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ChatIt is unwise to speak to an automobile insurance adjustor without first consulting an attorney. You may be asking yourself why… when the adjuster seems friendly, or especially when the adjustor is from “your” car insurance company. To put a long story short, there is an inherent conflict of interest present: Car insurance companies are in the business of making money, and you’re in the business of being compensated in full, based on your claim’s worth. Car insurance companies will often try to minimize your compensation, delay your payout, or even deny your claim altogether.
Car insurance companies may bombard you with medical authorizations, requests for a statement, and other unnecessary authorizations. Speak to an attorney before engaging with an insurance adjuster.
If you have been injured in a car accident, or believe the insurance company you are working with is negotiating inappropriately, Bottaro Law provides you with a free case review 24/7.
Below are five reasons why car insurance companies are not your friend:
1. Car insurance companies will ask for inappropriate medical authorizations, urge you to stop seeking medical treatment, or dispute some or all of the medical expenses incurred.
Car insurance companies will say they need medical authorizations from you. But if you sign, you’ve likely been tricked into letting the claim adjustor review your entire medical history. Aside from this being irrelevant and a major invasion of privacy, it is often how car insurance companies will try to avoid payment: They will blame your automobile accident ailments on a pre-existing condition or injury. Insurance adjustors may also dispute your medical treatment, or even urge you to stop getting care by threatening you with nonpayment.
2. Car insurance companies may bombard you with medical authorizations, requests for a statement, unnecessary authorizations – Or they may not talk to you at all.
Insurance adjustors often bombard insureds and claimants with calls or other forms of contact in the name of “urgency.” They use this tactic to make you feel flustered and anxious as you try to navigate through your automobile accident injuries. Conversely, insurance adjustors may not communicate with you at all, thereby ignoring your claim and requests for compensation. Both methods are meant to confuse and frustrate you, ultimately urging you to settle prematurely.
3. In Rhode Island, car insurance companies can record your verbal statement of an incident – with or without your knowledge – and will often use that statement against you.
One tactic car insurance companies like to use is the “friendly face” tactic. The insurance adjuster, whether it be from your own insurance company or the at-fault person’s company, will pretend to be a helpful guide. They may speak clearly and calmly and purport to be of service in the aftermath of a traumatic automobile accident. However, insurance adjusters want your verbal statement as soon as possible. They will ask open-ended questions to get you to say something “wrong,” – that you’re “okay” or “fine” – to talk about your medical history or other things that could be twisted in favor of a lower payout or outright claim denial.
4. Car insurance companies do not have a legal obligation to tell you your rights – So don’t count on them to help you.
Again, many insurance adjustors are nice and even purport to be your friend, but they are certainly not going to inform you of your rights. They have no legal obligation to, no interest in doing so, and the insurance adjustor assigned to your claim is not your attorney… insurance adjustors are not attorneys at all.
5. Car insurance companies will urge you to not seek legal representation and may offer a quick, lowball settlement to ensure you don’t.
Insurance adjusters know that once a skilled personal injury attorney is involved, their job becomes a whole lot harder. Their own studies show that a claimant’s payout is an average of 3.5 times higher when a lawyer is involved! As a result, insurance adjustors will try to quickly get ahold of you and offer a payout well below what is deserved. Don’t accept an offer from an insurance company – or talk to an insurance adjustor, for that matter – without first having a skilled attorney review the merits of your case.
The legal professionals at Bottaro Law know the Big Bad Car Insurance Companies’ tactics and have fought tirelessly against them in countless cases. Call Bottaro Law now and we’ll assess how to handle your, or the at-fault driver’s insurance adjustor, accordingly.
It’s Good to Know Mike Bottaro – 24/7 Top-Rated Personal Injury Help
At the Bottaro Law Firm, we handle all types of personal injury cases every day. We pride ourselves on our honesty, integrity, and results. Our experienced legal team is here to fight for your rights. Contact us 24/7 in any method you prefer for a fast, free, and confidential consultation about your case. Text or call us at: 401-251-0515 or fill out our free and confidential online form.