Legal Ways Insurance Companies Deny Claims
Insurance companies are in the business of collecting premiums. To ensure they make a profit each year, they minimize the amount of money paid out in claims. This means if you file a legitimate claim, one where you’re entitled to compensation, there are sneaky tactics they’ll employ to weasel out of their responsibilities.
Today, the Car Crash Captain tells us about these methods, so you know what to expect. Of course, as soon as possible after the wreck you should have Herbert Law Group take over so you can focus on healing.
Sneaky Insurance Company Tactics
To start off, not every insurance company will try this every time. And, the folks you talk to on the phone are just doing their job – they’re not your enemy and don’t deserve anger taken out on them. We are holding the company as a whole accountable to do what’s right.
Pressuring You to Settle Your Claim Quickly – When met with a claim, the company knows they’ll have to pay something. They will quickly throw together a settlement offer that looks like it will meet your needs. They then explain that the offer is only good for a limited time, and you should act now so you can take advantage of the great offer. The sneak is that they want you to think if you don’t accept that offer, you get nothing. The truth is that most claims won’t expire; your lawyer can negotiate better offers.
Confuse and Delay – When you don’t accept the first settlement, the next sneaky insurance company tactic is to confuse and delay. They’ll go through the fine print of your policy, and try to make you second guess what happened. Was this during a felony? Were you speeding? Intoxicated? Take your eyes off the road for a second? Driving in the day? Driving at night? The sneak is to confuse you and hope you’ll accept their initial settlement offer. If you don’t accept that one, they can at least delay paying as long as possible.
Recording Your Statements – To use a recorded statement, the company has to inform you before recording. Normally they will say something like, “This call is being recorded for quality and training purposes.” They then ask questions about your wreck and how you are recovering. A statement as simple as, “I’m doing well, thanks.” Can be misconstrued to show that you’re not actually injured. The sneak is using your own statements out of context to diminish the value of your claim. Instead, the only phrase you need to say is, “I’m working with Herbert Law Group, any questions can be directed to my attorney.”
Lowballing Estimates for Damage and Medical Expenses – Your first settlement offer will almost always be a lowball estimate. That lowball estimate is combined with another tactic in hopes that you accept the offer and they can clear the claim off their books. The sneak is that once you accept the settlement you can’t come back later and claim more – even if you deserved more and need more to fully cover your medical expenses. Herbert Law Group knows what a claim is actually worth, and will argue on your behalf so you receive a larger settlement.
Request for Documentation – Documentation requests aren’t really sneaky by themselves. The company will, after all, need the proper documents to process your claim. There are times, however, that an insurance company will ask for more documentation than necessary. The sneak is that they’re trying to find something, anything, that can be used against you. Your Texas car crash lawyer will know what documents are reasonable, and refuse to provide anything that’s not necessary for the case.
Don’t Fight Alone, Let Herbert Law Group Fight for You
There are plenty more sneaky insurance company tactics out there, but there’s only one tactic you need to know to avoid being legally swindled.
Your tactic is to enlist the help of Herbert Law Group, so you don’t have to worry about anything. We will handle the insurance company, the settlement, and all of the legal stuff. What you handle is recovering from your injuries.
Let’s talk about what happened and get a plan together. Call us at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll get your free initial consultation scheduled.