The aftermath of a car accident in Missouri is already an overwhelming experience on its own. But beyond the twisted metal and broken glass of the immediate wreck, it also completely uproots your way of life and sense of normalcy.
In many instances forcing you to undergo medical treatment for potentially catastrophic injuries, deal with mounting bills, and handle the ever-present fear of an uncertain future. On top of all of that, if you haven’t hired an experienced St. Louis car accident lawyer you’re also engaged in advocating for yourself with your insurance company and dealing with the often complex claims process.
Quite simply, it’s a vulnerable position to be in, and compounding the issue is the fact that insurance companies aren’t just aware of it; they outright use it to their advantage. Indeed, there are well-known insurance company tactics to reduce your car accident settlement.
It might come as a shock to hear that a company that’s supposed to provide for you in circumstances like these would try to undercut your claim at every step, but while you’re focused on your recovery, they’re often focused on their bottom line.
Going into the claims process alone is a dangerous game no matter who you are; intelligent, successful people with good negotiating skills and plenty of common sense still get undercut by their insurance companies all the time. And that’s because insurance adjusters are highly trained professionals.
They’re armed with entire playbooks of tactics designed to minimize payments, even to those who are clearly not at fault. They prey on your obvious susceptibility, lack of legal knowledge, and desire (or need) for a quick resolution.
When you’re injured and suffering, the stakes are incredibly high. It’s not just about the payout amount; it’s also about your health, your financial security, and your peace of mind. To that end, it’s essential to take the time to peel back the layers of the most common insurance company tactics to reduce your car accident settlement.
Unmasking the Insurance Claims Reduction Playbook
Your accident is by no means your insurance company’s first rodeo. It’s dealt with untold numbers of accidents with various levels of complexity and severity, and it has a whole arsenal of strategies to help them pay as little out to victims as possible.
Some of these insurance company tactics to reduce your car accident settlement or even flat out deny your claim are subtle, even insidious, and presented under the guise of helpfulness, which makes it difficult for the average person to realize their provider is putting one over on them.
Here are six of the most common approaches you might run into:
1. Delaying the Process
One of the simplest yet most effective insurance company tactics to reduce your car accident settlement is simply stalling out the claims process. The agency might drag its feet on investigations, request seemingly endless and often redundant documentation, or take weeks, even months, to respond to your calls and emails — if they answer at all.
These aren’t flukes or genuine accidents; they’re all part of a calculated strategy. The company is hoping you give up or give in. It knows you’re facing, at minimum, mounting medical debt, lost wages from missed work, and the stress of repairing or replacing your vehicle.
The (financial) pressure you’re under creates a sense of desperation that only snowballs the longer the process drags on. The company intends to get you to a point where you’re more likely to accept a lowball settlement offer just to finally get some much-needed financial relief, even if it’s far less than you deserve.
2. Downplaying Your Injuries
You might initially consider insurance adjusters to be neutral third parties that are there to collect and report the facts, but unfortunately, they’re (more often than not) looking for holes or flaws in your claim in order to deny you payment or reduce your settlement value.
For instance, they might try to minimize the severity of your injuries and even question their legitimacy, suggesting that they’re pre-existing, unrelated to the accident, or simply less serious than you claim. Some might imply that you’re exaggerating your symptoms, and others may even go as far as to request access to your entire medical history just to search for anything they can use to discredit you or attribute your pain to something else.
3. Lowballing You
Soon after an accident — often before you’ve even had the chance to fully assess the extent of your injuries and consult with medical professionals and legal counsel — an adjuster is likely to contact you with what seems to be a generous settlement offer. Be wary, though: What they’re doing is almost always a tactic to get you to settle quickly for less than you’re entitled to.
They’re banking on the fact that you’re stressed, hurt, overwhelmed, and eager to put the nightmare of your experience behind you. As such, initial settlement offers often fail to account for future medical expenses, lost earning capacity, and the long-term consequences of your injuries.
4. Shifting the Blame
Even if you believe the other driver was clearly at fault, insurance companies might try to shift the blame for the accident onto you in order to devalue your car accident claim. That is especially of concern in the state of Missouri due to its comparative fault law, which allows for compensation to be reduced based on your percentage of fault; even if you’re only found to be 10% or 20% at fault, you could lose thousands of dollars from your settlement.
The insurance company, in turn, will try to inflate your percentage of fault through aggressive questioning or by misinterpreting evidence, all in an effort to reduce your settlement value.
5. Digital Surveillance
Among the many insurance company tactics to reduce your car accident settlement, this one, in particular, may shock you: If you’re on social media, there’s a good chance your insurance company is spying on what you post, comment, and like. Anything that seems to contradict your injury claims (even if taken completely out of context) can be used to weaken your case or even deny your car accident claim.
6. Requesting a Recorded Statement
The last of these common insurance company tactics to reduce your car accident settlement, like the one above, also attempts to use your words against you: An adjuster may ask you to provide a recorded statement about the accident, often framing it as a routine part of the process.
While it seems innocuous, your statement can (and likely will) be used against you in ways that you might not be able to fathom while you’re making it.
Seemingly harmless comments, admissions of even partial fault (however minor), and imprecise language can be twisted and taken out of context to reduce your settlement value, devalue your car accident claim, or even deny it entirely.
St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer Near Me
It may be hard to grasp that your insurance company would work against you, let alone that there are so many insurance company tactics to reduce your car accident settlement or even deny your car accident claim altogether. After all, beyond peace of mind, we pay for insurance as a means of ensuring that we and our families are cared for in the event that something truly terrible and unexpected happens.
In a perfect world, that’s exactly what insurance would do. Unfortunately, that just isn’t the case, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get what you deserve. If you or a loved one were involved in a car accident in Missouri, the team at Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers is here and ready to help.
We not only understand the emotional and physical challenges you’re facing, but we also have a deep understanding of Missouri law and a track record of fighting against insurance company tactics to reduce your car accident settlement. Call us today for a free consultation to see how we can help.
