Are insurance companies on your side? You tell me.
After you get into a serious accident, you’re suffering in more ways than one. You’re in pain, you can’t work, you have medical bills to pay… the list goes on.
You should be focused on recovery. Instead, you have to navigate the aftermath of the crash. Namely, you must file a claim through the insurance company.
Friendly faces and cheery jingles on commercials may convince you that car insurance companies are here to help you. The reality is… adjusters are working for large companies whose goal is to make (and keep) big bucks.
However, a reliable and empathetic car accident lawyer in Columbus cares more about your well-being than dollar signs. That’s why you don’t have to pay unless you win your case. A lawyer is your best resource and advocates for getting a fair settlement, not car insurance adjusters.
So, we’re here to tell you about seven auto insurance secrets adjusters don’t want you to know.
Insurance companies work hard to make you think they’re on your side. They often train their insurance claim adjusters to be friendly to get on your good side.
In truth, these organizations are large, for-profit corporations that simply want to make money. How do they do this? They deny claims and offer insultingly low settlement amounts.
An adjuster’s job is to give you as little as possible. They are not your friend.
After your car accident, you’ll receive many phone calls from an insurance adjuster. Once you finally answer them, they will pester you for a statement about the wreck. They don’t want you to know that you’re not required to give them a statement.
We recommend that you don’t talk to the adjuster until you’ve spoken to a personal injury lawyer. An experienced attorney can prep you on what you should and shouldn’t say.
Why does the last secret matter? Well, the adjuster will use what you say against you. Even if you think your statement is honest and accurate, the adjuster will look for ways to pin the blame on you. Anytime you speak with the adjuster, they will try to get you to admit fault. If they can’t get you to take the blame, they’ll use what you say against you to make you seem guilty.
If they find a way to make you seem at fault for the accident, the insurance company can deny your claim.
As we’ve discussed, the insurance company will look for ways to pay you as little as possible for your damages. A common tactic of theirs is to look at your prior or unrelated medical records.
For example, if you have a pre-existing condition, the adjuster will use that to explain your injuries from the accident. Your past medical treatment may have nothing to do with the accident, but the adjuster will do whatever it takes to deny your claim. Don’t sign any medical release forms the adjuster tries to give you. Speak to a personal injury attorney first.
Another key secret that adjusters don’t want you to know is that their first settlement offer will be extremely low. It will be so low that it might make you laugh in disbelief. How can their offer possibly cover your medical bills, let alone all your other damages? The insurance company realizes it’s too low. In fact, they purposefully give a low first offer in hopes you’ll feel pressured to accept it.
On the contrary, the insurance company is practically made of money. Don’t be fooled. They can pay you more than what they offer.
Insurance companies don’t want you to know that you can seek compensation for non-economic damages. Non-economic damages are intangible losses that don’t have a monetary value assigned to them.
Some examples include:
Don’t let the adjuster convince you that you can only seek compensation for monetary losses. You deserve compensation for ALL the damages you suffered due to the accident.
Insurance claims adjusters want to keep you in the dark. The less you know, the more money they can save. An experienced and trustworthy car accident lawyer knows all the car insurance secrets. They will fight the insurance company’s tactics and ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
Schedule a free case review with a personal injury lawyer to get help dealing with sneaky insurance adjusters.
At The Jones Firm, we value quality service and compassion. We want to defend you from tricky car insurance adjusters so you get the compensation you deserve. Our team treats you like family, and we’ll stand by your side to help you seek justice for your damages.
Insurance adjusters want to trick you. We want to help you.
If you or someone you love has been in a car accident, contact a car accident lawyer at The Jones Firm.