Insurance Myth #2: If I cash my insurance company’s initial payment check, then I cannot continue to fight for more money.
We get this question all the time. A client reports a claim to their insurance company and the company issues a small check that is not enough to pay for the damage. The client then contacts us to help get them more money. Their first questions is, can I cash the small check I’ve already received? The answer is “yes”, unless the insurance company conditioned the check on a release of the claim – which would be a bad faith and improper insurance claim practice.
Insurance companies are OBLIGATED to pay you any amounts that are uncontested. And they are required to do so unconditionally. Meaning, they must pay you what they’ve determined you are owed without any strings attached. You then have the right to supplement the claim with more information and evidence of your damages to obtain an additional, higher payment.
If your insurance company tries to get you to sign a release, then DO NOT CASH THE CHECK. DO NOT SIGN THE RELEASE. AND CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY. This is a bad faith insurance practice by the insurance company. Our insurance claim attorneys will get you that money without any strings attached. And we will help get you the rest of the money you deserve.
Contact us today if you’ve experienced damage to your home or suspect that your insurance company has operated in bad faith.