If you are displeased with how a Louisiana insurance company has handled your car accident claim, you can file a complaint against it with the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI).
It’s important to recognize when an insurer, agent, or even a claims adjuster isn’t providing you with quality service or isn’t handling your claim fairly. The LDI allows individuals to file their complaint online, which makes submitting it easier on you.
Before filing your complaint, it’s important to remember that the LDI cannot provide you with any sort of legal advice or serve as a legal representative for you. If you are looking for legal representation, you can contact our office, The Jones Law Firm to speak with Alexandria LA car accident claim attorney Davey Jones.
In the meantime, here’s what you need to know about filing a complaint against an auto insurance company in Louisiana.
How can the LDI help me?
While the LDI will protect you as it has the ability to enforce Louisiana’s insurance laws and investigate your complaint, it cannot:
- Make decisions regarding disputes on who is negligent or at fault.
- Determine the facts surrounding a claim such as who is telling the truth and who is not.
- Resolve a complaint “if the only evidence is your word against the word of others.”
The reality is that insurance companies, despite the fact that you file a complaint against it, may still refuse to settle your claim resulting in you losing out on a significant amount of compensation that could potentially cover medical expenses, injuries, and more.
What do I need to file my complaint?
When you send in your complaint, there are certain pieces of information you need to be sure to include so that LDI can fully understand your case.
Some necessary information includes:
- Your name and contact information
- Name of the insured person
- Name and address of the company, producer or adjuster your complaint is about
- Type of coverage
- Your policy and/or claim number
- Date when the loss was incurred
- Description of the problem (what happened, why you believe the company is wrong, what you believe is a fair solution)
You’ll also need to send with your complaint copies of the following documents:
- Any correspondence between you and anyone else involved in the case
- Your policy
- Your insurance ID card
- The claim you filed
What should I expect after I file my complaint with the LDI?
After the LDI receives your complaint, you can expect to receive an acknowledgment letter within a week or so containing the following information:
- A file number that has been assigned to your case.
- The name of the compliance examiner who has been assigned to investigate your complaint.
Aside from sending you an acknowledgment letter, the LDI will also forward a copy of your complaint to the insurer and request an ‘explanation of its position.”
Insurance companies tend to have lawyers representing them for things like disputes or complaints. so they could potentially have their attorney, who is well-versed in disputing allegations, respond to the complaint you submitted.
Once the LDI receives a response, your examiner will review it to determine what stance it takes on your complaint.
You can then expect a letter from your examiner that will provide you with the outcome of their initial investigation, which will be one of three things:
- The LDI found no evidence that supports the allegations you made against the insurer and will proceed to close the investigation.
- The examiner was dissatisfied with how the company responded and will continue with the investigation.
- The examiner has determined that the insurer has violated a law and the “department will pursue administrative action.”
Generally, the LDI takes about 45 days to complete an investigation, so don’t be surprised if it takes a few weeks to receive a final disposition on your complaint.
Contact The Jones Law Firm for help with your complaint
It’s in your best interest to consult with a car accident lawyer in Alexandria, LA if you are experiencing an issue with an insurance company regarding an accident claim.
If you would like to schedule an initial consultation with our firm to find out what legal services we offer and how we can help you recover the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to receive, contact us today.
