If you need compensation for injuries due to an accident, you need to be aware of one important thing—insurance companies are in business to make—not give away—money!
Just because an adjuster is acting nice, that does not mean he is your friend. In fact, many insurance companies will pay the adjuster a bonus to settle your claim as soon as possible, with as little as possible.
Number one goal of the insurance adjuster
Regardless of whether you are dealing with your insurance adjuster or the other party--all insurance adjusters have the same goal and that is to save money. They get away with this by using a variety of clever tactics you should be aware of:
• Delay, delay and more delays. Adjusters are sleek enough to know that the longer they delay, the more likely the accident victim will settle out of desperation to avoid losing their home, car and ability to pay for food and basic bills as well.
• Requests for unnecessary information. An adjuster might request documents that are 10, 20 or even 30 years old that have absolutely nothing to do with the injury that was suffered. They are fishing for information to discredit and to stall your claim.
• They will ask for a recorded statement. Do not give a recorded statement! The insurance adjuster wants a recorded statement is so that he can take things out of context to use against you at a later date. Your refusal to give a recorded statement is not evidence that you are trying to hide anything.
These are just some of the ways that adjusters can deprive you of money and benefits that you may be entitled to. If you have been hurt in an accident, talk to a personal injury before speaking to an insurance adjuster.
Tips on how to deal with the sneaky insurance adjuster
If you have not made a final decision on hiring a personal injury attorney, it is important to keep a few things in mind. To begin with, everything you say and do is being scrutinized by the insurance adjuster. You should never minimize your injuries in any way. The adjuster will be watching you very carefully and will make note of anything to discredit your claim.
Schedule meetings during normal work hours, even if evenings or weekends are more convenient for you. If the adjuster protests, let him know you prefer to meet during business hours, in case you need to contact certain “consultants” such as the Insurance Commissioner.
Don’t go alone! If you have not chosen an attorney yet, you should attend the meeting with an adult friend or relative. Choose a reliable person who can accompany you at each meeting. This will help to keep a sneaky adjuster from trying to mislead you. Is that a possibility? Without a doubt!
Let the adjuster make the offer. Typically the adjuster will begin by turning the tables on you in asking, “What do you think your claim is worth? And this is where accident victims without attorneys make one the biggest mistakes. The adjuster hopes you will ask for less than he was preparing to offer. Don’t give the adjuster such a big advantage! This is why having a skilled, experienced personal injury attorney is important. They will protect your rights and how to combat less than ethical practices by adjusters.
Keeping these tips in mind will help you avoid clever ploys and loss of potential benefits if you are an accident victim. If you are involved in an accident it’s advisable to seek the advice of a skilled, experienced personal injury attorney who can make all the difference between getting what you deserve and what the adjuster wants to give you.
