QuestionMy insurance company has been harassing me and is now investigating me for fraud. My vehicle was damaged in the Joplin tornado, Wasn't a whole lot of body damage but it did sustain an expensive engine repair. They paid the claim but now the company is telling me I "Have to give them my bank records, and cell phone records" to prove that I was in joplin at the time of the incident. I really don't think it's any of their business what my financial status is or to whom I'm sending text messages to. What can I do to stop them from causing me undo stress and emotional distress by having to relive the traumatic event over and over?
Answer Hello Bryan,
Well that certainly is strange.
Insurance companies are obligated to investigate claims. If they paid your claim, I will assume that they investigated your claim. If it were me, I would not submit the data after the claim has been processed and paid. While insurance policies do have cooperation clauses, those clauses apply to cooperating during their investigation, not after the investigation. And, just because a claim occurs in a catastrophe does not alleviate the insurance company's requirement to investigate claims.
If they think they have evidence that you committed insurance fraud, they will have to refer that evidence to department of insurance authorities. But those authorities would need to prove their case pursuant to the criminal standards of evidence. If you are innocent, they won't be able to do that.
You do have rights. Past a claim investigation where you are required to submit documents, you cannot be forced to give up any type of evidence that could be construed as incriminating . My opinion - don't do it.
Hope this helps.
Jane Pytel
http://SolutionsForYourInsuranceClaim.com
http://FloridaAutoInsuranceCentral.com
