Practice Areas
- Car Accidents & Injuries
- Tractor Trailer Accidents
- Drunk Driving Accidents
- Uninsured Motorist Claims
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Insurance Claim Denials
- Construction Accidents & Injuries
- Virginia Workers Compensation
- Nursing Home & Assisted Living Abuse
- Wrongful Death
Blog 
Car Accidents & Injuries
- Car accident alert: is your infant safe?
- The Top 5 Causes of Virginia Traffic Accidents
- How is Virginia’s transportation budget battle going to affect you?
- Motorcyclist pays the ultimate price on the GW Parkway
- Do laws banning cell phone use while driving really work?
- The US Government decides to further investigate Jeep Liberty defect
- Rollover risks – how safe is your SUV?
- Car Accident Deaths Increase Starting At Age 12
- New car seat rating system launched
- So long, abusive driving fees!
Tractor Trailer Accidents
- Causes of Large Truck Crashes
- Is your life at risk from a medically unfit driver?
- Distracted Tractor-Trailer Driver Takes Two Lives
Drunk Driving Accidents
- The Effect of Minimum Legal Drinking Age Laws and Drunk Driving Accidents
- Getting high-risk drunk drivers off the road
- Back road drunks – beware!
- Two drunk drivers slam into construction equipment, kill worker
Motorcycle Accidents
Insurance Claim Denials
Virginia Workers Compensation
Nursing Home & Assisted Living Abuse
Wrongful Death
General
- New Virginia DUI Law Takes Effect January 1, 2008
- Mandatory arbitration – good for business, bad for you
- Is your car watching you?
- Have you talked to your teenage driver about auto safety?
Firm News
- Car Crash Kills One and Injuries Four Other Victims
- Study Finds that 13% of Seniors are Mistreated
- Five Teens Died in Car Accidents during National Teen Driver Safety Week
- Settlement in Wrongful Death Case Reached
- Accidents on Va. 151
- Henrico Car Crash Kills Driver
- Fairfax County Police Worried About Motorcycle Traffic
- Virginia State Police Trooper Continues to Recover From Drunk Driving Accident
- Drivers With Prior DWI Convictions Pose Greatest Risk of Fatal Crashes
- Woman Dies In Weekend Motorcycle Crash
Library
Car Accidents & Injuries
- 8 Things You Should do After a Car Accident
- Focus on Infants: Is Your Child Passenger Safe?
- The Top 5 Causes of Traffic Accidents by Age Group
Tractor Trailer Accidents
- Study Examines Causes of Large Truck Accidents
- Are Medically Unfit Bus and Truck Drivers Endangering Your Life?
- The Deadly Facts about Tractor Trailer Accidents
Drunk Driving Accidents
- Drunk Driving Accidents and Minimum Legal Drinking Age
- The Problem of High-Risk Drunk Drivers in Fatal Crashes
- How Would Lowering the Drinking Age Affect Teen Drivers?
Uninsured Motorist Claims
Motorcycle Accidents
- Are Gas Prices Affecting Motorcycle Safety?
- Are Motorcycles Getting Deadlier?
- Motorcyclists – How to Protect Yourself on the Road
Insurance Claim Denials
- Car Insurance Claim Denials
- Help! My Insurance Claim was Denied!
- Are You Really in Good Hands with Allstate?
Construction Accidents & Injuries
Virginia Workers Compensation
Nursing Home & Assisted Living Abuse
Wrongful Death
General
Help! My Insurance Claim was Denied!
Being involved in an accident is bad enough, but finding out that your insurance company is refusing to cover the costs of your accident is downright awful. If you find yourself caught in this unfortunate situation then take heart – you’re not the first person this has happened to. Insurance companies are notorious for doing everything in their power to deny claims and save themselves as much money as possible. The amount of financial power the insurance industry has is disturbing, and sometimes it seems as thought they forget the reason we all buy insurance in the first place!
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to evaluate why your claim was denied. There could be a simple explanation, or you might find that you’ll need to fight the insurance company’s denial with state regulators or with the help of an attorney.
Why was my insurance claim denied?
First of all, try to understand exactly why your insurance claim was denied. Here are some things to look for:
- You aren’t actually covered because you are driving a new car and you never told the insurance company about it within the proper time frame. Insurance companies typically have a period of time within which you must notify them that you’ve traded in your old car for a new one or bought a new car outright. If you fail to let them know, your claim will be denied because you simply weren’t covered.
- You are not covered by the insurance policy. If you were driving the car when the accident happened but you aren’t a named insured on the policy – and you have no other insurance coverage yourself, then the insurance company won’t cover the claim. This happens often when teenagers crash Mom or Dad’s car and they aren’t listed as a driver with the insurance company.
- Your coverage has lapsed. This is probably the simplest mistake to make. Always make sure you keep your insurance policy up-to-date and pay your premiums on time!
- You don’t actually have coverage for the type of claim you’re trying to make. One good example is if you’re driving an older vehicle and decided against purchasing collision coverage because it is so expensive. Well, if you damage your car, you won’t receive coverage for the damage because you don’t pay for that type of insurance. Make sure you understand exactly what your policy covers, and what it does not.
- You made the wrong type of claim. For example, you claimed that you were hit by an uninsured motorist, but the other party was in fact insured.
- Your claim could be denied if the amount of damage exceeds your policy limits. Your insurance company may not cover the excess.
My claim should not have been denied – now what?
If you’ve looked at all the reasons why your claim might have been denied and none apply to you, then it is time to take action. What can you do to fight the mighty insurance company? Here are some tips:
- Take the easy approach to start – simply write back to the insurance company and explain why you think your claim was wrongly denied. Be sure to provide supporting documentation and keep records of everything you send to them.
- If that doesn’t work, you can appeal the insurance company’s decision to the Virginia State Insurance Commissioner.
- If you think you need help fighting the insurance company, you can always hire a skilled attorney to help you with your claim. Be sure to look for a law firm that specializes in insurance claim denials.
If you’re not sure what to do about your denied insurance claim, please give us a call. We’ll be happy to discuss the details of your situation with you to see if we can help.
DULANEY, LAUER & THOMAS, LLP
Warrenton Office
98 Alexandria Pike, Suite 11
Warrenton, VA 20186
Toll Free: 888.907.2631
Local: 540.349.2631
Culpeper Office
209 N. West Street
Culpeper, VA 22701
Toll Free: 800.741.1012
Local: 540.825.6046
Free Case Evaluation
Dulaney, Lauer & Thomas, LLP
98 Alexandria Pike
Suite 11
Warrenton, VA 20186
Phone: 888-907-2631
DULANEY, LAUER &
THOMAS, LLP
Warrenton Office
98 Alexandria Pike
Suite 11
Warrenton, VA 20186
Toll Free: 888.907.2631
Local: 540.349.2631
Get Directions
Culpeper Office
209 N. West Street
Culpeper, VA 22701
Toll Free: 800.741.1012
Local: 540.825.6046
Get Directions
Our Attorneys
Resources
- Car Accidents & Injuries
- Tractor Trailer Accidents
- Drunk Driving Accidents
- Insurance Claim Denials
- Virginia Workers Compensation
- Nursing Home & Assisted Living Abuse
- Wrongful Death
- General
FAQ
Car Accidents & Injuries
- Why hire a lawyer? Can't I just resolve this matter with the insurance company on my own?
- Does an injury case require an attorney who "specializes" in personal injury law?
- If I hire an attorney will that prolong the resolution of my case or guarantee that it goes to trial?
Uninsured Motorist Claims
- I was injured by a "hit and run" driver who fled the scene and whose identity is unknown. Do I have a case? Against whom?
- My auto insurance policy has "uninsured motorist" coverage. What is this?
Insurance Claim Denials
Construction Accidents & Injuries
- I was struck by a bulldozer while working on a construction site and seriously injured my leg. Who is liable?
- Will pursuing a lawsuit for a construction accident injury jeopardize my rights to workers compensation?