Despite Claims, Insurance Companies are Not on Your Side

Friday, March 11, 2016

Despite Claims, Insurance Companies are Not on Your Side

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

After an accident, you may be seriously hurt. You are looking to recover from your injuries and receive compensation for those injuries and losses. You turn to your insurance company or the other party’s insurance company for help. The adjuster will seem like your friend and even act as though he or she cares, but here is the truth: The adjuster is there to ensure only the minimum settlement is distributed to you, regardless of the severity of your injuries.

Dealing with Staff Adjusters

Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you may deal with adjusters coming from three separate divisions of the insurance company, which include:

1. Personal injury,
2. Property damage, or
3. Vehicle damages.

Within moments of filing your claim, the information is given to an insurance claims adjuster. He or she will then enter it into the in-house program that is used for claims-handling. You will then hear from the adjuster (typically by phone) within one to two business days of reporting your claim.

As much as you would like to settle quickly, you cannot do so. You need to negotiate with adjusters, because they are working to lower the settlement amount and prey on your desperation. They are professionals who have handled hundreds of claims just like yours – even if they act as though they have not.

First Contact

Insurance claims adjusters will contact you and request a recorded statement. They will then request that you sign a release form so that they may access your medical records. You are bound by anything you say in that statement, but it is important to realize that you are not required by any law to give them a statement. Instead, you should tell the adjuster to contact your attorney. Anything you say in these statements can be used or misconstrued to lower or deny the claim amount. You do not want to discuss details of the accident nor accidentally mention something that can harm your case. An attorney should always be present when you are giving such statements so that you can ensure your statement is accurate, but not detrimental to your case.

An Attorney is Your Best Resource

The insurance claims adjuster is simply there to gather as much information as possible to lower your settlement amount. It is important that you never trust claims adjusters – regardless of how trustworthy they claim to be. Instead, you need to contact a personal injury attorney who has experience with these types of cases.

The team at Malman Law can assist you with your personal injury claim. We help you file your claim with insurance companies and protect you from adjusters who prey on your desperation. We also negotiate on your behalf and work as your advocate to ensure that you receive compensation to cover your current and future damages. Call us now at 888-751-2297 to schedule a free consultation, or fill out our online contact form with your questions.