Vident Partners provides vetted bad faith insurance expert witnesses for cases involving unreasonable claim denials, delayed payment practices, inadequate investigation, and insurer misconduct in first-party and third-party coverage disputes. Request a referral today.
Find a Bad Faith Claims Expert →Overview
Bad faith insurance experts evaluate whether insurers acted reasonably and in good faith in handling claims. They assess whether claims were properly investigated, whether coverage determinations were supported by policy language and applicable law, and whether the insurer's conduct fell below industry standards. The NAIC Model Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act (Model 900) sets out fourteen specific prohibited practices -- including refusing to pay claims without conducting a reasonable investigation and failing to attempt a good-faith settlement when liability is reasonably clear 1. The companion NAIC Model Unfair Trade Practices Act (Model 880) establishes the broader regulatory framework under which state insurance commissioners may sanction insurers for systematic misconduct 2. Bad faith litigation is a high-value practice area, as policyholders can recover consequential damages and punitive damages beyond the policy limits when insurers act unreasonably 3.
The NAIC Model Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act prohibits insurers from refusing to pay claims without conducting a reasonable investigation based upon all available information.
Case Types
First-party bad faith claim denial and delay
Third-party bad faith failure to settle within policy limits
Unreasonable claims investigation practices
Coverage denial without reasonable basis
Insurer failure to defend or indemnify
Qualifications
Related Specialties
FAQ
A bad faith expert should have extensive claims management experience, hold recognized industry designations such as CPCU or AIC, and demonstrate thorough knowledge of unfair claims settlement practices statutes and regulations. Practical experience at the claims director or vice president level is preferred over academic credentials alone.
Bad faith experts are needed when policyholders allege their insurer unreasonably denied, delayed, or underpaid a claim; when an insurer fails to settle a third-party claim within policy limits; and when the reasonableness of the insurer's investigation, evaluation, or claims handling practices is at issue.
In general, insurance expert fees are determined by the expert themselves, based on a variety of criteria. Among those criteria are professional experience, forensic experience, industry certifications, regulatory knowledge, and publications. Vident does have some influence over expert fees by comparing experts within a specialty, but ultimately it is a personal decision by the expert.
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Vident Partners connects attorneys with qualified bad faith claims expert witnesses. Complimentary consultation, 24-hour turnaround, no obligation.
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