MURRAY OGBORN: Colorado is a very good state for people who are victimized by insurance companies. Bad Faith is governed statutorily in Colorado and by case law. Insureds, people who are covered by insurance policies, are protected quite well.
The insurance companies are required to act reasonably and in a timely manner in making decisions about whether policies cover certain incidents, about whether coverage should be paid. They are required to pay promptly and adequately and fairly. And if they don’t, then there are remedies. Some of those remedies depending on whether it is your own insurance company or a third party’s insurance company, some of those remedies result in multiple damages, treble damages and an award of attorney’s fees to the insured.
The insurance companies by those laws are held in line. I think that as a result of the laws that the Colorado Legislature has put in place, and that the courts have put in place through the decision of law, we act more responsibly in this state than in many others.
