You pay your premiums like clockwork. Month after month, year after year. So when a crash, a fall, an assault, or a serious injury flips your life upside down, you expect your insurance company to step up. But many people find out the hard way that the promise and reality do not always match.
At Johnnie Bond Law, we’ve seen how insurers stall, play word games, and push people into unfair deals. We understand the tactics insurers often rely on, and we dig until we find the facts that support your recovery.
What is Insurance Bad Faith?
Insurance is a contract. You hold up your end by paying premiums and giving honest information. In return, the insurer is supposed to treat you fairly and reasonably handle your claim. That is the “good faith” part, plain and simple.
Bad faith occurs when the insurer breaks that trust by handling your claim unfairly. It may look like refusing to pay a valid claim, dragging things out with no real reason, or skipping a real investigation so they can say “no” faster. It’s not about a company making one small mistake. It’s about a pattern of unfair handling that causes you harm, financially and emotionally.
Here’s the core idea: when an insurer acts unfairly on purpose, or with reckless disregard, you may have grounds to take action beyond the original claim.
Common Signs of Bad Faith Tactics
Insurance problems rarely start with a big neon sign that says “we’re acting unfairly.” It usually starts with small frustrations that build into bigger damage. If you feel like you’re stuck in a loop, you’re not imagining it.
A quick way to think about it: a normal claim moves forward even if it takes time. A bad-faith situation feels like the insurer is using time as a weapon.
Unreasonable Delays
A delay here and there can happen, sure. But when weeks turn into months with no decision, no meaningful updates, and no clear timeline, that’s a red flag. Some insurers “lose” paperwork, bounce you between departments, or keep asking for the same documents again and again. Meanwhile, your bills keep coming. If the delay feels like a tactic rather than a hiccup, it may be more than poor service.
Inadequate Investigation
A fair claim process means the insurer actually looks at what happened. That includes reviewing medical records, statements, photos, videos, and the full background of the incident. Bad faith shows up when they do the bare minimum, then deny the claim like it’s settled. Sometimes they ignore witnesses. Sometimes they skip important medical details. Sometimes they act like your injuries are no big deal without talking to the right providers.
Lowball Offers
This one hits people right in the stress. You’re hurt, you’re missing work, and you just want things to settle down. Then the offer comes in, and it’s insulting. A low offer might ignore future medical care, therapy, follow-up visits, lost earning capacity, or the real impact on your daily life. And the pressure can feel gross: “Take it now, or we might offer less later.” If the offer doesn’t match the facts, it may be a deliberate squeeze.
Misrepresenting Policy Language
Insurance policies can be confusing on purpose, and some companies use that to their advantage. They might cherry-pick a phrase, twist a definition, or act like an exclusion applies when it really doesn’t. If you keep hearing “that’s not covered” but nobody can point to a clear reason, pay attention. A fair insurer explains coverage in plain terms and shows you where they’re getting it from.
Refusal to Explain Denials
If an insurer denies your claim, you should get a clear written reason. Not vague statements. Not boilerplate language that says nothing. A refusal to explain or a denial that feels like a copy-and-paste job can be a sign that they never truly evaluated your situation. You deserve to know what they relied on, what they ignored, and what they claim is missing.
When to File a Bad Faith Claim
Most people don’t jump straight into a bad-faith case. You usually try to make the original claim work first. But there’s a point where “being patient” turns into “getting played.” If an insurer’s conduct is blocking your medical care, wrecking your finances, or pushing you toward an unfair settlement, it may be time to take stronger action.
Before we get into the common turning points, here are a few simple habits that help protect you from day one:
- Keep every letter, email, and claim portal message
- Save medical bills, receipts, and pharmacy records
- Write down the date, time, and name after every phone call
- Take screenshots of important online updates
Those steps sound basic, but they can matter a lot later.
Exhausting Initial Channels
Most insurers have internal appeals or review processes. You may submit additional documents, request a supervisor review, or request a written reconsideration. If you do that and the insurer still ignores you, refuses to respond, or keeps shifting the goalposts, that’s when bad faith starts to feel very real. The point is not to “ask nicely forever.” The point is to give a fair chance, then hold them responsible when they refuse to act fairly.
Documenting the Friction
Bad faith cases live and die on proof. Not vibes. Not frustration alone. So we always tell people: document the friction. Keep a simple log that tracks the full pattern, because patterns are hard for insurers to explain away.
A solid paper trail often includes:
- Claim number and adjuster details
- Every request the insurer made, and your response date
- Every delay, missed deadline, or “we never got that” moment
- Notes on what they said, and what they refused to say
It’s a little annoying, but it can be powerful. Even a messy notebook helps, honestly.
The Impact on Recovery
Here’s where it stops being an office problem and becomes a health problem. If an insurer’s delay is preventing you from getting tests, treatment, surgery, rehab, therapy, or follow-up care, you’re paying the price with your body. That is not acceptable. The whole point of insurance is to help you recover, not to trap you in limbo while your condition gets worse. If you’re skipping care because the insurer “hasn’t decided yet,” it may be time for legal pressure.
Seeking Justice in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia? Contact Us Today
Big insurance companies have teams, systems, and playbooks. If you feel like you’re being treated unfairly, you shouldn’t have to take them on alone. We’re here for people across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia who want straight answers and real advocacy.
When you reach out to Johnnie Bond Law, we don’t treat you like a case number. We listen. We learn what happened. We help you build a plan that supports your medical recovery and your financial stability. Then we hold the right parties accountable, including an insurer that refuses to act fairly.
If your claim has been delayed, denied without a real explanation, or pushed into a low offer that doesn’t cover what you need, let’s talk. Call (202) 683-6803 to speak with us, or use our Contact Us page to set up a time that works for you.