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Claims can be denied due to paperwork problems

On Behalf of | Dec 12, 2018 | Insurance Law |

When you are dealing with a serious physical injury or damage to your vehicle or your Washington home, you want your insurance claim to be processed as soon as possible. However, something as simple as a wrong birth date on your insurance claim can cause an insurer to deny your claim. Sometimes frustratingly simple paperwork errors can drag out your claim process or cause you to be denied altogether.

Nerdwallet points out transcribing errors can cause insurers to deny claims. It does not take more than a small typo in your personal information to derail the approval process. For instance, you might be born in the year 1979 and have listed it as such on your claim form. However, an insurance staffer incorrectly transcribed the year as 1997. Staffers might also erroneously transcribe details like your full name, your home address or your alternate mailing address.

So what could cause transcribing errors? CareCloud explains that companies may experience problems if their clients are using paper submissions to file claims instead of sending a claim by electronic means. Handwritten information is not always clear and understandable. If a staffer has to transcribe the data into a digital file, the staffer could misinterpret a number or a letter.

It is also possible that the insurance company experienced a breakdown in the chain of communication. Some insurance staffers will unintentionally omit information from your claim while transmitting it higher up the chain for approval. Omissions can include the date of an accident or the date of a medical emergency. These drops in information can result in a denied claim.

If you find your claim has been denied or is lagging in the system, it is a good idea to check again with your insurer to make sure the insurer has your correct personal information. Also check to see that there was no failure within the company network to transmit your claim information. If the situation fails to improve, consider asking professional legal counsel for assistance.