How to Request an Insurance Coverage Limits Letter for an Accident in Massachusetts

Insurance companies are infamously stressful to deal with. In accident cases, you might need to know your policy limits when negotiating a settlement. An insurance coverage limits letter can help you determine how much coverage you have.

After an accident, your insurance policy might cover your injuries and damages, and we need to know these limits to effectively negotiate for a good settlement. We can request a coverage limits letter from the insurance company explaining the maximum amount of coverage you have. In many cases, the insured person (i.e., you) must make the request, as your consent is necessary for the insurance company to release this information. These limits are important to know because insurance companies are often liable for payment if your claims are covered and damages are within the policy limits. If the insurance company refuses to send a letter, we can take legal action, alleging they are dealing in bad faith.

Schedule a claim assessment with our Massachusetts personal injury attorneys by calling the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407.

Requesting an Insurance Coverage Limits Letter for an Accident Case in Massachusetts

While many people have some form of insurance, they might not have had to request an insurance coverage limit letter. Essentially, this letter is a formal statement from your insurance provider explaining the maximum limits of your insurance policy. For example, you might have auto insurance with a maximum policy limit of $500,000. Insurance companies are not liable to pay for damages above this limit, even if you have excess damages and costs from an accident.

Requesting an insurance coverage limits letter ideally should be relatively simple. You are generally entitled to information about your insurance policy, including the maximum limit. The key is to contact your insurance company and follow the proper channels to get the letter. In many cases, insurance companies will not issue the letter without your consent, even if the person making the request is your attorney.

If the insurance company refuses to send the letter, our Boston personal injury attorneys can investigate as to why. Since customers usually have a right to know such information, the insurance company needs a very good reason why they would deny you. Often, they know you have a claim and are trying to avoid paying it, which may be considered dealing in bad faith.

What to Say to Insurance Companies When Demanding an Insurance Coverage Limits Letter in Massachusetts

Communications with insurance companies are rarely simple. You should be very careful with what you say and how you say it. When requesting a letter regarding your insurance coverage limits, you must do so through the channels required by the insurance company. An attorney can advise you on how to conduct yourself with the insurance company if you are unsure.

While insurance companies provide customers with details about their policies, this information is considered private and heavily guarded. As such, insurance companies only disclose such information with your consent. If you want your attorney to make the request, you might need to provide them with some sort of notice that you approve of your information being disclosed.

Why Are Insurance Coverage Limits Letters Important in Massachusetts Accident Cases?

Insurance coverage limits letters are important because we need to know the limits of your policy when we negotiate a settlement with the insurance company. We can send policy limit demand letters to the insurance company to help you get the maximum compensation possible for your accident.

As briefly touched on before, insurance companies are usually liable to pay for damages covered by your policy up to the policy limit. Once we establish that your policy covers your injuries and that your damages meet or exceed the policy limits, we can send a demand letter for the full value of your insurance policy.

The insurance coverage limits letter is crucial because it is a form of official documentation from the insurance company regarding your policy and its limits. This letter is crucial in our case with the insurance company to get your damages paid for.

What Happens if the Insurance Company Refuses to Send a Coverage Limits Letter in Massachusetts?

Alert your attorney immediately if your insurance company refuses to send you a coverage limits letter. Information about your insurance policy, including coverage limits, should not be kept from you without a very good reason. Often, insurance companies willingly hand this information over to clients, as insurance limits are part of the terms of the agreement between you and the insurance company. While we cannot say for sure right away, this might be a sign of bad faith dealings.

Bad faith dealings essentially involve insurance companies refusing to play fair, often in unlawful ways. Withholding or misrepresenting information to the customer’s detriment is a classic example of bad faith. The insurance company might be anticipating our next move, which is to demand payment on your policy. The insurance company might be stalling so they can have more time to investigate or drum up evidence to discredit your claims.

After the insurance company refuses to cooperate, your attorney can step in and help you. Simply having a lawyer by your side might be enough to pressure the insurance company into playing by the rules and paying your policy. If not, we can take legal action and sue them for bad faith dealings. In such cases, you can demand the compensation under your policy they should have paid in the first place and additional compensation for the bad faith dealings.

Contact Our Massachusetts Personal Injury Attorneys to Get Help

Schedule a claim assessment with our Chelsea personal injury attorneys by calling the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407.