An insurance company commits bad faith when it fails to act reasonably in processing and handling a claim. Gruenberg v. Aetna Ins. Co., 9 Cal. 3d 566 (1973). One hallmark of bad faith is an unreasonable delay in adjusting a claim. Insurance Code section 790(h); Fleming v. Safeco Ins. Co., 160 Cal. App. 3d 31, 37 (1984); Palmer v. Financial Indem. Co., 215 Cal. App. 2d 419, 429 (1963); Austero v. National Cas. Co., 84 Cal. App. 3d 1, 29-30 (1978); Bodenhamer v. Superior Court, 192 Cal. App. 3d 1472,1476 (insurance company deliberately delayed payment); Richardson v. Employers’ Liability Assurance Co., 25 Cal. App. 3d 232, 247 (1972)(nine-month delay in paying benefits on a claim carrier knew to be valid constitutes bad faith as a matter of law).