.

What is Bad Faith?

Insurance companies have to honor the promises made in their contracts. They also have some specific duties set out in state law. Yes, they’ll do what they can to pay you as little as possible, but there are limits to what behavior is acceptable. Examples of bad faith include:

  • Failure to communicate promptly about your claim
  • Failure to investigate your claim in a timely manner
  • Denying your claim without investigation or with a substandard investigation
  • Denying your claim without a reasonable explanation
  • Making an unreasonably low offer compared to your damages

When you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, you need an experienced auto accident attorney on your side to fight for full and fair compensation and to handle issues of bad faith when dealing with the insurance companies. Call McPhillips Fitzgerald & Cullum LLP, today or email us to schedule your free initial consultation.

Why Some Injury Claims Take Longer Than 
lawyer discussion with client gavel pen and law scale on the table
By shreya kapoor February 15, 2026
When an accident causes serious harm, many people expect injury claims to resolve quickly. Delays can be frustrating, especially as medical expenses and lost income continue to grow. In reality, the timeline for resolving injury claims varies widely depending on several important factors, and a longer process does not necessarily mean something has gone wrong. Established in 1911, […] The post Why Some Injury Claims Take Longer Than Others to Resolve appeared first on McPhillips, Fitzgerald & Cullum LLP.
A person wearing a neck brace and arm sling sits at a desk with paperwork and a pen.
By content.team January 15, 2026
A letter denying an injury claim can be frightening, especially as medical bills mount and missed paychecks add up. For people in Glens Falls and Chestertown, New York, and Miami Shores, Florida, a denied insurance claim after a product-related accident often raises urgent questions about what to do next.  McPhillips, Fitzgerald & Cullum LLP has represented clients in the […] The post What Happens When An Insurance Company Denies Your Injury Claim appeared first on McPhillips, Fitzgerald & Cullum LLP.
A person holding their head in pain after stepping out of a blue car with a deployed airbag and smoke in the background.
By content.team December 15, 2025
After a motor vehicle accident, many people assume that only the drivers involved can be held responsible. In reality, a careless company, property owner, or government entity may also contribute to the crash. McPhillips, Fitzgerald & Cullum LLP, established in 1911, is the longest-serving law firm in the Greater Glens Falls region and holds Martindale-Hubbell’s highest AV rating for […] The post Third-Party Liability: When Someone Other Than The Driver Is To Blame appeared first on McPhillips, Fitzgerald & Cullum LLP.
Show More →