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Inflated claims may represent false statements

On Behalf of | Apr 16, 2020 | Business Law |

If an Ohio home is damaged in a storm or for any other reason, the property owner may be entitled to compensation from his or her homeowner’s insurance company. However, the amount of compensation an individual might be entitled to is based on a variety of factors such as the opinion of a claims adjuster. In some cases, that adjuster will inflate the cost of the damage that a home incurred.

In the case of Alvarez v. State Farm Fla. Ins. Co., it was determined that submitting an exaggerated estimate is akin to making a false statement. In most cases, making a false statement means that a policyholder is barred from collecting any money from an insurance company. If an insured individual isn’t entitled to anything from an insurance provider, that person’s attorney may not be able to collect a fee for his or her services.

Furthermore, reducing the amount that an insurance company is required to pay out could result in lower premiums for all policyholders. It is important to note that the facts in a case will likely determine if an adjuster has inflated the value of any economic losses incurred in a storm or other disaster. In some cases, it may be possible to prove that an adjuster included the cost of damages that were unrelated to a specific claim made by a homeowner.

An insurance defense attorney may be able to help an insurance company avoid paying more than a policyholder may legitimately be entitled to after filing a claim. Legal counsel may use statements from a public adjuster or other facts in the case to show that a false or misleading statement was made. This could reduce or eliminate the total award that a homeowner may receive from an insurance company.

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