5 Common Tactics Insurance Companies Use To Devalue Car Accident Claims
Insurance carriers have one goal, and that goal is to limit how much money they payout in a settlement. Yes, in theory, insurance carriers are there to pay compensation for injuries or property damage based on the terms of the contract you signed with them. However, the more they pay, the less they keep for themselves. There are five common tactics that insurance carriers will use to devalue a car accident claim in Georgia.
1. Calling Soon After The Injury
One of the first things that an insurance carrier is going to do, particularly the insurance carrier of the alleged at-fault party, is contact you. When an insurance carrier calls soon after an accident, they do so because they want to catch you off guard. Insurance carriers understand that individuals are in a vulnerable state right after a traumatic incident occurs.
Additionally, car accident victims will not have had a chance to determine the full extent of their injuries, and it is not uncommon for them to be willing to settle for a lower amount than they should actually receive. Finally, by calling you soon after a crash, an insurance carrier is hoping that you have not had a chance to retain a car accident attorney.
2. Asking You For a Recorded Statement
An insurance carrier may tell you that you have to give a recorded statement in order to process your claim, but this is not true. You should never give a recorded statement to the insurance carriers if they ask you to give your side of the story. You are not under any obligation to do so, and this could only hurt your claim in the long run. Insurance claims adjusters are good at their jobs, and they are trained to ask questions that could prompt you to make statements that could jeopardize your claim.
3. Asking You to Sign a Medical Authorization Release
You can be certain that the insurance carrier for the at-fault party will ask you to sign a blanket medical authorization release form so they can obtain your records. Even though this request may seem innocent enough, a “blanket” medical authorization release form will give the insurance carrier access to all of your past medical histories. The carrier could use any past injuries or pre-existing conditions against you and say that is what has caused your current pain and suffering, not the vehicle accident in question. Insurance carriers only need access to limited medical data, not all of your medical records.
4. Offering a Quick Settlement
Insurance carriers are notorious for offering quick settlements to entice you into taking a settlement lower than what you should actually receive. The insurance carrier is betting on the fact that you want money quickly and that you are willing to take a lower settlement, even if you have not had a chance to fully evaluate your injuries or property damage expenses. However, after you accept an early settlement offer, it will be nearly impossible to go back and get more money at a later date.
5. Denying Liability
It is not uncommon for an insurance carrier to try and deny liability for their policyholder altogether. The insurance carrier could try to place some or all of the blame for the car accident onto you in order to either deny the claim or limit how much money they payout in a settlement.
Give our Atlanta car accident lawyers a call today.