Top 11 Tricks Auto Insurance Companies Use To Deny Claims

Insurance Companies Put Profits Ahead of Policy Holders

The general public still feels that auto insurance companies exist to help injured car accident victims when they need financial help after an accident. This is how it should be in the real world but unfortunately, this is simply not the truth at all. The auto insurance industry in Michigan is a booming business and they exist to profit just like any other company ever established. It just so happens that are very good at making profits and even better at treating their own customers like dirt. Don’t assume that your insurance company is concerned about you, they are more concerned with the bottom line and that’s a fact.

The Insurance Adjuster Is Not Looking Out For You

Considering the amount of money you spend on auto insurance, you would think they would bend over backwards to help you. Just think of your monthly payment (MI has some of the highest in the country) and how long you’ve been making this payment without any accidents. Scary number huh? You would expect that your own insurance company would reach out to you regarding your claim and make sure that you are ok. Here’s deal…… They will reach out to you quickly, but they certainly aren’t looking out for your best interests. Remember, they are hired to make money for their employer not to give you all the financial assistance needed.

In fact, your insurance company will probably contact you right away. Why do they do this? They want to talk to you before you have time to think things over, assess your injuries, or talking to an attorney. Most accident victims that have been seriously hurt don’t know what to do, how bad their injuries are, and how much $$$ their case is worth. Don’t make the mistake of signing anything or not talking to a lawyer before the insurance company, you WILL regret it down the line.

11 Tricky Tactics Insurance Companies Use To Fool You

1) The insurance adjuster stating they want to get you a fair settlement.

This statement alone is enough to know they aren’t looking out for you, but looking out for themselves. Their job is not to help you, it’s to minimize or eliminate outgoing costs as much as possible. They are employed by the insurance company, so their career, salary, future security, etc is dependent on how well they do their job. If they sided with the injured policyholder all the time, they wouldn’t still have a job. Essentially, your needs and company profits are opposing forces and guess what will always win? Yes…..$$$$$

2) Requesting a recorded statement about the accident or crash.

The one and only reason they wish for you to make a statement is in the hopes of you making a mistake. They want to hear you say something that will seriously hurt your case and you would be surprised how many people fall for this tactic. Once this mistake is made, it can be very hard to overcome even if it has no merit. They will take your words out of context, ask you leading questions, and any other tricks they have learned in their experiences. If you don’t make a recorded statement, you won’t make a mistake.

3) Requesting to obtain your medical records.

The insurance adjuster will no doubt ask you to sign a form which releases your medical records to them. Do not sign it without talking to an attorney even if you think it’s ok to do so. They will act nice and friendly but you have to remember that they are just requesting these records to discredit you and avoid paying out your expenses and other costs. They are looking for any way to relate your car accident injury to a prior injury. If they want your medical records have them talk to your lawyer.

4) Pushing a quick settlement before legal representation and advising a lawyer is not necessary.

Insurance adjusters aren’t dumb. They know that the minute you hire a lawyer, it makes their job that much harder. A lawyer has a much idea on the validity or case and how much it is worth. The adjuster knows this and will try to take advantage of their own clients if they don’t hire legal counsel. This is why they will push you so hard to take a quick settlement without consulting an attorney. Negotiations are tough even with a lawyer but they know they pay much less with no attorney present.

5) A quick settlement and signing a full release form.

If you are asked at the scene of the accident to accept a quick settlement along with signing a full release from any and all damages, you know for sure that you have a good case and the insurance company is trying to limit their financial exposure. This is definitely tricky because at the time of the accident you have no clue what injuries you have sustained and what the extent of any injury may be. Some injuries are easy to recover from, while other injuries certainly not. Only a doctor specialized in that area of practice should determine what type of medical treatment should be provided and how long it will need to be provided for.

6) They will perform surveillance on you and your social media accounts.

Most people don’t believe this even after you fully explain. Your own insurance company will most likely hire an investigator assigned to your case. The reason behind is that they are trying to disprove your injuries and document it to strengthen their own claim against you. It goes without saying that you should never falsify an injury claim, but investigative photography can be taken out of context and create false impressions. You can also be certain that your insurance company will be monitoring your social media activity in an effort to disprove your injuries.

7) Delay. Delay. Delay.

This is the oldest and most effective trick in the book. Insurance companies have the ability and resources to drag your case out for a very very long time. In some cases, they can drag on for years and injured victims badly need financial assistance for their injuries related to the accident. They have no problem making you struggle financially with piling medical bills and the inability to earn a wage. If they drag it on long enough, they know that you might succumb to the pressure and settle for a much smaller amount than you deserve simply because you have no other choice.

8) Not paying your claim and denying liability.

This is a very common occurrence. It’s glaringly obvious that you have a first party claim and you should be getting your medical expenses paid for and more. Instead, the insurance company decides to deny your claim and can pretty much make up any reason they choose. There are a million reasons how they can do this and there isn’t much you can do about it except for starting a lawsuit and trying to reach a settlement or taking them to trial.

9) Misinforming you of your maximum policy coverage.

Auto insurance adjusters can be very tricky when informing you of the total amount of insurance available for a claim. Oftentimes, there is more coverage that they are trying to hide from you. For example, your auto insurance company might claim that you don’t have uninsured motorist coverage when you really do. This is why it’s very important to know your own auto insurance policy well and what is included in that policy. Make sure you inform yourself before talking to your agent as they might not always sell you the best policy fit for you.

10) Fighting you over your damages and medical expenses.

Many insurance adjusters will also contest the treatment and money spent for medical expenses. Even though they are obviously not licensed medical professionals, they will claim that you’re treatments were over the top or unnecessary and they shouldn’t have to pay for something like that. For example, say you injured your back during the accident and have been receiving both physical therapy and chiropractic treatment. The adjuster might claim one or both of these treatments are not required and they aren’t responsible for paying the bill.

11) Attributing your injury to a “pre-existing” condition.

Some clients injured in an automobile accident have previous injuries or “pre-existing” conditions. Insurance companies will usually try to claim that your injuries were already there and the accident had nothing to do with the injury even if it’s obviously from the accident. For example, say that you broke your ankle jogging years ago and undergone physical therapy. Even though you are healed, if you were to be in an accident where it injured your ankle, the insurance company will likely claim that your ankle never healed and the accident shouldn’t be to blame.

Rate this post

Author
Recent Posts

Matthew Clark

Content checked by Matthew Clark, personal injury attorney with The Clark Law Office. Matthew is the owner of The Clark Law Office and represents injury victims all over the State of Michigan. He has collected multiple million dollar verdicts and settlements for victims of auto accidents, dog bites, slip and fall, and medical malpractice. The main office is in Okemos, MI but you can also find us in Lansing and Eaton Rapids.