Accidents that result in a personal injury can be a traumatic experience, especially car crashes. In 2020 alone, there were over 200,000 injuries sustained as a result of auto accidents in Florida. If you’ve recently been in an accident it’s important your insurance claim is monitored closely to ensure you get the payout you deserve. Unfortunately, insurance carriers are always looking out for their bottom line, and if they can get you to accept a lower offer—they will. This means it’s up to you to make sure they do their due diligence and follow through on your claim.
If you’re in need of legal counsel with your recent insurance claim, call my office today for experienced guidance you can trust. Our offices are in Lake Wales and Lakeland, Florida, but I serve clients throughout the area in Winter Haven, Davenport, and Haines City.
Common Insurance Adjuster Tactics
Here are five common insurance adjuster tactics to look out for:
1. Lowball First Offer
It’s in the best interest of the insurance provider to get your claim settled quickly and to limit their liability. One way they do this is by lowballing their first offer to you, hoping it’ll be accepted. However, if they get back to you too quickly, they likely haven’t spent enough time investigating to understand the total expenses, and you may be left paying future medical bills related to your accident that went overlooked by the adjuster.
To combat this, it’s essential you wait until you’ve reached your maximum medical improvement (MMI) before settling. This is the point where medical intervention isn’t likely to produce further improvement.
2. Long Delays
Like most states, Florida law requires that insurers respond to communication regarding a claim within a specific period of time. However, some adjusters will sit on a claim and not take action, hoping you’ll rush to accept the first offer they eventually do send to help cover expenses. You may notice the insurance company failing to respond to communication about your claim, or only responding after a long time.
3. Failing to Conduct a Thorough Investigation
Insurance adjusters have a lot of claims to work through, and the faster they can reach a settlement and move on to the next one, the better their bottom line. However, this almost never results in a better deal for you. Adjusters will often perform a cursory investigation of your case without looking into all the evidence thoroughly and underestimate the severity of your accident or your injuries. If you ever feel that the adjuster is ignoring or dismissing evidence, that’s a red flag that you’re likely to get a bad faith estimate and they’ve failed to take into account your cumulative expenses.
4. Misrepresentation
Policies are often lengthy and complex and without experienced interpretation, they can cause confusion and doubt. Sometimes an adjuster will purposely misrepresent the policy’s coverage, claiming it doesn’t cover particular damages when it actually does. This is a tactic that’s unfortunately seen all too often.
5. Making Threatening Statements
Lastly, there are some unscrupulous adjusters who will actually make threatening statements in the hopes you’ll get scared and accept the first offer they put on the table. If your adjuster tells you they’ll close your case if you don’t accept their offer, or says they won’t negotiate anymore with you, you need legal representation to help you fight this unethical practice.
What is Your Attorney’s Role in Settlement?
The last thing you need to deal with when recovering from the emotional and physical strains of an accident is a pushy insurance adjuster who doesn’t have your best interest at heart. When you work with Tonya Stewart Law PA, you can take care of your health while I fight for the best settlement. I have the experience and skill to recognize common insurance company tactics and I know how to fight back.
Getting Experienced Legal Counsel
You don’t have to face insurance companies alone. If you’re in the Lake Wales or Lakeland, Florida area, contact me today to set up a consultation about your recent personal injury claim. I can help you fight these unfair practices and won’t rest until you get the total damages you’re due.