The goal of an insurance company is to make money, not to give you the compensation you deserve. After all, insurance companies are for-profit businesses, and the less they pay out in claims, the more profit they make. A car accident is already a stressful experience, and dealing with a self-interested, greedy, and pushy insurance company can compound this stress.
Auto insurance is replete with red tape, making a fight with them seem insurmountable. The daunting process may tempt you to accept any low-ball settlement they offer. However, fighting alone or caving in to the insurance company are not your only two options.
An experienced Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer can fight beside you and ensure you get the compensation you deserve. An attorney can guide you through the process, negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf, file a lawsuit, and recover the compensation you are owed.
Insurance Company Tactics
Since an insurance company’s primary goal is to close their file and pay out the smallest amount possible, they employ a variety of tactics to wear you down. When you talk to the insurance company, you should be prepared to deal with these strategies.
- Delaying: Insurance adjusters know that many car accident victims are in a challenging financial situation. They will use this vulnerability to their advantage. The adjusters will delay the processing of your claim until you are desperate enough to settle for just about anything or give up on receiving any compensation altogether.
- Acting Like Your Friend: Insurance adjusters frequently act like your friend to get you to open up. When you open up, you tend to offer up information about your case and life in general. The adjuster will then twist this information and use it against you.
- Disputing Medical Treatment: Insurance companies almost always claim that your medical treatment is too expensive. They often state that you may be injured but not injured and refuse to pay for your medical treatment.
- Calling You Very Soon After Your Injury: Frequently, insurance companies will call the same day as your car accident or the day after; this is to catch you off guard during a vulnerable time and before you have had a chance to evaluate all your injuries or hire legal counsel.
- Asking You to Give a Recorded Statement: Insurance adjusters will most likely ask you to tell the story of the collision and your injuries on a recorded statement. Later, the adjuster will use this recording to deny or devalue your claim. For example, suppose you do not mention all your injuries or are not aware of all your injuries at the time of the statement. In that case, the adjuster will use the statement to deny coverage for treatment of the unmentioned injuries.
- Denying Liability: If the collision is the fault of its insured, the insurance company will still deny liability on the claim. The company may argue that your injuries were not a result of the accident. Additionally, the company can say that you were partially at fault for the accident, or they will try to devalue your claim. These tactics are used to frustrate you into giving up and accepting the denial or their low-ball offer.
- Telling You Not to Hire an Attorney: Insurance companies do not want you to hire an attorney because attorneys have the experience and knowledge of how to deal with them. Attorneys are less likely to be intimated or fall for their bluffs. Insurance companies do not want you to hire someone who looks out for your best interests and stands in the way of them denying or devaluing your claim.
What Not To Say To Your Insurance Company After An Accident
What you say to the insurance company can make or break your case. You must remember that the insurance adjuster is not your friend and not on your side.
- Don’t Give a Recorded Statement: A recorded statement only helps the insurance company’s interests and harms yours. Information you give may be taken out of context and used against you. Remember you are not obligated to give them a recorded statement.
- Don’t Accept the First Offer: Insurance companies want to close out a claim and pay the least amount possible. Adjusters may pressure you to accept the first offer. The first offer is frequently much less than what you deserve.
- Don’t Take the Blame: Avoid using phrases like “It was my fault,” or I’m sorry. Even if you are not admitting fault and just being polite, these phrases can be used against you. Do not give them any reason to deny your claim by admitting even a small portion of blame.
- Don’t Offer Extra Details: Keep your answers to the insurance adjuster’s questions simple and concise. The insurance company will use any extra information you give against you later when they are disputing your claim. Moreover, you should always have your attorney present during any communications with the insurance company to ensure that you don’t disclose too much information or fall prey to their tactics.
- Don’t Discuss Your Injuries: Not every injury immediately manifests after an accident. You should see a doctor for a thorough examination before discussing your injuries with an insurance company. If you downplay or leave out some of your injuries, the company will use this as an excuse not to cover your medical expenses.
Need Legal Help? Contact an Experienced Law Firm
After a car accident, you are already dealing with your injuries, medical bills, loss of income, and car repairs. You do not need to take on a battle with an insurance company alone.
Let our dedicated Personal Injury Lawyers take up the fight with you. At the Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C., we will advocate for you to get the compensation you deserve. Call us at (215)799-9990 and see how we can help you.