The Best Approaches for Handling Insurance Companies After an Accident

You’re likely to get into a car accident once every 17.9 years. Do you know what to do when it happens to you? Car accidents aren’t just stressful, they’re expensive and can lead to serious injuries. The worst part of being in an accident? Dealing with insurance companies. Handling insurance companies can be a nightmare, especially when you’re recovering from an accident.

We’ve simplified the insurance company process. Keep reading for our top tips for dealing with insurance companies after an accident and how you can protect your legal rights. 

Focus on the Facts

It’s important to be clear about your injuries and damages but you also want to be honest. Exaggerating can throw up a red flag for insurance companies that handle accident claims.

When recounting the facts of the accident, don’t worry if you can’t remember everything. Trying too hard to recall specific details can lead to unintentional misrepresentations of what happened. Do your best to explain what happened, but remember that it’s okay to be general, especially when talking to the insurance company for the other driver.

Insurance adjusters that seem friendly aren’t your friends. They are trying to get you to admit fault so they can pay out your claim for as little as possible and close your file. 

Never Agree to Be Recorded

Part of the insurance company process is giving what is called a recorded statement. The insurance adjuster will record their conversation with you and ask you to recount your version of events. This is a common request but you should never agree to this without talking to an accident attorney first.

Remember that insurance companies are businesses that ultimately want to protect their own interests. They will try to trip you up and get you to say something on the record that diminishes the value of your claim.

When you are represented by an attorney, the insurance company will have to go through your attorney. This means your attorney will be present during the recorded statement process and will make sure the insurance company doesn’t play dirty. 

Never Admit Fault

This might seem obvious, but it’s important to understand why you never want to admit fault or blame, even if you believe you caused the accident.

When talking to your insurance provider or the insurance provider for another driver, tell them what happened without attributing blame to yourself. What many drivers don’t realize is that most accidents are the fault of both drivers.

There’s often something a driver could have done to avoid the accident. There can also be other mitigating factors that the investigation will uncover. It’s in your best interest to avoid taking any blame and letting the investigation play out.

Hiring an attorney can help you present your side of the story and your attorney can conduct their own investigation with your best interests in mind. 

Don’t Accept a Lowball Offer

Insurance companies are in the business of making money. When they pay out claims, they lose money. For this reason, they often try to get claimants to accept lower settlements than they deserve.

Insurance adjusters want claims to go away as quickly as possible. They hope that by offering you a settlement right away, you’ll take it, even if it’s a lowball offer.

One of the best things you can do to ensure you get the compensation you deserve is meet with an attorney who specializes in accident claims in your state. These attorneys offer a free consultation where they will advise you about the compensation you may be entitled to.

When you have an attorney on your side, the insurance companies will take you seriously. Your attorney will make sure you don’t accept an unfair offer and will help you gather and present the evidence you need to make your claim. 

Keep Good Records

When it comes to insurance claims, making your case often comes down to how well you present your evidence. Keeping excellent records can strengthen your case and make negotiating a settlement a lot easier.

You should keep detailed records of every transaction related to your accident. This includes communications between you and the accident insurance companies, medical records, medical bills, work slips, police reports, repair estimates, communication with your doctor about your injury, and anything else related to your accident. Keep a copy of your claim filing with each insurance company.

If you collected evidence at the accident scene, this can help you prove your case as well. 

Don’t Sign Anything

Another good piece of advice for handling insurance companies after an accident is to never sign anything without having your attorney review it first.

Insurance companies are sneaky and they may try to get you to sign away your legal rights without realizing it. If you aren’t careful, you could end up signing something that prevents you from getting the full compensation you deserve.

Settlement offers and legal documents should always be reviewed by your attorney. 

Do You Need Help Handling Insurance Companies?

If you’ve been in an accident and are having trouble handling insurance companies or were injured in the accident, you need an experienced accident attorney on your side. Our team of experienced accident and injury attorneys can help you prove your case and get the compensation you deserve.

No one wants to deal with insurance companies, especially after an accident. Let us do the heavy lifting for you. We’ll handle the insurance companies for you!

Click here to schedule a free consultation today to learn more about how we will fight for you.