Primary Location
Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyers
2700 N Central Ave Suite 320, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States
Phone: (602) 905-7766
Call us at (855) 855-8910
Call us at (855) 855-8910
In Phoenix, denied or delayed insurance claims leave families stuck with bills they can't pay. When your insurer refuses to honor a valid policy, that's bad faith. Our attorneys at The Simon Law Group fight to recover the full benefits your policy promises. If you're dealing with a bad faith insurer in Maricopa County, contact us for a free case review.
Bad faith insurance happens when an insurer denies, delays, or underpays a valid claim without a reasonable basis. Arizona's A.R.S. § 20-461 protects policyholders from unfair claims practices [1].
Common examples include:
Phoenix residents can file a bad faith lawsuit to recover policy benefits plus emotional distress and punitive damages. You don't have to accept what the insurance company tells you. Arizona law gives you the right to push back. Our insurance attorneys in Phoenix know exactly how.
You pay premiums for a reason. You expect your insurer to cover valid claims when something goes wrong. But some insurance companies don't play fair.
Here's what we tell clients to watch for:
A.R.S. § 20-461 spells out what insurers can't do when handling claims [1]. It lists specific unfair practices, from misrepresenting policy terms to refusing to investigate before denying a claim.
One thing people don't realize is how common these tactics become during high-volume claim periods. Monsoon season and wildfire smoke damage drive a surge of claims across the Valley every summer. Insurers sometimes stall during these periods, hoping policyholders give up or accept less.
If any of this sounds familiar, don't wait. The longer you let the insurer control the process, the harder it gets to push back.
Bad faith claims come in two forms. Knowing which type applies shapes the legal strategy and the damages you can pursue.
This is a claim against your own insurance company. You've been paying premiums. You filed a valid claim. And your insurer denied it, delayed it, or offered far less than you deserve.
First-party bad faith covers all types of personal policies: auto insurance, homeowner coverage, health plans, and disability policies. If your own insurer is the one giving you trouble, this is the path forward.
This involves someone else's insurance company. Say you're hurt in a car accident on the I-10 or the Loop 101. The at-fault driver's insurer refuses to cover your injuries fairly. That's third-party bad faith.
Third-party claims are common after Phoenix car accidents. The other driver's insurer has every reason to minimize your payout. They don't work for you, and they'll fight to protect their bottom line.
Which type applies matters. Our insurance litigation lawyers in Phoenix tailor the strategy based on what evidence you need, what damages you can recover, and how we build your case.
Bad faith doesn't just happen with one kind of policy. Insurance companies cut corners across every type of coverage. Here are the disputes we see most often in Phoenix:
Each type of policy comes with its own rules and deadlines. But the principle is the same. Your insurer owes you fair treatment under Arizona law. When they don't deliver, you have the right to hold them accountable.
Arizona is one of the stronger states for policyholders fighting bad faith. The law gives you real leverage against dishonest insurers.
Arizona allows compensatory damages, emotional distress damages, and punitive damages in bad faith cases. Punitive damages are the big one. They punish insurers whose conduct is especially dishonest or harmful.
That means you can recover more than just the money your insurer should have paid. You can also pursue compensation for the financial stress, anxiety, and hardship their misconduct caused.
Arcadia and Biltmore homeowners often deal with high-value property claims that insurers try to undervalue. And across Phoenix, families with denied health or disability claims face real financial pressure while the insurer drags its feet.
Our attorneys secured an $850,000 settlement for a client whose insurer disputed causation and pointed to minimal property damage as an excuse to deny fair compensation. Insurers use these tactics because they work on people who don't fight back.
A strong case puts pressure on the insurer early. Most bad faith cases settle before trial because insurers know what a jury verdict could cost them. With over $750 million recovered for clients and over 250 years of combined legal experience, The Simon Law Group brings the kind of track record that gets attention at the negotiating table.
Your evidence is what turns a frustrating experience into a winning case. Start collecting it now, even before you talk to a lawyer.
Save everything. Every letter, email, and voicemail from your insurer matters. If you had phone calls, write down the date, who you spoke with, and what they said. Screenshot your online claim portal if the status keeps changing.
Request your full claims file. Arizona law entitles you to a copy of your complete claims file. This includes internal notes, adjuster reports, and communications about your claim. What's in that file often reveals exactly where the insurer acted in bad faith.
Document your losses. Medical bills, repair estimates, out-of-pocket costs, lost wages. Keep organized records of everything the insurer should be covering.
Don't accept a quick offer. If the insurer suddenly offers a settlement after months of delay, don't sign anything without legal review. Quick offers after long delays are often a red flag.
You can also research your insurer's complaint history through the NAIC's Consumer Insurance Search tool, which tracks complaint data for carriers nationwide [3].
Maricopa County Superior Court handles most bad faith trials in Arizona. Your case needs to be ready for that courtroom, even if it settles before you get there.
When an insurer acts in bad faith, you're not limited to the amount they should have paid under your policy. Arizona law opens the door to several categories of damages.
Policy benefits. The money your insurer should have paid from the start. This is the baseline of every bad faith case.
Consequential damages. Medical bills that piled up, wages you lost while waiting for coverage, credit damage from unpaid bills. These cover the real-world fallout from the insurer's misconduct.
Emotional distress. Being jerked around by your own insurance company takes a toll. Arizona courts recognize that bad faith causes anxiety, stress, and sleepless nights. You can recover for that.
Punitive damages. When the insurer's conduct is especially egregious, a jury can award punitive damages on top of everything else. This isn't about making you whole. It's about making the insurer pay for how they treated you.
In one case involving a disputed liability claim, our legal team secured a $5.5 million settlement for an elderly woman struck by a commercial vehicle who suffered a traumatic brain injury. When insurers fight valid claims, our settlement lawyers serving Phoenix fight back harder.
Ahwatukee and Chandler residents file in Maricopa County alongside Phoenix claimants. Your location in the Valley doesn't change your right to pursue the full range of damages.
A denial letter is not the end. It's the starting point for fighting back. Here's what to do.
Step 1: Don't accept a lowball offer or sign a release. Once you sign, you give up your right to pursue more. Read everything carefully before you agree to anything.
Step 2: Document the denial. Save the denial letter and any explanation the insurer provides. Note dates, claim numbers, and the names of adjusters involved.
Step 3: File a complaint with the Arizona Department of Insurance. The Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI) accepts consumer complaints against insurers [2]. Filing a complaint creates an official record of the dispute.
Step 4: Call a Phoenix bad faith insurance lawyer. A free case review costs you nothing and gives you a clear picture of your options. Our attorneys at The Simon Law Group are available 24/7 and work on contingency. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
How long does this take? Most bad faith cases in Arizona resolve within 12 to 18 months. More complex cases involving large policy amounts or multiple parties can take longer. But the process starts the moment you reach out to our Phoenix personal injury practice.
Our Phoenix office at 2700 N Central Ave, Suite 320 meets clients in person or by video for residents anywhere in the Valley.
Insurance companies count on policyholders giving up. We don't let that happen. Here are some results our attorneys have secured for clients whose claims were disputed.
Our attorneys took a soft tissue injury case to trial after the insurance company's final offer was just $12,500. The jury returned a verdict of nearly $50,000, more than doubling what the insurer tried to settle for.
In a light-impact rear-end collision at just 2 to 3 MPH, the insurance company disputed our client's injuries and blamed pre-existing conditions. Our attorneys fought back and secured a jury verdict of over $256,000.
When an insurance company tried to minimize a light-impact rear-end collision, our legal team took the case to trial. The jury returned a verdict of over $1.1 million for our client's shoulder and lower back injuries.
Every case is different. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Our attorneys have handled personal injury cases across Arizona and California. We know how Phoenix insurance companies operate, and we know how to push back.
That number reflects real results for real families — medical bills paid, lost wages recovered, and futures protected.
You pay nothing upfront. Our fee comes out of your settlement or verdict. If we do not win your case, you owe us nothing.
Accidents do not follow business hours. Neither do we. Call (602) 905-7766 any time — nights, weekends, and holidays.
Our Phoenix team works out of 2700 N Central Ave, Suite 320. We know the roads, the courts, and the insurance adjusters you are up against.
“After a crash, you need a team that answers the phone, explains your options, and fights for every dollar you are owed. That is what we do at The Simon Law Group.”
Over 250 years of combined attorney experience
Phoenix office at 2700 N Central Ave, Suite 320 |
Licensed in Arizona and California
Crashes caused by impaired or drunk drivers
Whiplash, back injuries, and low-speed collision claims
Hit-and-run crashes and unidentified driver claims
Serious injuries from head-on and wrong-way crashes
High-speed crashes on Phoenix freeways and surface streets
Denying, delaying, or underpaying a valid claim without a reasonable basis violates A.R.S. § 20-461. Examples include refusing to investigate, misrepresenting your policy terms, and offering far less than a claim is worth.
Yes. First-party bad faith claims let you hold your own insurer accountable under Arizona law. This applies to auto, home, health, disability, and other personal policies.
Denial letters, your complete claim file records, medical documentation, and all written or recorded communications with the insurer. Request your claims file right away. Arizona law entitles you to it.
Arizona's statute of limitations for bad faith claims is typically two years from the date of the insurer's wrongful conduct. Don't wait to consult an attorney.
Policy benefits the insurer should have paid, consequential losses like medical bills and lost wages, emotional distress, and potentially punitive damages for especially egregious insurer conduct.
Most bad faith attorneys work on contingency. You pay nothing unless your case recovers compensation. Our firm offers free case reviews with no obligation.
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