Bad Faith Insurance Lawyers

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Texas Bad Faith Insurance Lawyers | Fighting Claim Denials

When you pay premiums for property, commercial, liability, or health insurance, you expect the insurance company to honor its policy obligations when disaster strikes. Unfortunately, insurance companies are profit-driven corporations that frequently protect their financial bottom line by delaying claims, underpaying valid damages, or issuing outright bad faith claim denials.

At Grimes & Fertitta, P.C., we bring deep experience to policyholder representation. Founding partners Richard M. Grimes and Julian J. Fertitta III bring background experience handling complex insurance litigation from both sides of the aisle. We understand the internal claim evaluation tactics used by adjusters and insurance defense teams, and we fight to hold insurers accountable under the Texas Insurance Code and common law bad faith rules.

Examples of Insurance Bad Faith Conduct

Under Texas law, insurance companies owe a duty of good faith and fair dealing to their policyholders. Common acts of bad faith include:

Unreasonable Delay: Failing to acknowledge, investigate, or process a claim within statutory deadlines established by Texas law.
Inadequate Investigation: Conducting a biased or superficial investigation designed to generate an excuse for denying coverage.
Lowball Settlement Offers: Offering settlements far below documented repair costs, medical expenses, or policy limits.
Misrepresenting Policy Provisions: Misinterpreting policy exclusions or hiding coverage terms to avoid paying valid claims.
Refusal to Settle Third-Party Claims (Stowers Doctrine): Failing to settle a third-party claim against an insured within policy limits when a reasonably prudent insurer would have done so.

Statutory Remedies Under the Texas Insurance Code

Texas Insurance Code Chapter 541 Prohibits unfair methods of competition and deceptive insurance trade practices. Policyholders injured by Chapter 541 violations may recover actual damages, court costs, reasonable attorney’s fees, and up to triple damages if the insurer knowingly committed bad faith acts.

Texas Prompt Payment of Claims Act (Chapter 542) Sets strict timeframes for insurers to acknowledge claims, begin investigations, request information, and accept or reject claims. Insurers that violate these statutory deadlines face statutory interest penalties plus reasonable attorney fees.

Authoritative Resources & Insurance Regulatory Bodies

Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) –https://www.tdi.texas.gov Official state agency regulating insurance carriers, consumer complaints, and licensing in Texas.
Texas Insurance Code (Statutory Text) –https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/?link=IN Official online repository of Texas state insurance laws and regulations.
National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) –https://www.naic.org Standard-setting organization for state insurance regulators across the United States.

Stand Up to Your Insurance Company Today

If your commercial property claim, catastrophic personal injury settlement, or hurricane loss claim was wrongly denied or underpaid, contact Grimes & Fertitta for an evaluation of your policy and claim file. Call Today: Houston, TX office (713) 224-7644 | The Woodlands, TX Office: (281) 882-8488

Richard M. Grimes is an experienced litigator who has successfully represented clients in matters involving catastrophic injury, trucking accidents, corporate and partnership disputes, contract disputes, commercial litigation, auto accidents, family law, custody disputes, real estate fraud, medical malpractice, products liability, premises liability, and high net worth divorce. Known for his ability to manage cases from inception through trial, Richard provides clients with dedicated representation aimed at achieving results that safeguard their rights and interests.

Julian J. Fertitta, III has built a distinguished career handling a wide range of legal disputes, including catastrophic injury, trucking accidents, medical malpractice, corporate and partnership disputes, contract disputes, commercial litigation, auto accidents, family law matters, and high net worth divorce cases. His practice also includes real estate fraud, custody disputes, and general litigation. Julian began his trial career managing complex tort actions across Texas and has since established himself as a trusted advocate for both plaintiffs and defendants.