Many people expect the insurance company to treat them fairly and pay what they’re owed after they’ve been involved in a car accident. However, in reality, insurers are businesses focused on protecting their profits, not your financial recovery. Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize payouts and deny claims entirely whenever possible.
Learning about the tactics they use can help you recognize unfair treatment and take the right steps to protect your claim.
Common Reasons Insurance Companies Deny Claims
Insurance companies often try to justify denying car accident claims by arguing that the policyholder or injured victim failed to meet certain requirements. Some of the most common reasons they cite include:
- Disputing liability: They may claim their insured wasn’t at fault or that you caused the accident yourself.
- Policy exclusions or lapses: The insurer might say the policy didn’t cover the accident or that it expired before the crash.
- Failure to report the accident on time: Many policies require drivers to report accidents promptly. A delay can give the company an excuse to deny your claim.
- Lack of medical evidence: If you didn’t seek immediate medical treatment, the insurer may argue that your injuries are unrelated or exaggerated.
These reasons may sound legitimate in some cases, but they’re often used as a strategy to avoid paying what’s fair. It’s best to get legal advice before assuming that you are out of legal options.
Tactics Used To Devalue Claims
If the insurance company can’t deny your claim outright, they might try to reduce how much they owe. Some of their most common tactics include:
- Downplaying your injuries: Adjusters often argue that your injuries were minor (or were preexisting) to justify a lower payout.
- Questioning treatment costs: They might claim your medical bills are unreasonable and unnecessary.
- Offering quick, low settlements: Early settlement offers are designed to make you accept less before you understand the full value of your claim.
- Blaming you for part of the crash: Under Texas’s modified comparative negligence law, your compensation can be reduced if you’re found partly at fault. For instance, if you’re 30% responsible, your award can be reduced by 30%.
These tactics can make it difficult to recover the compensation you truly deserve, especially when you’re focused on healing.
Protecting Yourself After a Car Accident
You can strengthen your case by taking certain steps immediately after a crash. Start by calling 911 and getting medical treatment, regardless of whether you have an obvious injury. Then, collect as much evidence as possible, such as photos, witness statements, and a copy of the police report.
Avoid giving a recorded statement to the insurance company and signing any paperwork before consulting an attorney. What you say or agree to early on could be used against you later.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer With Cal Mundell Law Firm, PLLC
If an insurance company has denied or undervalued your car accident claim, don’t give up. You may still be able to recover compensation under state law through one or more legal avenues.
Contact Cal Mundell Law Firm today at (915) 250-0700 to discuss your case and schedule a free consultation. We can look into your claim and advise you on how best to proceed from there.