Insurance Company Tactics

If you have been in a car accident, you have probably heard from one or more insurance adjusters who want you to give a recorded statements and sign various releases and other forms.  These adjusters likely seem very friendly, ready to help, and concerned about your best interest.  However, nothing could be further from the truth.  Insurance adjusters’ only job is to minimize or eliminate your claim, and to pay you as little as possible.  So, before you talk with another adjuster or sign any forms that could destroy your legal rights, take a moment to get answers to your questions.  Contact an experienced New Orleans car crash attorney first, and learn about the most common mistakes that people make that hurt their claims.  

After being seriously injured in any type of accident, the last thing anyone thinks about is fighting with an insurance company.  After all, these are the very people who are supposed to be helping you resume your life after a personal injury.

There are several ways that insurance companies take advantage of injured people in order to maximize their profits at your expense.  The following are just a few insurance company tactics:

Hire cheap, inexperienced claims adjusters – Have you ever had the feeling that your claims adjuster just does not have a clue as to what they are talking about?  Very often they do not.  One way that large insurance companies save money is by hiring cheap, inexperienced adjusters.  If you are dealing with one of these adjusters, all you will get from them is a flat out denial or a negligible payout that is pre-determined by a computer program that does not consider your personal situation.

Use standardized claims adjustment software – While this may sound like a good idea, it really only benefits the insurance company.  Standardized software allows insurance companies to decide how much they will pay out on each type of claim so that they can keep costs down.  But, as we know, each accident, each person, each injury, and each claim is different.  This means that your compensation will be based on a software algorithm, and not based on your individual injuries, losses and circumstances.  There is nothing fair about this.

Keep a law firm on retainer – Insurance companies keep a law firm on retainer to fight against your claim.  They use lawyers to fight even the smallest claims because most people do not want to enter into long, drawn-out legal battles just to get fairly compensated after an accident.  So while you think that you are dealing one on one with an insurance adjuster, you are really against a sophisticated legal professional who advises the insurance company every step of the way.  The playing field can never be level unless you have a knowledgeable personal injury attorney representing your interests.

Deny claims or pay as little as possible – Considering the insurance companies’ profit motives, it is no surprise that they try to avoid paying claims whenever possible.  Insurance companies will deny, delay, and defend against your claim in an effort to make you go away for as little as possible.  They will attempt to deny your claim, and hope that you will just give up.  If this does not work, they will delay your payment, and try to wear you down so that you will accept an unfairly low amount as settlement.  If all else fails, they will get their lawyers involved in your claim and defend against you while tying your case up in the court system. 

If you have been injured in a car wreck, and need help resisting the tactics of the insurance company, get help from an experienced Louisiana car collision lawyer by calling 504-581-4892 or by filling out our free, no obligation case review form.