Insurance Bad Faith Demand Letter - Arkansas

INSURANCE BAD FAITH DEMAND LETTER

State of Arkansas

Before you use this: Use this letter only for a policyholder's own covered-loss claim or a documented assignee's claim. An unassigned third-party claimant cannot demand the § 23-79-208 penalty and fees from the insured person's liability carrier through this form.

[LAW FIRM LETTERHEAD]

SETTLEMENT COMMUNICATION — FOR RESOLUTION PURPOSES ONLY
ADMISSIBILITY GOVERNED BY ARK. R. EVID. 408 AND, IF APPLICABLE, FED. R. EVID. 408

VIA CERTIFIED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
AND VIA EMAIL TO: [________________________________]

Date: [__/__/____]

[INSURANCE COMPANY NAME]
[________________________________]
[________________________________], [____] [____]

Attention: [________________________________], [________________________________]
Re: FORMAL BAD FAITH DEMAND AND NOTICE OF STATUTORY PENALTY — ARKANSAS LAW
Insured: [________________________________]
Our client: [________________________________] (☐ policyholder ☐ assignee under the attached assignment)
Policy Number: [________________________________]
Claim Number: [________________________________]
Date of Loss: [__/__/____]
Policy Limits: $[________________________________]
Response Deadline: [__/__/____] at 5:00 p.m. Central Time

Dear [________________________________]:

I. INTRODUCTION AND NATURE OF DEMAND

This firm represents [________________________________] ("our client"), who holds the policy rights as [policyholder / assignee under the attached assignment], in connection with the above-referenced insurance claim arising in the State of Arkansas. This letter constitutes:

1. A formal demand for payment of all policy benefits wrongfully withheld or underpaid;
2. Notice of bad faith conduct under Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Broadway Arms Corp., 281 Ark. 128, 664 S.W.2d 463 (Ark. 1984);
3. Reservation of potential 12% statutory damages and attorney's fees under Ark. Code Ann. § 23-79-208 if the statutory conditions are met; and
4. Notice of intent to seek punitive damages if [________________________________] ("[CARRIER SHORT NAME]") does not remedy its conduct.

Arkansas insurance bad faith law is not a law of mere mistakes or honest disagreements. The Arkansas Supreme Court made clear in Broadway Arms that bad faith requires affirmative misconduct — conduct that is dishonest, malicious, or oppressive in an attempt to avoid a legitimate insurance obligation. As detailed below, [CARRIER SHORT NAME]'s handling of our client's claim crosses from routine delay into conduct that is actionable under Arkansas law.

This demand expires at 5:00 p.m. Central Time on [__/__/____]. Failure to respond with full payment of $[________________________________] and remedial commitments will result in immediate filing of suit in [________________________________] County Circuit Court and a complaint with the Arkansas Insurance Department.

II. ARKANSAS BAD FAITH LAW — FRAMEWORK

A. The Broadway Arms Standard

The foundational authority on bad faith in Arkansas is Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Broadway Arms Corp., 281 Ark. 128, 664 S.W.2d 463 (Ark. 1984) (on denial of rehearing, Feb. 21, 1984). The Arkansas Supreme Court established that bad faith is an actionable tort and articulated its elements:

"In order to be successful, a claim based on the tort of bad faith must include affirmative misconduct by the insurance company, without a good faith defense, and the misconduct must be dishonest, malicious, or oppressive in an attempt to avoid its liability under an insurance policy; such a claim cannot be based upon good faith denial, offers to compromise a claim, or other honest errors of judgment by the insurer, and neither can it be based upon negligence or bad judgment so long as the insurer is acting in good faith."

Broadway Arms, 281 Ark. at 133-34, 664 S.W.2d at 465. Bad faith may give rise to both first-party and third-party claims. Id.; McCall v. S. Farm Bureau Cas. Ins. Co., 255 Ark. 401, 501 S.W.2d 223 (1973).

"Actual malice" in bad faith cases is "that state of mind under which a person's conduct is characterized by hatred, ill will, or a spirit of revenge; actual malice may be inferred from conduct and surrounding circumstances." Broadway Arms, 281 Ark. at 134, 664 S.W.2d at 465.

B. What Does NOT Constitute Bad Faith Under Arkansas Law

In analyzing [CARRIER SHORT NAME]'s anticipated defenses, practitioners must understand that the following conduct, standing alone, is insufficient to establish bad faith under Arkansas law:

• Good-faith denial of a claim, even if ultimately incorrect — Parker v. S. Farm Bureau Cas. Ins. Co., 326 Ark. 1073, 935 S.W.2d 556 (1996)
• Honest errors of judgment — Broadway Arms, 281 Ark. at 133
• Negligence or gross negligence — First Marine Ins. Co. v. Booth, 317 Ark. 91, 876 S.W.2d 255 (1994)
• Confusion, bureaucratic delay, or administrative red tape — Switzer v. Shelter Mut. Ins. Co., 362 Ark. 419, 208 S.W.3d 792 (2005)
• A valid controversy over coverage or liability — Stevenson v. Union Standard Ins. Co., 294 Ark. 651, 746 S.W.2d 39 (1988)

The conduct at issue here is not mere negligence or delay. It is affirmative, knowing, and calculated misconduct, as documented in Section V below.

C. The 12% Penalty — Ark. Code Ann. § 23-79-208

Separate from bad faith tort liability, Ark. Code Ann. § 23-79-208(a)(1) provides for a 12% penalty on the amount of the loss and reasonable attorney's fees payable to the policyholder or assignee when an insurer fails to pay a covered loss within the time specified in the policy after demand. The recovery-versus-demand conditions in subsection (d) also apply. These remedies are not an unassigned third-party claimant's demand against the policyholder's liability insurer.

Key features of the statutory penalty under Arkansas law:

D. Arkansas Unfair Trade Practices Act — Regulatory Enforcement Only

The Arkansas Unfair Trade Practices Act, Ark. Code Ann. §§ 23-66-201 et seq., does not create a private right of action. See Broadway Arms, 281 Ark. at 131. However, violations are enforceable by the Arkansas Insurance Department and may be filed as regulatory complaints. Systematic violations constitute an unfair or deceptive act in the business of insurance. A violation of the UTPA is not, by itself, evidence of bad faith; but it is relevant circumstantial evidence of the overall pattern of conduct.

E. Punitive Damages — Ark. Code Ann. §§ 16-55-206 to -208

To recover punitive damages, our client must prove by clear and convincing evidence one of the following aggravating factors (Ark. Code Ann. § 16-55-206):

1. The insurer knew or ought to have known that its conduct would naturally and probably result in injury or damage and continued with malice or in reckless disregard of the consequences; or
2. The insurer intentionally pursued a course of conduct for the purpose of causing injury or damage.

Former punitive-damages cap: The Arkansas Supreme Court held § 16-55-208 unconstitutional as applied outside employment relationships in Bayer CropScience LP v. Schafer, 2011 Ark. 518, 385 S.W.3d 822. Punitive damages still require §§ 16-55-206 and -207's proof and remain subject to applicable excessiveness limits.

F. Statutes of Limitations

III. POLICY INFORMATION AND COVERAGE

A. Policy Details

B. Coverage Is Clear

The policy provides coverage for [________________________________]. The loss clearly falls within the insuring agreement because:

1. [________________________________]
2. [________________________________]
3. If the policy term at issue admits two reasonable readings, the ambiguity must be construed against the insurer. Smith v. Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Co., 353 Ark. 188, 114 S.W.3d 205 (2003).

[CARRIER SHORT NAME] ☐ has acknowledged coverage / ☐ has accepted this claim in part. Having done so, [CARRIER SHORT NAME] is obligated to:

• Conduct a thorough, fair, and objective investigation
• Evaluate the claim without bias
• Promptly pay all amounts owed under the policy
• Communicate honestly with the insured
• Avoid unreasonable delays in claim handling
• Refrain from compelling litigation through inadequate offers

IV. FACTUAL BACKGROUND AND CLAIM HISTORY

A. The Underlying Loss

On [__/__/____], [________________________________].

[________________________________]
[PROVIDE DETAILED NARRATIVE OF THE LOSS EVENT — describe what happened, when it was reported, initial insurer response, and all subsequent developments]
[________________________________]

B. Chronological Timeline of Claim Handling — Bad Faith Indicators

V. SPECIFIC BAD FAITH CONDUCT

Unlike mere delay or honest disagreement — which Arkansas law specifically excludes from bad faith — [CARRIER SHORT NAME]'s handling of this claim demonstrates affirmative, dishonest, malicious, or oppressive conduct under Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Broadway Arms Corp.:

A. [SELECT AND DESCRIBE APPLICABLE BAD FAITH CONDUCT]

☐ Fabrication / Misrepresentation of Coverage Basis
[CARRIER SHORT NAME] has misrepresented the policy's coverage provisions by stating [________________________________], when in fact the policy provides [________________________________]. This misrepresentation is not an honest error — [CARRIER SHORT NAME]'s adjuster [________________________________] was informed of the correct policy language on [__/__/____] but continued to assert the inaccurate coverage position.

☐ Predetermined Denial / Outcome-Oriented Investigation
The evidence demonstrates that [CARRIER SHORT NAME] conducted an investigation designed to justify a predetermined denial rather than objectively evaluate the claim. Specifically: [________________________________]. Under First Marine Ins. Co. v. Booth, 317 Ark. 91, 876 S.W.2d 255 (1994), even gross ignorance is not bad faith absent dishonest intent — but a deliberately one-sided investigation crosses the line.

☐ Manufactured or Pretextual Exclusion Defense
[CARRIER SHORT NAME] is asserting the [________________________________] exclusion in circumstances where [________________________________]. This exclusion does not apply because [________________________________]. [CARRIER SHORT NAME] knows this and is asserting the exclusion as a pretext to avoid paying a legitimate claim.

☐ Low-Ball Offer Designed to Exploit Insured's Financial Distress
[CARRIER SHORT NAME]'s offers of $[________________________________] bear no reasonable relationship to the documented loss of $[________________________________]. The disparity of $[________________________________] cannot be explained by any legitimate valuation dispute. Internal communications obtained in discovery [or: known to us at this time] indicate [________________________________].

☐ Unjustified Refusal to Fund Temporary Housing / Additional Living Expenses
Despite our client's displacement from the insured property since [__/__/____], [CARRIER SHORT NAME] has refused to pay additional living expenses, forcing our client [________________________________]. This refusal is without any policy basis.

☐ Bad Faith Use of Examination Under Oath
[CARRIER SHORT NAME] has used the examination under oath process not as a legitimate investigative tool but as a mechanism to [________________________________], in violation of the purpose for which EUO rights exist.

☐ Unjustified Subrogation Waiver Demand / Release Overreach
[CARRIER SHORT NAME] is demanding [________________________________] as a condition of payment, which has no basis in the policy and constitutes an improper attempt to obtain concessions not authorized by the contract.

☐ Deliberate Delay Near a Limitations Deadline
Before counsel was retained, [CARRIER SHORT NAME] prolonged direct negotiations with our client without the applicable written limitations warning required by 23 CAR § 15-107(e). This demand does not itself toll any limitation period; preserve every contractual and statutory deadline independently.

☐ Failure to Disclose Policy Limits
[DESCRIBE if applicable]

B. Summary of AID Rule 43 Violations

VI. DAMAGES

A. Contract Damages (Policy Benefits Wrongfully Withheld)

B. Potential 12% Statutory Damages — Ark. Code Ann. § 23-79-208

This estimate is reserved for a qualifying recovery under § 23-79-208; it is not included in the policy-loss payment demanded below.

Note: Reasonable attorney's fees in addition to the penalty are to be taxed as costs by the court.

C. Consequential Damages

Under Arkansas law, consequential damages flowing from an insurer's bad faith refusal to pay are recoverable. Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Broadway Arms Corp., 281 Ark. 128, 664 S.W.2d 463 (1984).

D. Emotional Distress Damages

Our client has suffered significant emotional distress as a direct result of [CARRIER SHORT NAME]'s bad faith conduct:

[________________________________]
[DESCRIBE: anxiety, sleep disruption, depression, impact on family relationships, counseling obtained, physical manifestations of emotional distress]
[________________________________]

Emotional distress damages are recoverable in Arkansas bad faith cases where proximately caused by the insurer's affirmative misconduct. Estimated damages: $[________________________________].

E. Punitive Damages

[CARRIER SHORT NAME]'s conduct meets the standard for punitive damages under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-55-206:

☐ Malice / Reckless Disregard: [CARRIER SHORT NAME] knew or ought to have known that its conduct would naturally and probably result in injury to our client and continued with malice or in reckless disregard of the consequences.

☐ Intentional Harm: By clear and convincing evidence, [CARRIER SHORT NAME] intentionally pursued a course of conduct for the purpose of causing injury or damage to our client. Specifically: [________________________________].

Do not apply § 16-55-208's former cap to this nonemployment insurance claim under Bayer. Any requested punitive amount must instead be supported by §§ 16-55-206 and -207's proof and applicable excessiveness limits.

Estimated punitive damages: $[________________________________] (supported by the reprehensibility evidence, compensatory harm, comparable sanctions, and other legally relevant factors).

F. Potential Claims If Litigation Is Required

The amounts below are separate potential claims. Only the net policy benefits due are included in the payment demand in Section VII.

VII. DEMAND

Based on the foregoing, we hereby demand that [CARRIER SHORT NAME]:

A. Immediate Payment

Pay the unpaid policy benefits of $[________________________________] by [__/__/____] as follows:

Note: The 12% statutory damages and attorney's fees under Ark. Code Ann. § 23-79-208, and any proven consequential, emotional-distress, or punitive damages, are reserved for litigation if the claim is not resolved. They are not part of the policy-loss amount demanded above.

B. Additional Demands

☐ Provide a complete copy of the claim file (all notes, reports, internal communications, reserve entries) within [____] business days
☐ Identify by name all experts, consultants, independent adjusters, and surveillance vendors retained in connection with this claim
☐ Confirm in writing the specific coverage position and policy provisions relied upon for any continued denial or reduction
☐ Cease and desist from [________________________________]
☐ Assign a senior claims supervisor with authority to resolve this claim

C. Settlement Terms

In addition to monetary payment:

• Full release of all claims by [CARRIER SHORT NAME] against our client related to this loss
• Correction of any adverse information reported to industry loss databases (ISO ClaimSearch or equivalent)
• ☐ Confidentiality of settlement terms (optional)

VIII. TIME-LIMITED NATURE OF THIS DEMAND

THIS DEMAND EXPIRES AT 5:00 P.M. CENTRAL TIME ON [__/__/____].

This deadline is firm. Any purported acceptance with conditions, modifications, or counterproposals will constitute a rejection.

Consequences of Non-Response

If [CARRIER SHORT NAME] fails to pay the demanded amount by the deadline:

1. Litigation will be filed immediately in [________________________________] County Circuit Court, Arkansas, asserting:

   • Breach of insurance contract
   • First-party bad faith tort under Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Broadway Arms Corp., 281 Ark. 128, 664 S.W.2d 463 (1984)
   • 12% statutory penalty and all attorney's fees under Ark. Code Ann. § 23-79-208
   • Consequential and emotional distress damages
   • Punitive damages under Ark. Code Ann. §§ 16-55-206 and -207; § 16-55-208's former cap is unconstitutional as applied outside employment relationships

2. Regulatory complaints will be filed with:

   • Arkansas Insurance Department, through the current Consumer Services complaint routes at insurance.arkansas.gov/consumer-assistance/consumer-services/file-a-complaint

3. Discovery will be pursued including depositions of all adjusters, supervisors, and executives involved in this claim, production of all reserve documentation, claim handling guidelines, training materials, audit reports, and internal communications

IX. DOCUMENT PRESERVATION NOTICE

This letter is formal notice to [CARRIER SHORT NAME] and all affiliated persons and entities to immediately preserve all documents, data, and electronically stored information related to this claim, including but not limited to:

• The complete claim file in all versions and drafts
• All internal communications (email, chat, voicemail) regarding this claim, coverage, reserves, or handling decisions
• All adjuster notes, diary entries, and activity logs
• All communications with the insured or claimant
• All photographs, videos, and inspection reports
• All expert reports, estimates, consultant reports, and engineering analyses
• Claim handling guidelines, manuals, and procedures applicable to this type of claim
• Training materials relevant to this type of loss
• Reserve entries and all reserve change documentation with supporting rationale
• Supervisor review notes and approval records
• Quality assurance or claim audit reports related to this claim
• Surveillance footage or reports (if any)
• ISO ClaimSearch entries or equivalent

Failure to preserve this information will result in a motion for spoliation sanctions.

X. CONCLUSION

[CARRIER SHORT NAME]'s handling of this claim does not reflect an honest disagreement about coverage or value. It reflects a deliberate pattern of conduct designed to [________________________________]. The Arkansas Supreme Court has recognized the tort of bad faith precisely to deter this type of conduct — the use of an insurer's economic power to force an insured to accept far less than what the policy plainly provides.

Arkansas law provides the statutory penalty where § 23-79-208's conditions are met, bad-faith tort relief where its separate elements are proved, and punitive damages only on the compensatory-liability, aggravating-factor, and clear-and-convincing showings in §§ 16-55-206 and -207. Section 16-55-208's former cap was held unconstitutional as applied outside employment relationships in Bayer. [CARRIER SHORT NAME] has an opportunity to resolve this matter before litigation.

We urge [CARRIER SHORT NAME] to review this demand with senior management and outside counsel and respond by the deadline.

Please direct all communications regarding this matter to the undersigned only.

Respectfully submitted,

[LAW FIRM NAME]

By: ___________________________________
[________________________________]
Arkansas Bar No. [________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________], AR [____]
Phone: [________________________________]
Fax: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]

Counsel for [CLIENT NAME]

ENCLOSURES:
☐ Policy declarations page and relevant endorsements
☐ Claim correspondence chronology (all letters, emails, and adjustment communications)
☐ Damage documentation and expert reports
☐ Financial records documenting consequential damages
☐ Medical / counseling records documenting emotional distress
☐ Proof of loss (if applicable)
☐ Supporting expert reports

CC:

• [CLIENT NAME]
• Arkansas Insurance Department, Consumer Services Division, 1 Commerce Way, Suite 102, Little Rock, AR 72202

ARKANSAS INSURANCE BAD FAITH LAW QUICK REFERENCE

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

1. Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Broadway Arms Corp., 281 Ark. 128, 664 S.W.2d 463 (1984) — Foundational bad faith case: https://law.justia.com/cases/arkansas/supreme-court/1984/83-134-0.html
2. Ark. Code Ann. § 23-79-208 — 12% penalty and attorney fees: https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/title-23/subtitle-3/chapter-79/subchapter-2/section-23-79-208/
3. Ark. Code Ann. §§ 23-66-201 et seq. — Unfair Trade Practices Act (regulatory enforcement): https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/title-23/subtitle-3/chapter-66/
4. Ark. Code Ann. § 16-55-206 — Punitive damages standard: https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/title-16/subtitle-5/chapter-55/subchapter-2/section-16-55-206/
5. Ark. Code Ann. § 16-55-208 — Punitive damages cap: https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/title-16/subtitle-5/chapter-55/subchapter-2/section-16-55-208/
6. McCall v. S. Farm Bureau Cas. Ins. Co., 255 Ark. 401, 501 S.W.2d 223 (1973) — Third-party bad faith
7. Parker v. S. Farm Bureau Cas. Ins. Co., 326 Ark. 1073, 935 S.W.2d 556 (1996) — Bad faith defenses
8. Switzer v. Shelter Mut. Ins. Co., 362 Ark. 419, 208 S.W.3d 792 (2005) — Delay/confusion not bad faith
9. Home Mut. Fire Ins. Co. v. Jones, 63 Ark. App. 221, 977 S.W.2d 12 (1998) — Good faith not a defense to § 23-79-208 penalty
10. State Farm Auto. Ins. Co. v. Stamps, 363 S.W.3d 1 (Ark. 2009) — Purpose of § 23-79-208
11. 23 CAR Part 15 (Rule 43) — Unfair Claims Settlement Practices: https://portal.insurance.arkansas.gov/LegalPubsPublic/Documents/Rules/23%20car%20pt%2015.pdf
12. Carpenter v. Automobile Club Interinsurance Exchange, 58 F.3d 1296 (8th Cir. 1995) — three-year limitations period for Arkansas bad-faith and negligence torts
13. Chartwell Law — Arkansas Bad Faith Guide: https://www.chartwelllaw.com/bad-faith-claims-map/arkansas
14. ALFA International — Arkansas Insurance Law Compendium: https://www.alfainternational.com/compendium/insurance-law/arkansas/
15. Arkansas Insurance Department Consumer Services — https://insurance.arkansas.gov/consumer-assistance/consumer-services/file-a-complaint/