If you’ve been injured in an accident, you may rely on the insurance company to cover the cost of your care, as well as your other associated losses. While they may act as though your interests are their top priority, many insurance companies employ tactics to limit payouts in favor of their own bottom lines.
Common Insurance Company Tactics
As for-profit businesses, insurance companies look to their profits first. Consequently, they often seek to pay victims as little as possible, rather than what their claims are worth. To push you into accepting a settlement, or into not pursuing a claim denial, insurance carriers may employ a range of tactics. Some of the most common of these include:
Making Lowball Offers
Particularly with their first offers, it’s common for insurers to offer settlements well under the value of victims’ claims. With such a tactic, these companies aim to take advantage of those eager to resolve their claims, struggling with the financial effects of their injuries, or who do not understand they have the right to negotiate for a more fair settlement.
Delaying Claims
To wear victims down into accepting a lowball offer, insurance companies use varying reasons to delay claims and draw out the negotiation process. For example, the insurance carrier may conduct an unnecessary investigation into the accident that caused the injuries, request excessive documentation, or neglect to respond to communication attempts.
Causing Confusion
Insurance policies and the claims process often include complicated legal terms and procedures that may seem daunting for the average person. Insurance companies may use this to their advantage by overwhelming victims with legal documents, requests for information, and other paperwork. Making it more difficult for claimants to understand their rights or the values of their claims may lead to them accepting lower settlement offers.
Denying Claims
Insurance companies may deny claims for compensation after an accident. They may argue that their clients were not at-fault for causing motor vehicle collisions or other such incidents. In other cases, insurance carriers may seek to exploit policy loopholes that would let them deny coverage for certain types of injuries or damages. Insurance companies may employ this tactic to get claimants to drop their cases or to push them into accepting lowball settlement offers.
What Are Your Rights?
If you have been injured due to the negligence of another, despite what the insurance company may lead you to believe, you have the right to seek compensation. Most states’ personal injury laws afford you the right to seek damages for losses suffered in accidents caused by the negligent or otherwise reckless actions of others.
You may pursue compensation for your economic and non-economic injury-associated losses. For example, the costs of doctor visits, medications, and surgical procedures, as well as lost wages from time off work recovering, or lost future income if you cannot return to your pre-injury job duties.
Rather than taking on the insurance company alone, you may benefit from working with an injury attorney.
Why Hire a Lawyer After an Accident?
Whether you have experienced insurance company tactics to reduce a payout after an accident, or you have yet to report your injuries, hiring a lawyer offers several advantages. Some benefits of working with personal injury law firms include:
Handle Negotiations
When you hire a lawyer, your legal representative will take over negotiations with the insurance company. Understanding of the tactics commonly used and the applicable laws, an attorney will not be pushed into accepting an unfair settlement offer.
Understand Your Options
A personal injury lawyer will have thorough knowledge of the laws, including your options. As such, an attorney can help make sure you understand your rights and the options you have, making you less susceptible to these insurance company tactics.
Represent Your Interests in Court
If you can’t reach a fair settlement with the insurance company because of these and other such tactics, an attorney can represent you in court. A lawyer will make the necessary filings, gather evidence, to support your claim, and present your case to a judge or jury.