Insurers will use 4 common strategies to avoid paying you what you deserve:
- Using your words against you.
- Scaring you with baseless accusations.
- Intentionally stalling.
- Pushing paperwork onto you until you sign.
An auto insurance adjuster is a full-time, professional low-baller. The BEST thing you can do to fight back ishire full-time professional auto accident lawyerswho have made their living fighting for Wisconsin’s injured.Hereare some things to think about as you do so.
Like any business, an insurance company tries to maximize revenue while minimizing expenses. Your normally pleasant relationship with an insurance company could turn nasty after an accident. Their strategy isn’t to offer you what you need, but what they think you’ll accept without a fight. In this day and age, it can be surprising that a large auto insurance company would try to screw its customers. The fact is, this sort of behavior is common, widespread, and profitable.
In an ideal world, an insurance company would deliver prompt and courteous compensation for your injuries and expenses as promised. In the real world, they will hire professional negotiators to stall, intimidate, and weasel their way out of any payment they can.
There are 4 common strategies that an insurer will use after an accident to avoid paying enough
1. An insurance company WILL use your words against you
Assume anything you say to a representative of an insurance company is being recorded and analyzed for them to use against you. When you’re speaking with an insurance adjuster following an accident it is important that you NEVER:
- Agree to their version of events
- Admit any fault
- Agree to any figures or costs they present to you
While it is important to represent your side of the story truthfully, the answer to any question they ask or offer they make should be: “Let me consult my attorney.”
2. An insurance company WILL hurl baseless accusations to scare you
Once you begin to defend yourself against an insurance company they may fire back with scare tactics. They might claim that you’re inflating the costs of your medical expenses and committing fraud. They may threaten to get your driver’s license taken away. They may even tell you that their offer is final.
Don’t believe them. An insurance adjuster is not a lawyer, a fraud investigator or a judge, and they have no legal authority. As long as you’ve represented your case aggressively but truthfully they will not waste money to follow through on these threats.
They know that good, honest people are terrified of being falsely accused of a crime, getting wrapped up in a court battle, or losing out on an insurance settlement that they need. Exploiting these fears with empty threats is often an effective strategy for them.
3. An insurance company WILL intentionally stall and take too long
There is no law that says an insurance company MUST provide prompt service. They know that they can wear many people down and run out the clock by taking their sweet time until the statute of limitations passes. An insurance company may kick the can down the road by:
- “Losing” your paperwork
- Transferring your to another adjuster
- Not returning your calls
- Lowballing you to begin a drawn out negotiation process
If scaring you doesn’t work, an insurance company’s next tactic is to frustrate you until you cave and take whatever they put in front of you. They know that nobody wants to be dealing with the fallout of a car accident months after the dust has settled. You have bills to pay from the accident and the longer they stall the more dire your situation becomes. Don’t let an insurance company push you into desperation.
4. An insurance company WILL push paperwork at you until you sign
The most effective strategy that an insurance company has is the ‘fishing expedition.’ They will keep sending you paperwork that says “Sign here and collect your check.” DON’T SIGN ANYTHING until you’ve reviewed it with an experienced personal injury attorney and made sure that their offer satisfies your financial needs.
Their letters may become more aggressive as time goes on, insisting that this is their FINAL OFFER and if you don’t sign you will miss out on any hope of compensation for your damages. Do not believe them. With a calm head, the facts on your side, and a personal injury lawyer on your team, you CAN get the compensation that you deserve.
