The Oklahoma Insurance Department and Bad Faith Insurance Claims
We rely heavily on insurance to pay out on claims for a variety of risks in our life—from medical bills to property damage. Insurance is designed to protect you from the unexpected when tragedy strikes.
Every insurance company in Oklahoma is required to enter into an agreement with you and investigate your claim in good faith. If the investigation reveals that your insurance coverage should apply, then they should also payout on their policies as required by the insurance contract with you. Your policy requires that the insurance company handles the claim a certain way, and it requires that they pay your claim promptly.
When claims are not handled appropriately, that might give rise to a bad faith insurance claim. In this type of claim, you assert that the insurance company did not investigate properly or denied your claim even though it should be covered.
The Oklahoma Insurance Department
The Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) regulates insurance companies that operate in this state. It protects consumers and promotes a competitive insurance marketplace. They also license and educate insurance providers and adjusters, as well. Their mission is to “protect and enhance the financial security of Oklahoma and Oklahomans.”
Filing an Insurance Complaint
As part of the services they provide to consumers, the Oklahoma Insurance Department provides a complaint process that is available if you feel that your insurance company has wrongfully denied or handled your insurance claim. Their complaint process applies to a wide variety of insurance types, including:
- Workers’ compensation
- Automobile
- Homeowners’ coverage
- Life
- Health
- Service warranty
- Title insurance
To file a complaint, you simply provide the contact information for the insurance company and a description of the problem. You should also attach copies of the insurance policies, riders, letters, and any other supporting documents.
Getting Help with an OID Complaint
Brown & Gould, PLLC can help with filing your administrative complaint with the OID. Having the right information and a good explanation of what happened will increase the likelihood that your complaint is successful.
Our team can also help you assert a bad faith insurance complaint outside of the administrative process, as well. You do not have to start with the OID if you would rather go straight to an Oklahoma judge to tell your story. We can help you decide which option is right for your situation. Call today for more information or to schedule an appointment with a member of our team, 405-235-4500.