Many homeowners decide to purchase an additional warranty for repairs to their home that could save them thousands of dollars. However, if an insurance company refuses to pay, the homeowner may struggle to cover that expense. One out-of-state woman could have a bad faith insurance claim on her hands as she reports that her insurance company refuses to fix her water in her kitchen.
When insurance won’t help those in need
The woman says she has lived in her home for five years, but for approximately three weeks, her kitchen sink will not run water, either hot or cold. She has not been able to determine what the issue is, but now has to turn the water off and on at the main valve any time she wants to use it. She admits that the house is a bit older, but hasn’t had any problems until this point. She says she got a four-year home warranty with a company that was supposed to handle repairs like this, or so she believed.
When the woman tried to make a claim, the company sent inspectors to her home to evaluate the problem. The company told a local news outlet that their plumber determined that the pipes under the kitchen sink weren’t installed correctly. For this reason, they denied her claim of $1,600. The woman has already paid $1,200 for the contract with the warranty company and says that since she hasn’t had problems with the water in the kitchen before now, the problem should be covered, as she thinks the plumbing is simply old and in need of replacement.
Insurance companies should make proper payouts
It is not clear what the outcome of this woman’s particular situation may be, but it offers a lesson to others. Consumers who believe their insurance company should pay for necessary repairs may want to file a bad faith insurance civil claim. An attorney here in Oklahoma who knows how to handle these types of claims can work with a homeowner to compel an insurance company to properly reimburse consumers or make repairs.
