State Farm
Insurance Lawyers

Knowledgeable Attorneys for State Farm Auto Insurance Claims
Serving Illinois and Greater Chicago

At Malman Law, P.C., we are committed to fighting for injury victims’ rights, and we will do whatever it takes to ensure that you receive every penny you are entitled to as quickly as possible.

About State Farm

State Farm is far and away the largest auto insurance company in the United States, writing well over $30 billion in premiums. Although this insurance industry giant cultivates the image of a “good neighbor,” it operates under the same incentives as any other for-profit business does: The key to profit is maximizing revenues and minimizing expenditures, and injury claims are expenditures. Once you file a claim against State Farm, don’t be surprised to find them behaving less like a “good neighbor” and more like a competing business operating right next door to yours.

Third Party Claims Against State Farm

Most auto accident victims resolve their cases by filing third-party insurance claims against the at-fault driver’s auto liability insurance policy. State Farm will under no circumstances pay out beyond its policy limits, regardless of the value of your claim. Unfortunately, many at-fault drivers lack the personal financial resources to make up the difference between the value of your claim and the amount paid out by State Farm, forcing you to look for alternative sources of compensation (see below).

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Claims Against Your Own State Farm Policy

You may claim against your own State Farm uninsured/underinsured motorist policy if:

• The at-fault driver’s liability insurance policy limits are not enough to cover the value of your claim (in this case, you will only be permitted to claim the increment that liability insurance didn’t cover).
• The at-fault driver was illegally driving without liability insurance at the time of the accident.
• You were the victim of a hit and run accident and the at-fault driver disappeared.

In all cases, you can expect State Farm to be looking for ways to reduce the value of your claim or deny it altogether. Unless you are an extremely skilled negotiator with expert knowledge of auto insurance claims adjuster tactics, you will be at a serious disadvantage without skilled legal representation by your side to protect your interests.

Common Insurance Company Negotiating Tricks

Insurance company adjusters are professionals at saving money for their employers, and most of them carry an invisible bag of tricks with them to any contact with an unrepresented claimant. Some of the most common tricks are:

• Asking you to state exactly what time the accident occurred. If they can pressure you into a specific answer, such as 3:42 p.m., they can turn around later and suggest that you caused the accident by looking at your watch instead of keeping your eye on the road.
• Offering a quick settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries, especially if you are under financial pressure. The insurance adjuster may even visit you in the hospital for this purpose.
• Imposing an arbitrary settlement deadline on the assumption that you are unfamiliar with the two-year statute of limitations deadline.
• Lulling you into missing the statute of limitations deadline though constant delays.
• Convincing you that people with “good neighbors” don’t need their own lawyer.
• Attempting to access your medical records for a “fishing expedition” looking for pre-existing injuries or anything else that might reduce the value of your claim. You would have to authorize this in writing, so don’t sign any medical records authorization unless you lawyer approves.
• Asking for a recorded statement and then demanding that you answer trick questions.
• Keeping you confused about the terms of coverage. Insurance policies are often written in “legalese.” Especially if you are a third-party claimant, don’t expect State Farm to translate the policy you are claiming against into plain English.
• Attempting to blame you for the accident, either fully or only partially.
• Convincing you that retaining a lawyer is too expensive. Malman Law will not charge you any legal fees unless we win a recovery for you.
• Offering a quick but small settlement in exchange for signing a release of liability. This tactic can be disastrously persuasive if you are under severe financial or emotional stress.
• Hiring an investigator to take misleading photos of you that could be used to indicate that you are lying about the extent of your injuries.
• Blaming a third party for the accident.
• Stonewalling you, particularly if you don’t have a lawyer.

These are only a few of the dozens of tactics commonly used by auto insurance companies to deny liability altogether or pay out a fraction of what a claim is worth. At Malman Law, we have seen it all many times before and we know how to protect you.