Why Insurance Companies May Call Offering a Quick Settlement

Many insurance companies are profitable because they try to find ways to deny and devalue claims. If you were injured in an accident, the at-fault party’s insurance company will likely attempt to contact you with a quick, lowball settlement offer. However, you are not legally obligated to accept their first offer.

Hiring a dependable personal injury attorney may be in your best interests in this situation. At Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn, LLP, we offer a free case evaluation. If you have a viable claim, we are prepared to help you pursue compensation for medical costs, lost wages if you missed work, and other related damages.

Below, our attorneys explain why insurers may try to call asking you to agree to a fast settlement that may be well below the value of your claim.

Bad Faith Tactics

When evaluating an injury claim, insurance adjusters are focused on one thing – saving money, which means they usually try to avoid paying the full amount for any damages. Adjusters are trained to look for any reason to reduce or reject claims.

They may try to use what is known as “bad faith tactics” to trick you into saying or doing something that may hurt the value of your claim. For example, if they call you, they could ask you seemingly harmless questions, such as, “Are you feeling better?” or “Are you okay?”

If you reply that you are “feeling better” or “I am okay”, these statements could be used against you as proof that your injury is not as severe as you claim, and you may not get the compensation you need.

Be careful with what you post online as the insurance company could be monitoring your social media posts, looking for any written statements, images or videos that could bring the severity of your injury into question. For instance, if you have a leg injury and are seen on social media running around in a recent video, this could be used as evidence to deny or reduce the value of your claim.

Avoiding a Lawsuit

Another main reason why most insurers may offer you a quick settlement is because they know their client is at-fault for the accident. They would rather have a quick lowball settlement to avoid spending additional time and money in a lawsuit or going to trial.

Insurance companies would rather avoid dealing with attorneys and the litigation process. If you have a knowledgeable attorney, he or she can help you calculate a fair settlement to cover your past, present and future medical needs. The insurance adjuster will most likely try to get you to accept their offer before you seek legal representation.

Tips on Handling Calls from Insurance Adjusters

If you do receive a call from the insurance company, you can avoid answering and let them leave a message. If you do happen to answer, you should keep the conversation to a minimum and refer them to your attorney.

Some helpful tips, in case you cannot avoid speaking to the insurance company, are:

• Do not provide a written or recorded statement without consulting with your attorney first.
• Only provide basic information about the accident and your injury such as when and where it occurred.
• Do not provide too much information about your damages as conditions could change.
• Be friendly and professional and do not volunteer additional information.
• Do not speculate or guess what happened if you are not sure.
• Try to stick to the facts and avoid giving your opinion.

Reach Out to a Licensed Fort Worth Attorney

If you or someone you loved was injured in an accident, do not get fooled by the insurance company’s tactics as they try to lower the value of your injury claim.

To learn more helpful tips on handling calls from insurance adjusters, contact a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer at Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn, LLP for a free consultation. We have in-depth knowledge of federal and state insurance laws to help protect your rights and best interests.

We charge zero fees for your initial consultation and we do not bill you unless we win compensation for you.

Call Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn, LLP at (817) 920-9000 anytime, day or night.