Insurance Company Dirty Tricks (and How to Deal With Them)

Each year, millions of people in the United States are injured in car accidents. The most recent data from 2023 reports roughly 2.4 million injuries and around 41,000 deaths in that year alone.

Unfortunately, when you’ve been in an accident that wasn’t your fault, the challenges can continue long after the auto accident. If you’ve been injured, you’re likely facing medical treatment, and you may even be unable to work.

Insurance companies are aware that people involved in a car accident are often vulnerable and unsure of how to proceed or interact with their adjusters after an accident. They sometimes use this as an opportunity to take advantage of the injured party and avoid paying fair compensation. Keep reading to learn the common tricks insurance companies try to pull to reduce your payout.

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1. Getting You to Admit Fault

The insurance adjuster may pretend to be your friend and get a conversation going. They’ll start to ask questions, and then just let you talk. It’s human nature to wonder whether you could have done anything differently to prevent the accident. But if you mention that, your personal injury claims could be reduced, just like that.

With Oklahoma’s comparative negligence laws, the more you contributed to the cause of the accident, the less compensation you receive. This is one of the simplest and most effective ways an insurance adjuster can reduce your claim: by getting you to admit you are partially at fault.

A claims adjuster is not your friend. Even if you are careful, you may still say something that can be misinterpreted later. It’s best to say as little as possible to them. Even better, let them talk to your lawyer instead.

2. Using Your Own Words Against You With a Recorded Statement

Many accident victims believe giving a statement to an insurance adjuster is required. The truth is that it’s usually much better to wait to speak to your lawyer first before giving an official statement of what occurred.

Insurance adjusters are skilled at asking leading questions so that you downplay your symptoms or injuries, which gives them a perfect outlet for reducing your claim by using your own words against you. Giving a recorded statement without first consulting an attorney could significantly impact your personal injury case when you are trying to seek compensation.

You are not obligated to provide a statement and should never provide one without the aid of an experienced personal injury lawyer. An attorney can help prevent you from unintentionally saying anything that could hurt your case.

3. Looking for Pre-Existing Injuries

Many insurance adjusters will encourage you to sign a medical authorization form that allows them access to your complete medical history. While it’s important that they see the medical records for your accident-related injuries, your full history is unrelated, private information.

Insurance adjusters may attempt to use your medical history to argue that your injuries were not entirely caused by the accident but occurred prior to the wreck. That could diminish your chances of receiving compensation for your injuries and property damage.

It is almost never a good idea to sign a medical authorization form. Talk to a lawyer if you need help interpreting the language on any forms from the insurance company, or if an insurance company is pressuring you to sign. An experienced personal injury attorney can break it down for you in plain English and tell you whether signing can benefit or hurt your insurance claim.

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4. The Lowball Settlement Offer

This is one of the most common dirty tricks. Insurance companies know that when you’re injured in a car accident, you likely want to settle your case quickly to have your medical bills, lost wages, and other costs covered. This can lead to them making their initial offer lower than what you deserve in hopes that you’ll feel pressured to accept.

The insurance company may even suggest that their initial offer is the best offer you will be able to receive. This is not always the truth, though. Insurance companies are for-profit businesses, so their main goal is to pay out as little compensation as possible to injured parties. Once you agree to their settlement, you cannot re-negotiate if you later discover that your injuries are worse or require ongoing care.

Most car accident lawyers offer a free consultation and can give you an idea of what your case may be worth. They will help you understand the true value of your case, and if you engage their services, they will aggressively negotiate to get fair compensation for car accident victims like you.

5. Delaying Claims as Long as Possible

An insurance company might try to string you along, constantly asking for one more piece of paperwork or one more signature. They know that the longer they wait, the more your debt will pile up and cause you to reach your breaking point. The more desperate you are for money, the more likely you are to accept a low settlement, which is precisely what they are hoping for.

An experienced attorney can help speed up the claims process and prevent the insurance company from any similar underhanded tactics. While it may still take several months to recover compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance coverage, your attorney can help you find ways to reduce your financial pressure, including helping you find some pre-settlement financial assistance options.

6. Using Social Media Accounts for Surveillance

Insurance adjusters may comb through your social media accounts to see if they can find anything that contradicts your claims about your injuries or your fault in the accident. Something as innocent as a photo of you smiling could be evidence that you are not in as much pain as you claim.

A claims adjuster can even stake out the front of your house and watch for you to bring the trash out or tend your garden, then use that to say that your injury is not as serious as you say it is.

If you are still in the insurance claim process, stay off social media. Accident victims need to be aware of the image they’re presenting in public.

7. Convincing You Not to Hire an Attorney

Insurance adjusters may encourage you not to hire an attorney. They may try to tell you that attorney’s fees will eat up your entire insurance claim, leaving you with barely anything. The truth is the opposite: accident victims with legal representation often receive higher amounts, even after paying the lawyer’s fees.

This is because an experienced lawyer will understand the true value of your case, including things you might not consider like the cost of future medical expenses or lost earning potential. They know how to put together a convincing case and argue aggressively with the insurance company. They will provide compelling evidence if the insurance company tries to reduce or deny claims.

Most importantly, a skilled attorney will take your case to court if negotiating a settlement isn’t working. A lawyer will defend your legal rights, and fight for higher compensation for you.

The Wolf Pack™ at Colbert Cooper Hill Is Here for You

Many insurance companies will try to reduce your compensation when you submit an insurance policy claim. A claims adjuster may try to reduce your claim in good faith or resort to shady tactics like the ones listed here. They know that you are likely to be unfamiliar with the insurance process or your legal rights.

If you or a loved one was injured due to the negligent actions of another driver, an experienced attorney like those on our team at Colbert Cooper Hill can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. If a claims adjuster tries to use any dirty tricks to reduce your claim, we’ll stop them in their tracks.

Contact the Wolf Pack™ at Colbert Cooper Hill by giving us a call or filling out our online form. Don’t wait, get the help you need today.

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.