Insurance Companies Are Not Your Friends

Insurance companies are businesses. They are not your neighbor. You are not in good hands. They do not get you back where you belong. They are not on your side. And they certainly are not your friends. The agents who work for insurance companies will not advocate for you—at the end of the day, the job of an insurance agent is to protect the insurance company’s bottom-line.

Insurance Companies Make Money By Denying Claims

At their core, insurance companies are businesses. The purpose of a business is to make money. Insurance companies are no different in that regard. And, as a business, insurance companies make money in two ways—charging premiums and denying claims. When insurance companies actually pay a claim, they are losing money. Because insurance companies are merely businesses in the business of making money, their primary focus is to deny you compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, and property damage. With those marching orders, insurance adjusters, on behalf of heartless insurance companies, will make every effort to deny your claims. The practice is so common that it has been memorialized in books and movies.

Be On the Lookout!

Your antennae should be up when an insurance adjuster calls you to: (1) take your statement; (2) to send in medical records not related to the accident; or (3) discuss settlement.

Why Does the Insurance Company Want to Take My Statement?

The goals of taking your statement are not limited to just understanding what happened. Often times, insurance companies will use your candid statements to limit your damages. In most cases, you are not required to give your statement to an insurance company. You should call an attorney before ever giving a statement to an insurance company!

Why Does the Insurance Company Want My Medical Records?

The insurance company may ask your for medical records. Giving the insurance company medical records related to the injuries sustained in your accident probably is not problematic. However, you should not provide the insurance company with any unrelated medical records, or medical records you may have prior to your accident. Insurance companies will use your prior medical records to limit or deny your claim and argue your injuries have nothing to do with the accident because of some preexisting condition.

What’s the Problem with Discussing Settlement?

The insurance company’s adjuster is motivated to pay you as little as possible to settle your claim. Often times, insurance adjusters will not give you an offer that covers your medical expenses and property damage. Put another way, insurance companies will offer you much less than your economic damages. Additionally, insurance companies will not take into account your noneconomic damages, such as your pain and suffering, mental anguish, and any disfigurement resulting from your injuries.

Call an Attorney at Morrow & Sheppard LLP Today

The attorneys at Morrow & Sheppard LLP are fully aware of the tactics insurance companies use to avoid paying claims. Morrow & Sheppard LLP are personal injury trial lawyers and handle cases involving mild, moderate, and catastrophic injuries. See what our clients have to say about us.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, we encourage you to contact us immediately to protect your legal rights.