Despite the heartwarming commercials about how neighborly they are and how they’ll be there for us when we need them, insurance companies are your adversary when you’re trying to resolve your car accident claim. They are multi-million or billion-dollar companies that stay in business by raking in more in premiums than they pay out in claims. This means they have a financial incentive to deny or minimize the value of your claim as much as possible, which puts you at odds with them since your interest is in recovering maximum compensation for the harm you suffered.
Some of the tactics that insurance companies play to advance their goals include:
Making a Quick Settlement Offer
You might be relieved to see a quick settlement offer from the insurance company and take it as good news. However, insurance adjusters often offer quick settlements because they want claimants to accept them before they have a chance to hire a lawyer and learn the true value of their claim. This tactic can save their employer a lot of money because once you accept the settlement, you are barred from returning to the negotiating table to demand more money, even if you incur additional expenses or your injuries are more serious than you first realized.
Giving Arbitrary Deadlines to Accept a Settlement
Another way insurance companies may try to get you to accept a low settlement offer is by telling you that you only have a limited amount of time to accept, or the insurance company will rescind the offer. Making tight deadlines is a common marketing and scam ploy that gets people to make decisions against their better judgment. It capitalizes on the fear that you won’t be able to get the offer, pushing you to accept.
Blaming You for the Accident
The insurance company might try to blame you for the accident as a way to deny your claim or minimize its value. In this situation, the insurance company is likely banking on you not understanding your rights or being unaware of all the factors that might affect your claim. Until you speak with an attorney, it is in your best interest not to accept any blame for the collision. In Texas, you can still pursue compensation for a car accident even if you were partially responsible for the accident. However, your compensation is reduced by your degree of fault. For example, if you are 10% at fault for an accident and suffered $10,000 in damages, your damages would be reduced by 10% or $1,000 in this example.
Insisting on a Recorded Statement
Insurance companies may state that you must provide them with a recorded statement. However, this tactic is almost always used to try to find something to use against the claimant to deny or minimize their claim, such as getting them to say they are fine, their injuries are not that serious, or they are to blame for the accident. Refer the insurance company to your lawyer rather than give a recorded statement to protect your rights.
Claiming Medical Treatment Was Unnecessary
Another common tactic insurance companies play when dealing with car accident claimants is to claim that the medical treatment you received was not necessary or not related to the car accident. The insurance company might even say that a pre-existing condition was responsible for your injuries, not the accident.
Contact Our Austin Car Accident Lawyers to Protect Your Rights
You do not have to deal with insurance companies alone. If the insurance company makes you an offer, you can contact an Austin car accident lawyer from FVF Law. Our attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience helping victims of serious injury. We can review your case and discuss what options you have. There’s no obligation to move forward with legal representation from us, but we want you to make the best decision for you – whether that’s with us or not.
