What Tricks Do Insurance Companies Use To Avoid Paying Claims?
When you have a personal injury claim, be aware of the tricks insurance companies will use to try to avoid paying claims
like yours. While there are some occasions where the defendant’s insurance company will act in good faith and offer a
fair settlement without extensive litigation, it is more common that the insurance company uses tactics to try to trick
you into losing our claim.
The insurance company works hard to avoid paying out people whenever they can avoid it. That is why it’s so important to
have a lawyer on your side who has experience winning personal injury cases like yours and is familiar with the tricks
insurance companies use to avoid paying claims. Burger Law has stood up to countless insurance companies over the years,
going after the compensation our clients are entitled to. Find out how we can help you by
calling us at 314-542-2222.
Tricks Insurance Companies Use To Avoid Paying Your Claim
Insurance agents are rewarded for minimizing the payout the company has to give, or avoiding responsibility for the
damages completely. They have developed a series of tricks and tactics they commonly use to try to trick you into
settling low or losing your claim altogether.
Beware of the following strategies employed by defendants’ insurance companies to trick you into a low settlement or
non-settlement.
- Stalling Insurance companies are large corporations. Personal injury victims are very often
individuals or families that, sooner or later, really NEED the money from the settlement to move forward with
their lives. Insurance companies know this and will intentionally draw out the process as long as they can in
hopes that you will give up or get impatient and accept a low-ball offer. - Offering False Sympathy Sometimes, they will try to appear to be on your side. Their strategy is
to blindside you or to build a false sense of trust and camaraderie so that they can – again – manipulate you
into a lower settlement. - Spying on you In some cases, adjusters might go so far as to hire a private investigator to try
to catch you going about your day doing things you claim you physically can’t do due to your accident-related
injuries. But more likely they will look for evidence in your contradictory statements or through your social
media activity. They will look for posts from or about you that indicate that you are enjoying your life as
normal and able to physically do things you claim you can’t. - Lying to you One of the easiest and most common tactics insurance companies use to minimize your
claim is to lie to you outright. They will attempt to trick you into believing you don’t have a legitimate claim
or otherwise cannot pursue rightful compensation. Read on for some of the common lies insurance companies tell
personal injury claimants.
Lies Insurance Companies Tell To Avoid Paying Claims
- You have to give a recorded statement. (If they tell you this, speak to your lawyer)
- They do not have to pay for medical care if your personal health insurance pays for it.
- You do not have to pay your wage loss damages because you took sick time, disability, or your employer covered you.
- That a lawyer will only take away money from you
and out of your pocket in a settlement. (this is false because we would not take a case if we could not add
value to it). - That there is no way you could have been as injured as you were from the impact.
- That the insured only has a certain amount of insurance coverage so they cannot pay. (Get a copy of the
declaration page and the policy terms and make them give you an affidavit that there is no other insurance). - You have to settle now or they will rescind their offer. (They will not).
- They can only put so much on the case. (They can get permission to pay more).
Secrets Insurance Companies Don’t Want You to Know
When you get into a car accident or have to make an insurance claim, the insurance company will act like they’re looking out for you. But actually, they are a business trying to make money. Here are some secrets insurance companies don’t want you to know about.
They Want to Pay You Less
Insurance companies train their employees to minimize what they pay out on claims. They will often make a lowball offer first, hoping you’ll just accept it without arguing. Their first settlement amount is usually much less than what you really deserve.
Tactics They Use
Insurance companies use sneaky tactics to avoid paying full value. They may argue that your injuries aren’t really from the accident. Or they’ll say your car’s value was lower than it really was. Their adjusters might leave out information to confuse you.
They’ll try to acquire signed medical authorizations or recorded statements that work against your claim and pay you less.
Your Premiums Don’t Matter
You pay premiums every month, but that doesn’t mean the insurance company feels they owe you. To them, you’re just another number. They don’t care that you’ve been a loyal customer paying on time for years.
Insurance Adjusters are Trained Negotiators
When you make a claim, the insurance adjuster might seem friendly, like they’re looking out for you. But their job is to protect the company’s profits, not help you get what you’re owed. They know how to negotiate to minimize your offer.
Hiring an Attorney
Adjusters get training on how to discourage you from getting a lawyer, and often, they’ll use various adjectives to describe lawyers. But they still have their own lawyers on retainer.
A study by the Insurance Research Council shows that people who hire a lawyer for injury claims often get higher settlements on average versus doing it alone. The insurance company would prefer you don’t realize how much more money lawyers can get you.
You Need Evidence
Insurance companies will use any reason to minimize your claim’s value. That’s why it’s crucial to have evidence like medical records, witness statements, repair estimates, and photos. The more proof you have, the harder it is for them to lowball you.
Get Your Own Calculations
Never just trust the insurance company’s numbers for how much your totaled vehicle is worth or what your injuries are valued at. Get quotes from mechanics and calculations from medical experts. Don’t let the insurer’s methodology shortchange you.
Know Your Policy
Read your policy details carefully so you understand what it covers. Insurance companies hope you don’t realize certain damages or treatments should be included under your coverage.
They may make statements that are clearly untrue just to see your reaction, and determine how much lower they can offer you. For example, they may claim that medical analysis shows that your back pain is related to an old injury, and not the accident.
You Can Negotiate
Don’t just accept the first settlement amount offered by the insurance company’s adjuster. You have the right to negotiate for what your claim is truly worth based on evidence. Push back firmly but politely.
The insurance company is not looking out for your best interests – they care about their profits first. Knowing these secrets gives you power as you hire a car accident lawyer to fight to get a fair settlement after an accident.
Don’t Get Tricked By the Insurance Companies
When you’ve been hurt in an accident where another party was at fault, you are entitled by law to receive compensation
to help make you whole again. Unfortunately, the insurance companies who are on the hook to pay you this money often use
tricks to try to avoid paying the settlement you deserve for your claim.
If the insurance company is not willing to pay your claim in good faith and are attempting to trick you into settling
low or dropping your claim, you owe it to yourself to hire a capable law firm to defend
against their tricks and tactics. Burger Law has helped people like you survive their cases and get the full
compensation they deserve. Talk to us today; just call 314-542-2222 or reach us here.
Related Article: Lies the Insurance Companies Tell
