Automobile insurance: As much as you may not want to pay that bill every month, it is DC law to have auto 
insurance if you drive within the District. Plus, it provides peace of mind. If you’re in a car accident in Washington, DC, you’ll be covered because you have car insurance. Or… at least… that’s what you think.
Despite the fact that you pay your car insurance bill every month and despite the fact that you have rarely used it or have never used it at all, your insurance company will do just about anything to deny a claim and wiggle away from compensating you for an accident – even if it isn’t your fault. And they’re counting on one thing: that you won’t get a lawyer who knows the laws inside out who will force them uphold their legal duty to you, their loyal customer.
Why Did My Insurance Company Deny My Claim?
The claim denial process starts long before an accident occurs. Remember that document with pages and pages of fine print that you overlooked when you purchased your insurance? Your insurance company has a team of lawyers that work to specifically insert provisions that lead you to believe they can rightfully deny coverage. Here’s the thing: in most cases, they can’t.
For example: many policies say that in the case of a hit and run uninsured motorist claim, the claim is not valid unless there is a contract between the vehicles or unless the insured reports the loss to the police within 24 hours of the event. The real truth is that neither provision is enforceable in a Washington, DC car accident. The Insurance Commission approves these policies even though it allows insurers to dupe the public out of coverage. Even more disheartening: your insurance company is counting on your lack of knowledge to help them get away with denying your own claim!
Claim Denied: How the Insurance Company Will Try NOT to Pay
Quiz Time: If your insurance company denies your claim, your next move will be to:
A. Accept the insurance company’s decision.
B. Appeal the insurance company’s decision
C. Get a lawyer
The answers, in most cases are either A or B, and with B, the appeal rarely ends in the victim’s favor. However, the answer should always be C. Get a lawyer. Even better, get a qualified car accident lawyer immediately after your accident so you don’t have to handle the insurance company on your own.
Is it Too Late to Get a Car Accident Lawyer?
If you have already submitted your claim or an appeal, it isn’t too late to get a car accident attorney in DC to help with your case. With more than 40 years of experience in standing up successfully to insurance companies for his clients, car accident attorney Larry Lapidus prides himself on helping car accident victims in Washington, DC and Maryland. If your insurance company has denied your claim or if you have been involved in a car accident in Washington, DC or Maryland, call The Lapidus Law Firm now so we can help at (202) 785-5111.