While insurance representatives are bound by ethical guidelines, they don’t always abide by them. In fact, insurance adjusters may tell lies if they believe it will benefit them or their company. The claimant is often on the receiving end of such lies, as they are the ones that the insurance company is financially beholden to.
An adjuster works for the insurance company, and the insurance company’s goal is to make as much money as possible—even at your expense. Hire a personal injury attorney to protect you from lies and other bad-faith tactics and to demand the entire insurance settlement you are entitled to.
Insurance adjusters may have varying motivations for lying to a claimant. Some of the most common reasons for an insurance adjuster to be dishonest include:
We know that even people who value morality sometimes act in an unethical way, particularly when they believe they’ll get away with it. Some insurance companies condone or even encourage deception, which may give adjusters the green light to lie to you.
When you suffer an injury, experience property damage, or lose a loved one, there is a chance that one or more insurance companies will owe you compensation. Some common events that can lead to insurance claims are:
Many personal injury attorneys help a wide range of claimants. Whatever your reason for filing an insurance claim, know that a lawyer can protect you from the potential harm of an insurance adjuster’s lies and any other threats to your claim.
Research indicates that some insurance adjusters might even engage in unethical behavior when they believe they are being ethical. This may seem contradictive, but it indicates just how pervasive borderline and outright unethical behavior is in the insurance sector.
Some subjects about which an insurance adjuster or other insurance representatives may lie include:
There are many circumstances that can void an insurance policy or exclude someone from an insurance settlement. An insurance adjuster might lie about voided coverage by claiming that the claimant:
Insurance adjusters are students of policies. They generally know the conditions that may void coverage, and they may falsely claim those conditions occurred (to avoid paying the claimant).
Insurance companies often know that they can’t avoid paying the claimant altogether. In such cases, the goal may become to pay the claimant as little as the insurance company possibly can.
An insurance adjuster may try to reduce your compensation by being dishonest about:
The insurance company may disingenuously claim that your covered losses are less expensive than they are. The adjuster can also try to remove specific losses, like a surgery, from their settlement offer.
An insurance adjuster may offer you a lowball settlement on behalf of its employer. If you and your personal injury attorney refuse this offer (and explain that it is unfairly low), the adjuster may claim that it’s the insurer’s best offer—this may be a lie.
Insurance companies often:
Lawsuits are often an option for claimants. Insurance companies generally prefer to settle, as they may lose a larger sum of money if they go to trial. Your personal injury lawyer will present fair settlement demands and insist that the insurance adjuster meets those demands.
Lying is just one of many bad-faith tactics in insurance adjusters’ arsenal. Other strategies you may face from the insurance company include:
Insurance claim lawyers are familiar with each of these tactics, as well as strategies to counter them. Allow a lawyer to deal with lies and other deceptive practices from insurance adjusters for you.
Hiring a personal injury lawyer is arguably the simplest and most effective way to protect yourself and your claim from bad-faith insurance tactics. Whether it is the lies of an insurance adjuster, an unfair denial, or another questionable strategy, an attorney will:
Personal injury attorneys are acutely familiar with insurance companies, as well as the unethical practices adjusters sometimes use. Rely on a lawyer’s experience and knowledge to benefit your claim.
Protecting you from unfair insurance tactics is just one of the many ways that a lawyer can help you. Some of the other ways that a lawyer will assist you include:
The details of an insurance policy can be the record of authority, particularly when an adjuster attempts to mislead you about those details. For this reason, your lawyer will become well-versed in all relevant policy details.
Your lawyer will:
You should not have to expose yourself to risk or deal with the burden of an insurance claim. Let a lawyer take on communications and every other aspect of your claim.
Your lawyer must be confident in their settlement demands. This will require them to understand exactly what losses you’ve suffered, and they may document those losses with:
The nature of your insurance claim and the unique details of your losses will determine what kinds of documentation your lawyer secures.
The success of your claim will hinge upon whether your lawyer secures enough compensation to cover your losses. This means your lawyer must know the exact financial value of those losses.
Your attorney will consider all of your present and future losses as they calculate your personal injury case value. If you have a disabling injury or other long-term losses, this may increase the amount of money you deserve from the insurer.
Once your lawyer has an accurate calculation of your losses and all other necessary documentation, they can engage in settlement talks with the insurance company.
Suing may be an option for you, and this course of action may be necessary if the insurance company does not offer the compensation you deserve through a settlement.
Each insurance claim involves different losses of varying values. One benefit of hiring a lawyer is that they will document your unique losses and demand fair compensation based on those losses.
Some examples of losses you may seek compensation for include:
Those who suffer property damage (whether through a storm, auto accident, or other event) may receive compensation for:
The details of your insurance policy (or a liable third party’s policy) should stipulate what losses you deserve compensation for.
Those seeking compensation for injuries often receive money for:
You may also seek compensation for any mental health services that are relevant to your insurance claim.
Insurance companies are sometimes liable when someone loses their life. Funeral expenses, lost financial support, and certain other losses may be among those included in a death benefit claim.
Insurance companies often require claimants to report their losses within a brief period of time. Don’t give the insurance adjuster any reason to deny you the compensation you deserve.
Protect yourself and prioritize your claim by hiring a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.