The Connecticut Appellate Court reversed a decision to dismiss bad-faith claims against Government Employees Insurance Co. for allegedly purposefully delaying the plaintiff's attempts to collect a payout for an underinsured motorist.

And the plaintiff's counsel hopes the ruling is a road map for bringing successful challenges against insurers.

"At a certain point, you've got to go all the way, or [the insurance companies] are never going to learn," said attorney Kevin Ferry, who brought the suit in Connecticut on behalf of client Saadia Bouazza. "I actually feel it's my obligation to expose these types of claims to raise the boats for everyone else out there."