The Different Strategies Used by Insurance Companies to Lowball the Victim

Insurance Companies

After an accident, most people immediately contact their insurance provider to file a claim. Many victims’ lives are turned upside down after an accident, forcing them to focus on healing while managing the costs. Damage to private property may also incur additional charges.

Damage reimbursement is typically obtained through an insurer. When you claim with an insurance company for damages, the company may attempt to lowball you by offering an inadequate payment. An insurance provider will attempt to place half the guilt on you despite having sustained severe injuries.

Do not allow the adjuster to exploit you. Get in touch with a personal injury lawyer to pursue justice and get fair compensation. Having a professional by your side also shows you are serious about your claim. Here are some common strategies insurance firms employ after an accident to lowball the victim.

Issue a Fraudulent Transaction Authority

An adjuster can get a note from the claims administrator indicating that the claimant would receive no more than a particular sum. The note might be used to prove that the insurance provider is only inclined to pay a certain amount, even though the adjuster knows the claim is worth more. Yet, if pressure is placed in the correct places, the insurance provider may be willing to negotiate more. This is when legal counsel comes in.

Coerce Victims to Take Care of the Damages

In a car accident, adjusters may pressure claimants to pay for the upkeep of a totaled car with their funds. This should not happen as it is not your obligation, and the insurance provider will most likely be the one to cover any damages that need to be made to your car as a direct result of the accident that you were in.

Quote Unreasonable Depreciation

While settling a claim, several adjusters may employ exaggerated depreciation tables or tables with no real bearing on the complaint. The purpose of a depreciation table is to graphically depict the gradual decline in value of a given property over time.

In the event of a road accident, for instance, your insurance provider may argue that the time you’ve possessed the vehicle should reduce the amount of money you receive for repairs. If the depreciation schedule seems odd, you should have your lawyer look it over before agreeing to the deal.

Stop All Communication Abruptly

Insurance companies often stop communicating with policyholders as a negotiating tactic to pressure them into accepting a low settlement offer. Insurance adjusters know that their lack of response through email or telephone can cause stress in the face of mounting debt and no apparent means of resolving it.

They hope you’ll call while in fear, willing to take any settlement proposal the insurance provider gives you. It’s unscrupulous to cut off contact with a victim, hoping they’ll agree to a cheap offer.

Vagueness About Mathematical Questions

For intangible losses, such as pain and suffering, you have a right to question the insurance adjuster on the basis upon which they came to the amount they are offering. Economic losses, such as medical expenses or auto repairs, are simple to calculate. Because of their intangibility, emotional damages are often undervalued by deceitful adjusters.

In most cases, insurers want to minimize payments for intangible losses like mental anguish to keep premiums low. If your insurer cannot explain the calculation behind their offer, you can assume they are trying to lowball you.

Put Victims Under Duress to Accept Their Offer

In addition to trying to resolve this with as little compensation as possible, insurers want to settle the matter as quickly as possible. Insurance companies would rather deal with victims personally (as opposed to a lawyer) since most lack the expertise, information, time, and tolerance to engage in a protracted negotiation.

Insurance firms frequently indicate that their initial, lowball proposal is the best they can do, and you’d be making a mistake not to accept it instantly.

Questioning Injuries Sustained

Insurers cast doubt on your claims of injury, so they may reduce the amount they compensate you with. A common ploy employed by adjusters is to suggest that your injuries result from a pre-existing condition.

If your insurance company has concerns about the authenticity or the origin of your injuries:

• Photograph your wounds as evidence.
• Get your doctor to attest in writing that your wounds are consistent with the accident you claim to have experienced.
• Collect all relevant medical test results, including X-rays, that illustrate the extent of the damage.
• Create a comprehensive inventory of your injuries and how they have affected your daily routine.

Personal injury attorneys are available to discuss your options. An expert lawyer knows all the loopholes insurance uses to avoid paying for an injured client, such as calling into doubt the legitimacy of their injuries.

Conclusion

Insurance firms will gladly shift the blame on policyholders and resort to deceptive practices to preserve profits. Lawyers specializing in personal injury cases understand the insurance company’s tactics and how to counteract their lowball settlement proposals. Allow them to handle the legal aspects of your injuries so that you may concentrate on getting better physically and mentally.