Insurance claims are a notice for reimbursement from an insurance company when the insured has suffered a loss that is covered under the insurance policy. Insurance companies cannot refuse to pay a customer's claim without "reasonable justification."  This means that an insurance company must engage in a reasonable investigation and pay legitimate claims in a timely manner.  If an insurance company fails to handle its customer's claim properly, it may be held accountable for resulting economic losses, including lost wages, interest on money the insured borrowed to cover expenses while insurance benefits were wrongfully withheld, and loss due to damaged credit.