After an accident, one of the first people you’ll talk to is an insurance adjuster. Their job is to investigate your claim and figure out how much money the insurance company should pay. While most adjusters are professional and polite, you have to remember their main goal is to protect their profits. They want to pay out as little as possible, even if it means shortchanging your claim.
How you communicate with an insurance adjuster matters. Innocent comments can be misunderstood or taken out of context to reduce your payout. You can protect your claim by avoiding the following mistakes.
Insurance adjusters are trained negotiators who will keep their offers as low as possible when claimants don’t have a lawyer. Consulting an attorney can help you understand the full value of your claim and give you an advantage during negotiations.
Stick to the facts and don’t get emotional. Avoid making any statements that assume fault or responsibility, even if you’re just speculating. Let the facts of the accident speak for themselves and allow the investigation to determine fault.
Even if you feel fine, you might not notice symptoms for days or weeks after your accident. If you’ve experienced a back injury, traumatic brain injury, concussion, or soft tissue injury, the symptoms will develop gradually. Downplaying your injury to the insurance adjuster will cause them to question whether you actually need medical treatment.
Once you accept a settlement, you can’t go back and ask for more compensation if you realize you need more money later. Never accept an offer without talking to an attorney first. A lawyer will negotiate for the full cost of your current and future medical bills, along with lost income and future limitations. Communicate carefully Don’t treat conversations with an insurance adjuster casually. Everything you say can influence the amount of compensation you receive. If you’ve been injured in an accident, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney immediately to avoid mistakes that can cost you the full value of your claim.
1. Negotiating on your own behalf
A minor claim with limited damage might be okay to handle on your own. However, if you’re dealing with serious injuries after a car accident, your claim will involve complex issues related to liability and compensation that you can’t handle on your own.Insurance adjusters are trained negotiators who will keep their offers as low as possible when claimants don’t have a lawyer. Consulting an attorney can help you understand the full value of your claim and give you an advantage during negotiations.
2. Admitting fault
Right after an accident, it’s natural to apologize or make statements taking responsibility even if you’re not truly responsible for what happened. When talking to an insurance adjuster, never say things like, “I’m sorry” or “I didn’t see them.” These statements can be interpreted as admissions of fault.Stick to the facts and don’t get emotional. Avoid making any statements that assume fault or responsibility, even if you’re just speculating. Let the facts of the accident speak for themselves and allow the investigation to determine fault.
3. Downplaying your injuries
Many injured people mistakenly tell the insurance adjuster they’re “fine” right after an accident. This might seem harmless since it’s a habit for people to say they’re fine, even when they’re in serious pain. However, this habit can harm your claim.Even if you feel fine, you might not notice symptoms for days or weeks after your accident. If you’ve experienced a back injury, traumatic brain injury, concussion, or soft tissue injury, the symptoms will develop gradually. Downplaying your injury to the insurance adjuster will cause them to question whether you actually need medical treatment.
4. Giving a recorded statement
Insurance adjusters will push you to provide a recorded statement. This is a trap. The only reason they want your statement recorded is so they can scrutinize everything you say to find discrepancies and reasons to devalue or deny your claim. You’re not legally required to provide a written statement in most cases, so consult an attorney before you agree.5. Guessing about facts you don’t know
When an insurance adjuster asks questions, sometimes people speculate about facts they have no knowledge of, and that’s a mistake. It’s better to say you don’t know than to guess. For example, if you were involved in a car accident you might not know how fast the other vehicle was traveling or if a mechanical issue contributed to the accident. Speculation can create inconsistencies adjusters will then use to devalue your claim.6. Discussing previous injuries
If you’ve ever had an injury prior to the current accident, you need to be careful about how you discuss them with the insurance adjuster. Prior injuries don’t necessarily prevent you from getting compensated but how you discuss them can impact your claim. Before talking to an insurance company, consult a lawyer so you’re fully prepared to handle this situation.7. Accepting the first settlement offer
When your medical and household bills are piling up and you can’t work, it’s tempting to take whatever offer the insurance company makes first. The initial offer may seem like a lot, but if you haven’t discovered the full extent of your injuries and passed it by a lawyer, it’s probably too low.Once you accept a settlement, you can’t go back and ask for more compensation if you realize you need more money later. Never accept an offer without talking to an attorney first. A lawyer will negotiate for the full cost of your current and future medical bills, along with lost income and future limitations. Communicate carefully Don’t treat conversations with an insurance adjuster casually. Everything you say can influence the amount of compensation you receive. If you’ve been injured in an accident, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney immediately to avoid mistakes that can cost you the full value of your claim.