Raizner Slania has filed a bad faith insurance lawsuit on behalf of a local hotel owner against Scottsdale Insurance Company after its wind and hail damage claim was wrongfully denied under Texas law.
January 2016 Wind and Hail Storm
On January 8, 2016, a severe wind and hail storm swept through Harris County, causing significant damage to the roof, interior, and exterior of the plaintiff’s hotel property. Immediately upon discovering the damage, the plaintiff filed an insurance claim with Scottsdale and asked the cost of repairs be covered pursuant to the policy.
In response to the claim, Scottsdale assigned adjusters, consultants, and agents to plaintiff’s file that were inadequate and improperly trained and that would violate standard insurance practices when directed to do so by Scottsdale.
Specifically, Scottsdale assigned the claim to an adjuster who failed to perform a thorough investigation of the damage. Scottsdale refused to hire qualified experts to appropriately assess the damage. In February 2017, Scottsdale wrongfully underpaid and denied the plaintiff’s claim.
Scottsdale represented to the plaintiff that certain damages were not covered under the policy, when in fact they were; and the insurer continued to deny timely payment to cover the cost of the damages. Because of this, the plaintiff was forced to hire their own consultant to independently evaluate the damages to the property.
The repeated delays of payments subjected the plaintiff to significant economic impact and physical damages. Because of Scottsdale’s delays, denials, and underpayment, the plaintiff has been unable to make necessary repairs to the property, which has resulted in further property damage and additional financial harm from loss of revenue.
Scottsdale Violated The Texas Insurance Code
Our client alleges numerous violations of the Texas Insurance Code, including the failure to effectuate a prompt, fair, and equitable settlement of a claim and the failure to provide a reasonable explanation for the denial of a claim.
Harris County Bad Faith Insurance Lawyers
Policyholders deserve to receive their rightful payments under their insurance policies. The experienced Harris County bad faith insurance lawyers at Raizner Slania have helped hotel owners across Houston and throughout Texas get their rightful payments from agencies and insurance companies operating in bad faith. If your insurance company wrongfully delayed or denied your claim, contact us today for a free consultation.