Acting in Good Faith & Duty of Care

Disability Insurance
1

Hi Folks,

Can any one on here tell me what acting in good faith actually means and maybe even a couple of examples how insurance companies might not be doing so?

Also, do Insurance Companies have a “Duty of Care” towards their clients and if so, what might that be?

I’m just so weary of their games and I can’t find straightforward information about this anywhere. It just seems like they can get away with anything they like while we are kept in the dark and therefore haven’t got the knowledge or information needed in order to defend ourselves properly and fairly.

While I can easily show examples of what they do to people being morally and ethically wrong by most people’s standards (you just have to read the posts on this website).I have no idea how this translates legally or what their actually obligations to us are.

As the saying goes, knowledge really is power, so any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time and any help you can give.

2

Google: “Example of insurance company acting in bad faith”.

My guess is that “duty of care” only applies to medical professionals.

3

Books have literally been written, but speaking generally, the duty of good faith is a duty of both you and your insurer to act fairly and honestly.

It applies to both the manner in which the insurer investigates and assesses your claim and to the decision whether to pay the claim. The insurer has to act balanced and reasonably, and they can’t refuse coverage or delay paying to take advantage of your poor economic situation or to gain bargaining leverage. And likewise you have to be honest and not mislead your insurer about how disabled you are, give a reasonable try at things that might let you go back to work, etc.

I don’t know anything about a duty of care of your insurer, I think it’s mostly about the terms of the insurance contract itself.