Speaking to an insurance adjuster can be nerve-wracking, especially when your recovery is on the line. What most people don’t realize is that the insurance companies have a playbook of strategies and tactics designed to undermine your claim and justify a smaller recovery. To help you avoid these pitfalls, here are 3 insurance company tactics every driver should know.
The Friendly Approach
Insurance adjusters are trained negotiators. They handle dozens of cases each day and know all the strategies that will make their job easier and justify a lower settlement. The greatest among those tactics is the friendly approach.
An insurance adjuster will seem friendly and insist they’re trying to help you because that encourages you to open up and share more information. The problem is that everything you say to an insurance adjuster requires extremely precise wording, or it may be used against you later. For that reason, it’s often best to avoid speaking to the insurance adjuster, no matter how nice they seem and let your attorney negotiate on your behalf.
Low Ball
The insurance company has formulas and calculations that help them determine the exact amount your damages are worth. However, the adjuster’s job is to offer as low a settlement as they believe you will take. To this end, the initial settlement offer is often significantly lower than what’s required to move forward and recover from your injuries.
Remember that insurance adjusters are trained negotiators. The majority of injured people who try to negotiate on their own are unsuccessful, and the few who earn a settlement almost always receive significantly less compensation than those who hire an attorney.
Take the Offer
When you’re injured and stressed out, there’s a temptation to earn your recovery and move forward as quickly as possible. This can cause you to give up information and accept the lower offers. But it’s important that you be patient and let your attorney negotiate for you.
When you hire an attorney, you won’t have to worry about the stress of managing your case. Moreover, your legal team may be able to help you find a doctor who will agree to wait for payment until your case is complete, meaning there’s less pressure on your to accept an offer too soon.
To schedule a free consultation with an experienced Virginia car accident attorney from Portner & Shure, P.A., don’t hesitate to call (410) 995-1515 or send us an email.
