My Car Was Hit, and Their Insurance Won’t Pay

It’s stressful enough dealing with the aftermath of a car accident. But even worse, when the other party’s insurance company denies your claim leaving you feeling like you’re out of options. This is an extremely frustrating scenario. You were counting on the insurance company to take care of your medical bills and provide compensation for the damages you’ve sustained.

What now?

Our Columbus car accident lawyers have seen this scenario all too often. We’ve put together a guide to help you determine why your claim may be denied, what makes insurance companies tick, and how you can turn the tables in your claim. Read on to learn more.

Top Five Reasons Insurance Companies Deny Claims

Car insurance claims denials affect your livelihood. If you’ve recently been in an accident and your claim was denied, you know how frustrating this can be. There are many reasons why this happens, some within your control, some not. But to fight back, you should first know why the insurance company denied your claim. Here are the top five reasons your car insurance claim could be denied.

#1 They’re Saying You’re at Fault

If you were in a car wreck and the other driver’s insurance company believes you’re at fault, they won’t pay for your damages. Insurance companies only pay out money for a claim that was their policyholder’s fault, using liability insurance. For instance, if a pedestrian is hit by a car, but it turns out they ran out into traffic without looking, they wouldn’t be entitled to any compensation from the driver’s insurance policy. But fault in a car accident isn’t always that black and white, and the insurance company could be wrongfully pinning the blame on you.

#2 The Other Driver Didn’t Pay Their Insurance Premiums

If the other driver fails to pay their insurance bill that month, their coverage will lapse. During that lapse period, they are not covered for any accidents. And if there’s no insurance, there’s no source of payment to draw from other than the other driver’s personal funds. Unfortunately, if they couldn’t afford their insurance that month, they may not be able to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for your injuries, lost wages, and other damages.

#3 There’s Not Enough Coverage to Go Around

Even if the other driver does have insurance coverage, they may not have enough liability insurance to cover the extent of your damages. For example, if the at-fault driver t-boned your car, you were hospitalized, and your vehicle was totaled, but they only had a $25,000 policy limit, your compensation may be limited.

#4 You Didn’t Report the Wreck in Time

Never wait to report a crash—especially if you were injured! Insurance companies can always come back and say they weren’t given sufficient time to research the claim or doubt the accuracy of your claim. When you are injured or get into a car accident that results in property damage, you should call the police to the scene immediately. A police report can provide an unbiased account of the accident and if the at-fault driver received any tickets that could be instrumental in your case.

#5 The Denial is in Bad Faith

Sometimes, car insurance companies flat-out deny valid car insurance claims in bad faith. They can face legal consequences when they deny your claim without providing a reason or based on unethical grounds. But if you don’t know your rights as a consumer, they may try to get one over on you. Don’t give them the satisfaction.

How the Insurance Game Works (and How You Can One-up Them)

Most insurance companies exist to protect people—but to stay in business, they also have to make money. To do that, they collect premiums from paying customers, and to keep that money, they do everything within their power to pay as little as possible or nothing at all on insurance claims. This surplus pads their bottom line. For you, this may mean denying a valid claim or short-changing you on your claim’s worth, among other tactics. When you hire a car accident lawyer to represent you, you show the insurance company how serious you are about getting compensated. Car accident lawyers understand personal injury law and can help you identify all forms of compensation available in your claim. The bottom line is if another driver’s negligence caused your accident, they’re legally responsible for your damages. A car accident lawyer can help you make them pay up.

What to Do if a Third-party Insurance Company Denies Your Claim

If the insurance company denies payment, that’s not the end of the road for your claim. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you may have other legal remedies available.  For instance, if the other driver was uninsured or underinsured, you should be able to file against your own underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage, if applicable. Alternatively, if the insurance company disputes fault, you can bolster your claim with evidence like a local police report and eyewitness testimony.

In either scenario, getting legal backing from an experienced Ohio personal injury attorney is the best way to protect yourself.

Tips for Filing Successful Insurance Claims

• Get medical attention right away for your injuries
• Take photos of any damages to both cars and the accident scene
• Record the date, time, and place of the accident
• Report the accident to your own insurance company immediately
• File a police report ASAP
• Do not admit fault for the accident
• Contact an Ohio personal injury attorney to have your back

Insurance Company Giving You a Hard Time? Call The Jones Firm to Get Paid.

Have you been in an accident, and the other driver’s car insurance company refuses to pay your claim? The most important thing is to keep calm. At best, they may have made a mistake or forgotten something important when processing your claim. At worst, they’re simply unwilling to accept responsibility for their own driver’s mistake—in either case, don’t let it get under your skin. You may still be able to proceed with your claim with the help of an Ohio car accident lawyer at The Jones Firm.

Contact us for a free case review.