Trying to negotiate with an insurance company can feel like a “David and Goliath” scenario.

Many people pay insurance premiums for years, only to find that when they make a claim under their policy, the insurance company denies them coverage. To make matters more difficult, insurance companies often have teams of adjusters and in-house lawyers whose role is to fight insurance claims and to minimize what the insurance company pays. For that reason, many people find that dealing with an insurance company after a significant loss is like adding insult to injury.

Insurance policies are not like ordinary contracts. Legally, your insurance company owes you a duty to treat you with the utmost of good faith. If you have made an insurance claim and feel like you are not being treated fairly, you may want to discuss your options with one of our lawyers. There are many scenarios where you may encounter difficulties with an insurance company, including:

• Home Insurance – Water leaks, sewer backups or fires can all result in significant loss and damage. Sometimes however, insurance companies deny coverage for your loss, stating that it is not covered under the terms of your policy. What is covered by your insurance may be difficult to understand, especially since insurance policies contain technical language and often have long, convoluted lists of exclusions. Furthermore, insurance companies may refuse to cover your loss by stating that some change you made to your home was a “material change” which you failed to disclose to them.

•  Life Insurance – The death of a loved one is difficult enough without an insurance company refusing to honour its obligations under the policy. Insurers may refuse to pay by alleging that the cause of death was not covered, or that the pre-existing conditions were not disclosed when the deceased applied for coverage. After losing someone they care about, many people simply cannot face a dispute with an insurance company. Our lawyers are ready to help in a respectful and caring manner while dealing with the insurer in a direct and firm way.

• Travel Medical Insurance – “Snowbirds” and other travellers routinely purchase travel medical insurance so that if they are injured or become ill outside of Canada they do not have to pay for medical care out of pocket. However, when they have to make a claim, many travellers find that their insurance companies deny them coverage on the basis that they didn’t disclose an illness or injury that they may have had years ago. Out of country healthcare and medical treatment are extremely expensive, so even a short stay in hospital can quickly add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

If you believe your insurance company is not treating you fairly or is wrongfully denying your claim, let us help. Call us today to find out what your options are.

Lawyers who practice in this area: Max Russmann,

Robert Ross

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