Tactics Used By Insurance Adjusters To Deny Or Devalue Your Claim
In the unfortunate event that you suffer an injury or loss as an insurance policyholder, the expectation is that your insurer compensates you. The payment is supposed to help you recover financially, physically, and emotionally from the accident. The insurer indemnifies you up to the covered value and within the policy limits, no more, no less.
Unfortunately, some insurance adjusters may try to use some tricks to devalue or deny you of your rightful claim. They do this to try and maximize their profits. Should you ever get injured in an accident, educate yourself on how insurance companies handle claims and take the necessary steps to protect your rights? We highlight some of the common tactics by insurance adjusters that you should watch out for.
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Tactics Used By Insurance Adjusters
1. Offering A Quick Settlement
After an accident, some injuries may take time before they exhibit any symptoms and manifest fully. What may appear as a subtle injury right after the accident might end up becoming a serious medical complication. insurance adjusters know this and may try to take advantage of your confusion to manipulate you into settling your claim right away. Instead, consult an attorney about your accident so they can take you through your legal rights.
2. Asking For Your Recorded Statement
Insurance adjusters do not require a formal statement from you for them to handle your claim. However, most will frequently ask you to furnish them with a statement, verbal or written, claiming they need to verify the facts. The real reason they do this is to try and gather information on the case that they can use to either devalue or deny your claim. Speak to your attorney for advice on what you can and cannot say when speaking with the insurance company.
3. Delaying The Claim Process
An accident takes a toll on you, leaving you drained mentally, physically, and emotionally. Insurance companies know that victims may not have the time and energy to fight for a fair settlement. By purposely delaying the compensation process, they hope that the victim will give up the fight and they won’t have to settle. Do not fall for this tactic. Push on till they pay you.
4. Convincing You To Settle Without An Attorney
Insurance companies understand that most people do not understand the claim process fully or what claims they are entitled to. Therefore, they will try to convince you that they will handle your matter fully, and there is no need for you to get a lawyer. Hiring an accident attorney is a necessity, as they watch out for your interests, ensuring you get the maximum compensation from your claim. The insurance firm will be going against a formidable opponent that they cannot fool.
5. Misrepresenting Your Coverage
Insurance adjusters may try to misrepresent the law and the terms of your policy to try and cheat you out of the claim, whether partially or fully. They may tell you that the policy does not cover some damages, such as lost wages and suffering. This is why you need to hire an attorney who is well versed with personal accident claims and can break down the liability policy for you.
Endnote
An insurance adjuster will always look for ways to deny or devalue a claim as their focus is on profitability. For this reason, we advise hiring an attorney as soon as possible. Unlike the insurance company, personal accident attorneys protect your interests in a claim and push for a fair settlement.
