Ways Car Insurance Companies Trick Unsuspecting Accident Victims
If you own a car and drive it regularly, then you need insurance. You might have different policies depending on where you live. Some states require minimum insurance amounts, while others have more lax requirements.
Many insurance companies have nationwide monopolies. Geico has over 15 million customers, with other big names right behind it.
Some drivers never have insurance company issues, but others run into a company’s ugly side. Car insurance companies don’t have nonprofit status. As for-profit entities, they value making keeping money over all else.
That’s why they employ claims adjusters. We’ll discuss what they do in this article, and we’ll also talk about some ways unscrupulous car insurance companies dupe unsuspecting drivers.
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What Does a Claims Adjuster Do?
Auto insurance companies have a claims department, and that department employs claims adjusters. They wait till someone calls and files a claim, and then they spring into action.
They look at the claim and assess. They investigate the accident and gather information. They might look at doctor bills, accident reconstruction reports that tell what happened, police reports, and so forth.
Then, they determine whether they can deny the claim. If they think they can, they’ll do it without hesitation.
That sounds callous, but again, claims adjusters have one simple task. They save money for the insurance company at all costs. If they can save more money by convincing a driver they don’t have a valid claim, they will absolutely do that.
What Other Tactics Do Car Insurance Companies Use?
If a claims adjuster tells you they’re rejecting your claim, they hope you’ll forget about collecting any money. They might also downplay the accident, vehicle damage, and your injuries.
If you tell them that you hurt yourself, they might look at the medical bills and say you’re not badly hurt. They’re not medical experts, but they’ll gaslight you. They’ll say you only slightly injured yourself, even if you know that’s patently false.
They may also say you can collect some money, but nowhere near what you feel you deserve. They may stall and avoid paying until the law forces them. They might also claim you had a preexisting condition and that the accident didn’t cause your medical problems.
They might have investigators watch your house or job. If you say you hurt your back or you injured yourself some other way, they may take pictures and videos. They’ll present evidence that they claim proves you didn’t really hurt yourself and you’re just faking it. They’ll use this evidence at trial if you sue them because they won’t pay you any money.
They Might See Whether You’ll Say You Caused the Accident
A car insurance company might also call you and say you should explain what happened again, even if they already have the accident report. They’ll record the phone call. On the call, they’ll suggest you caused the accident, even if you know you didn’t.
If you say you caused the accident even partially, they’ll use that recording if you sue them. They’ll say you did something that makes you partly responsible. That might convince a jury you caused the wreck or that you should get less money since you accepted at least some blame.
What Can You Do About These Tactics?
These tactics might anger and frustrate you. You may feel like you’ve gone through some tough times after the crash, and you’re likely experiencing some pain and suffering.
You don’t want a greedy insurance company denying your claim while you’re at home healing. Perhaps you can’t work during this time, and you have no money coming in.
You must hire a competent personal injury lawyer if a car insurance company does anything we’ve mentioned. These attorneys know all about the strategies these companies use. They’ll stand by you and instruct you. They can help you navigate this difficult terrain and collect the money you deserve.
They might tell you that you shouldn’t accept any phone calls or meet with a claim adjuster without
them present. They’ll speak on your behalf. If the claim adjuster tries anything dishonest, they can immediately call them out.
Your lawyer can probably get you a settlement offer from the car insurance company. If they can’t, they can at least represent you in court when you sue the company.
They can present the facts, and if the other driver caused the accident, you should win. You can collect the money you need during this difficult time.
