Delayed Claims

Time is money — and insurance companies know it. When an insurer drags out the claims process for weeks or months without a legitimate reason, it isn’t usually a coincidence. Delay is a tactic. The longer you wait, the more pressure builds to accept a low settlement just to pay the bills. At Maples, Connick & Brendel, we make insurance companies move.

Why Delays Happen

Some delays are unavoidable — large catastrophes, complicated investigations, missing documentation. Many aren’t. The delays we challenge most often include:

• Repeated requests for the same documents you’ve already provided
• “Investigations” that drag on with no real progress
• Adjusters who don’t return calls or emails for weeks at a time
• Files passed between multiple adjusters with no continuity
• “Pending supervisor review” that never seems to end
• Refusing to make a coverage decision so litigation deadlines slip

Statutory Deadlines That Protect You

Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia all have laws requiring insurance companies to act on claims within specific timeframes. In Louisiana, for example, insurers generally must pay within 30 days of receiving satisfactory proof of loss, and unjustified delays can trigger statutory penalties and attorney’s fees. We use those statutes to force movement on claims that have stalled.

What You Can Do Right Now

If your claim has been delayed, start a written log of every communication — every call, every email, every promise — with date and time. Send any further communications to the insurer in writing so there’s a record. And don’t accept “we’re still looking into it” forever; at some point, that itself becomes evidence of bad faith.

Talk to a Delayed Claim Attorney

If your claim has been sitting with the insurer with no resolution, call us at 504-269-3870. The consultation is free, and we can often get a claim moving quickly. Learn more about our Insurance Disputes practice.