Defined term
Brechbill standard
The Brechbill standard is Alabama's framework for first-party bad faith claims — recognizing both 'normal' bad faith (no debatable reason) and 'abnormal' bad faith (intentional misconduct beyond mere debate).
Alabama's bad-faith doctrine is doctrinally generous in form but demanding in proof. "Normal" bad faith requires showing the insurer had no debatable reason to deny — a high bar. "Abnormal" bad faith covers more egregious conduct: intentional or reckless mishandling that goes beyond a mere coverage dispute.
The State Farm v. Brechbill line of cases articulated the modern framework. For claimants, the key strategic question is which prong fits the facts. Carriers who can articulate any plausible coverage defense usually defeat the "normal" theory; "abnormal" requires evidence of bad-faith claims handling — destruction of file, fabricated bases for denial, refusal to acknowledge clear coverage.