Denver Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer

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For a free legal consultation with a bad faith insurance lawyer serving Denver, call (303) 465-8733

Meet Michael Rosenberg: Colorado’s Go-To Bad Faith Attorney

Michael Rosenberg isn’t a general personal injury attorney who occasionally handles an insurance dispute. Bad faith insurance litigation is the core of his practice — and he brings credentials that few attorneys in Colorado can match.

He started on the insurance company’s side. After graduating in the top 5% of his class at the University of Denver College of Law — where he served as articles editor of the Denver Law Journal and was selected for the American Bar Association Trial Team — Mike clerked for the Honorable Steven C. Briggs of the Colorado Court of Appeals. He then spent four years representing insurance companies, fidelity companies, and surety companies in claims ranging from professional liability and products liability to catastrophic injury and insurance coverage disputes. That experience gave him an insider’s understanding of how insurance companies evaluate claims, build defenses, and make payment decisions.

For the past 25+ years, he’s used that knowledge against them. Mike has dedicated his career to representing policyholders and injury victims against the insurers who wrong them. His understanding of the insurance industry’s inner workings has allowed him to obtain seven- and eight-figure recoveries in cases where, prior to litigation, the insurance companies perceived little or no exposure.

As Jason Jordan puts it: “Mike Rosenberg is not a general PI voice. He’s the lawyer that other lawyers look to when insurance companies break their own rules.”

Credentials and Recognition

President, Colorado Trial Lawyers Association (2016-2017) — Mike served on the CTLA Board of Directors since 2008, rising through Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, and President-Elect before serving as President. He continues to serve on the Board.

Board of Governors, Colorado Bar Association (2016-2017).

“Lawyer of the Year” — Insurance Litigation, Best Lawyers in America (2019). Named to Best Lawyers in America continuously since 2009.

Colorado Super Lawyers, Top 100 Attorneys in Colorado (2013-2018). Named to Colorado Super Lawyers continuously since 2009 — a designation awarded to the top 5% of attorneys in the state.

5280 Magazine Top Lawyer (2026).

Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating — the highest peer rating for legal ability and ethical standards.

Washington and Lee University, B.A. (1991). University of Denver College of Law, J.D. (1996, top 5%).

What Is Bad Faith Insurance in Colorado?

When you buy an insurance policy, you enter into a contract. You pay premiums; the insurance company agrees to cover claims as specified in the policy. Colorado law imposes an additional obligation: insurers must handle claims in good faith, meaning they must investigate reasonably, communicate honestly, and pay valid claims promptly.

When an insurance company violates this obligation, it’s acting in bad faith — and Colorado has some of the strongest bad faith protections in the country.

Under C.R.S. § 10-3-1115, an insurer that unreasonably delays or denies payment of a claim is liable for the covered benefit plus interest. Under C.R.S. § 10-3-1116, if the delay or denial was willful and wanton, the court can award up to twice the covered benefit plus attorney fees and costs. These statutory penalties are designed to punish insurers who deliberately mistreat their policyholders and deter the industry from treating bad faith as a cost of doing business.

Colorado also recognizes common law bad faith, which allows policyholders to pursue additional damages beyond the statutory penalties — including compensation for economic losses caused by the insurer’s conduct and, in egregious cases, punitive damages.

Denver Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer Near Me (303) 465-8733

First-Party vs. Third-Party Bad Faith

First-party bad faith occurs when your own insurance company acts in bad faith on a claim you filed under your own policy. This includes your health insurer denying a valid medical claim, your auto insurer refusing to pay under your UM/UIM coverage after a hit-and-run, your homeowner’s insurer lowballing a property damage claim after a fire or storm, or your disability insurer cutting off benefits despite ongoing medical evidence of disability.

Third-party bad faith occurs when the at-fault party’s liability insurer acts in bad faith — for example, by refusing to settle a clear liability claim within policy limits, exposing their own insured to excess judgment. While third-party bad faith claims are more limited in Colorado, they can be powerful tools in cases where the liability insurer’s unreasonable conduct caused additional harm.

Mike Rosenberg handles both types and has developed litigation strategies that have been replicated by attorneys across the state.

Common Insurance Bad Faith Tactics

Insurance companies that act in bad faith rarely announce what they’re doing. Instead, they use tactics designed to frustrate you into giving up or accepting less than you’re owed. Mike Rosenberg has seen — and defeated — all of them.

Unreasonable delays. The insurer stalls the claims process for weeks or months, requesting redundant documentation, transferring your file between adjusters, or simply going silent. The goal is to create financial pressure that forces you to accept a low offer.

Lowball offers. The insurer acknowledges coverage but offers a fraction of the claim’s actual value, hoping you’ll take it rather than fight. They may cherry-pick medical records, ignore future treatment needs, or apply arbitrary “formulas” that undervalue your damages.

Wrongful denials. The insurer denies your claim based on a policy exclusion that doesn’t actually apply, a misrepresentation of the facts, or an unreasonable interpretation of policy language. Many policyholders accept these denials at face value without realizing they’re wrong.

Failure to investigate. The insurer makes a coverage decision without conducting a reasonable investigation — ignoring relevant evidence, failing to interview witnesses, or relying on biased “independent” medical examinations.

Misrepresenting policy terms. The insurer tells you your policy doesn’t cover something when it does, or mischaracterizes policy language to justify a denial or reduction.

Threatening consequences. The insurer suggests that pursuing your claim further will result in policy cancellation, increased premiums, or other adverse consequences — which may itself constitute bad faith.

“I have people tell me all the time, ‘I’ve been dealing with this insurance company for 20 years and they’ve always treated me great.’ And I say, ‘Have you ever made a claim?’ and they say, ‘no.’ Well, ok, so the person who has been taking your money has been treating you great. Not surprising. Wait till you go to the claims department.”

— Jason Jordan, Founding Partner

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Types of Bad Faith Insurance Cases We Handle

Auto insurance bad faith — UM/UIM claim denials, delayed payments after clear-liability accidents, lowball property damage offers, and refusal to pay medical benefits under PIP or MedPay coverage.

Homeowner’s insurance bad faith — denial or underpayment of fire, storm, water damage, or theft claims. Insurers frequently undervalue property damage by using biased adjusters or ignoring the full scope of necessary repairs.

Health and disability insurance bad faith — wrongful denial of medical treatment claims, premature termination of disability benefits, and refusal to authorize medically necessary procedures.

Life insurance bad faith — denial of death benefit claims based on alleged policy violations, misrepresentation of exclusions, or unreasonable delays in payment to beneficiaries.

Commercial insurance bad faith — denial of business interruption claims, liability coverage disputes, and refusal to defend or indemnify commercial policyholders.

Bad faith in the context of personal injury claims — when the at-fault party’s insurer unreasonably refuses to settle within policy limits, fails to respond to time-limited demands, or engages in conduct designed to delay resolution of a valid injury claim.

What Can You Recover in a Bad Faith Case?

Colorado’s bad faith statutes and common law provide multiple categories of damages.

The covered benefit — the amount the insurer should have paid under the policy.

Statutory penalties — under C.R.S. § 10-3-1116, up to twice the covered benefit if the delay or denial was willful and wanton.

Attorney fees and costs — recoverable under C.R.S. § 10-3-1116, which is significant because it means pursuing a bad faith claim doesn’t reduce your net recovery the way a contingency fee on a standard personal injury claim might.

Interest — on the unpaid benefit from the date it should have been paid.

Consequential economic damages — financial losses caused by the insurer’s bad faith conduct, such as credit damage, foreclosure, inability to pay for medical treatment, or lost business income.

Punitive damages — available in common law bad faith cases where the insurer’s conduct was particularly egregious.

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Why Jordan Law for Your Bad Faith Insurance Case

Mike Rosenberg knows insurance companies from the inside. He spent four years representing them — defending claims, counseling on coverage decisions, and understanding how they evaluate exposure. That experience is irreplaceable. When he reviews your denied claim, he’s not guessing what the insurer was thinking. He knows their playbook because he helped write it.

His peers call him “the go-to insurance bad faith lawyer in Colorado.” Mike has been endorsed by fellow attorneys as a pioneering strategist in insurance law — an attorney whose litigation strategies have been replicated across the state. His recognition as Best Lawyers in America “Lawyer of the Year” for insurance litigation, his continuous Super Lawyers designation since 2009, and his service as President of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association reflect a level of peer respect that directly impacts how insurance companies respond when they see his name on a filing.

Jordan Law has the trial record to back it up. Insurance companies don’t change their behavior because of letters — they change because of courtroom consequences. Our firm has recovered over $550 million for clients, including a $131 million verdict, a $45 million settlement, and a $42 million verdict. When Mike Rosenberg files a bad faith lawsuit, the insurer knows they’re facing a firm that will try the case.

No fee unless we win. Every bad faith insurance case is handled on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront. And because C.R.S. § 10-3-1116 allows recovery of attorney fees in bad faith cases, your net recovery may be even higher than in a standard personal injury claim.

Statute of Limitations for Bad Faith Claims in Colorado

Bad faith insurance claims in Colorado are subject to different deadlines depending on the legal theory. Statutory bad faith claims under C.R.S. § 10-3-1115 generally follow a 2-year statute of limitations. Common law bad faith claims may also be subject to a 2-year or 3-year deadline depending on the circumstances. Because these deadlines can be complex — and because the insurer’s bad faith conduct may be ongoing — consulting an attorney as early as possible is critical.

Denver Bad Faith Insurance FAQs

What qualifies as bad faith insurance in Colorado?

Under C.R.S. § 10-3-1115, an insurer acts in bad faith when it unreasonably delays or denies payment of a covered claim. This includes wrongful claim denials, unreasonable delays in processing, lowball settlement offers, failure to conduct a reasonable investigation, and misrepresenting policy terms. Both statutory and common law bad faith claims are available in Colorado.

What damages can I recover in a bad faith case?

You can recover the covered benefit that should have been paid, up to twice the covered benefit as statutory penalties if the conduct was willful and wanton (C.R.S. § 10-3-1116), attorney fees and costs, interest, consequential economic damages caused by the insurer’s conduct, and in common law bad faith cases, punitive damages.

Can I sue my own insurance company?

Yes. First-party bad faith claims are brought against your own insurer when they unreasonably delay or deny a claim under your own policy — such as UM/UIM claims, homeowner’s claims, health insurance claims, or disability benefits. Colorado’s bad faith statutes specifically protect policyholders from their own insurers’ misconduct.

Do I need to prove the insurance company intentionally acted in bad faith?

For statutory bad faith under C.R.S. § 10-3-1115, you must prove the delay or denial was unreasonable — not that it was intentional. For the enhanced penalties under C.R.S. § 10-3-1116 (double damages and attorney fees), you must show the conduct was willful and wanton. Common law bad faith requires proof that the insurer acted unreasonably and knew or recklessly disregarded that its conduct was unreasonable.

How long do I have to file a bad faith insurance claim?

The statute of limitations for statutory bad faith claims is generally 2 years. Common law bad faith claims may be subject to different deadlines depending on the circumstances. Because bad faith conduct can be ongoing and the triggering event may be difficult to pinpoint, consulting an attorney early is important to ensure you don’t miss your deadline.

Why does it matter that Mike Rosenberg used to represent insurance companies?

Mike spent four years defending insurance companies — he knows how they evaluate claims, build their defenses, train adjusters, and make coverage decisions. That insider knowledge allows him to identify bad faith conduct that other attorneys might miss, anticipate the insurer’s litigation strategy, and exploit weaknesses in their position. It’s the difference between guessing what the insurance company is doing and knowing.

Your Insurance Company Has Lawyers. Now You Need One.

If your insurance company has denied your claim, delayed payment, or offered you less than your policy covers, don’t accept it. Colorado law protects you — and Mike Rosenberg knows how to enforce those protections. The consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless we win.

Free Consultation — (303) 465-8733

Jordan Law Accident & Injury Lawyers — 5445 DTC Parkway, Suite 1000, Greenwood Village, CO 80111