If you’re involved in a car accident with vehicle damage or injuries, odds are you have a call with the insurance company in your future. From the moment they answer the phone until the second you hang up, that insurance adjuster is going to do everything they can to limit their liability and potentially keep rightful money out of your hands. In today’s blog, we explain three tactics insurance companies often use to try and limit payouts to those seeking a claim.
Tactics Insurance Companies Use To Limit Their Liability
Before you pick up the phone and contact your insurance company, or before you agree to answer questions from another party’s insurance provider, be sure to read up on the tricks and tactics they may use to get you to say things that could limit your ability to earn the compensation you deserve. And better yet, before you talk to the insurance company, reach out to an experienced injury firm like Hey Workers. We can help prep you on what the insurance company may try to do during the call, and sometimes we can even speak on your behalf.
In the meantime, here’s three tactics that insurance companies tend to use when on the phone with clients seeking to file a claim.
1. Be A Buddy – Much like a police officer is not your friend when you are being investigated for a crime, the insurance company isn’t someone you should let your guard down to when talking about your incident. In both scenarios, anything you say can and will be used against you, so don’t admit to anything that could help build their case against you. They will try to empathize with you or get in your good graces so that you let your guard down, say something you shouldn’t and tank your claim. Avoid oversharing and stick to the basics of the incident, and remember that the insurance company is not on your side.
2. A Fast, Lowball Offer – Even when they know they are on the hook for a payday, insurance companies know that one of the most important factors for injured claimants or for those now stuck without a vehicle after an accident is a quick payday and a speedy resolution to their case. The insurance company may try to emphasize how quickly they are putting an offer together because they “understand” how frustrating the situation is and how they want to get you what you deserve as quickly as possible. In reality, they are preparing a lowball offer and hoping they can capitalize on your desire to end the case quickly by paying out a fraction of what they actually owe. Never accept a first offer without at least running it by a lawyer. In the vast majority of cases, a lot more money can be had if you push back just a little and show that a just payday, not a speedy resolution, is your main concern.
3. The Drag Out – Once an insurance company realizes you’re not going to jump at that first settlement offer, they may switch and try to make the process drag on for as long as possible. You can bet they are aware of the deadlines they need to meet, and if they can prolong a case and drag out an investigation, they may do just that. While your medical bills are piling up and you’re stuck without a car for weeks or months, that lowball offer or a slightly improved offer may begin to look more enticing. Trust that your lawyer will do everything they can to move the process along, and don’t let their stall tactics work. Their delays don’t change the facts of the case, and the facts are what will drive home your large award.
Watch out for these three tactics if you need to get involved with an insurance company after an automobile accident. And for any assistance you need along the way, reach out to the injury experts at Hey Workers today.
