The costs that come after an accident can be enormous, which is why you might be relying on your insurance to come through. But filing a claim may not be a sure thing when the company tries to dodge their duty.
Car accidents cause billions in lifetime costs every year, and your share of that price tag can be devastating. You may expect your insurance company to help you out, but they may approach your accident with a spreadsheet with their bottom line circled.
Insuring success
Some insurance companies use unsavory tactics to limit payouts and leave you footing the bill:
- Questioning the details: Spell out the facts before you talk to the insurance company, and stick to them. They may ask about things that you don’t think pertain to the accident, come at you with leading questions or rephrase queries to find discrepancies in your story.
- Too much information: Cooperating with your insurance company may be part of the claims process, but you don’t have to submit to their every whim. You may not have to comply if they start looking for ways out of paying, as they request multiple interviews or seek access to years of medical history.
- Dragging their feet: Insurance companies may be banking on a little desperation on your end of the deal. You may be feeling the squeeze from your medical bills while they drag their feet with investigations and come in with low offers. This might all be by design to get you to accept a lower offer when it finally arrives.
Knowing the ways an insurer may try to get away with a reduced payout or deny a claim altogether can be a crucial step in getting coverage. Make sure you get what you deserve after an accident by being able to spot the traps.
