Tactics Used by Insurance Companies to Reduce Liability

If you’ve suffered a personal injury caused by a car or truck accident, an accident caused by unsafe conditions on someone else’s property, a manufacturer’s defective product, a construction accident, an animal attack, or a pedestrian, bicycle, or motorcycle accident, you’ll likely be dealing with an insurance company that is obligated to pay for your damages. 

It’s important to understand that insurance companies are just like any other business: their primary goal is to make money. Even your own insurance company will likely try to offer you an undervalued settlement amount with the enticement of a quick payout.

If you or a loved one have suffered an injury or serious injury in Pennsylvania, contact a Bethlehem accident attorney at Drake, Hileman & Davis before talking to your insurance company about anything beyond the very basics, such as contact or policy information.

How Insurance Companies May Try to Reduce Their Liability

Most insurance companies have time-tested strategies for bullying you into accepting a lowball settlement offer. Some of these tactics are discussed below.

Claim Denial

Insurance companies often outright deny accident claims for various reasons, the most common of which are lack of proper filing forms or non-coverage of your injuries. In this way, they can reduce their bottom line. The company hopes that by denying your claim, you will simply give up and go away.

Claim Delays

Another common insurance company tactic is to delay claims, hoping you’ll tire of the process or that you’ll let the statutory time for bringing a claim run out. This is commonly done by denying paperwork for petty reasons or constantly delaying communications. This tactic puts you in a desperate financial situation that increases the chances that you’ll give in.

Downplaying Your Injuries

Insurance companies often claim that your injuries are not as severe as you made them out to be, that your recovery will be shorter than you claim, or that your injuries were pre-existing rather than caused by your recent accident.

Asking for a Recorded Statement

Although it seems reasonable for an insurance company to ask for “your side” of the story regarding an accident or your injuries, they often try to convince you to provide this on the record or in a recorded statement. If you are asked to give a recorded statement, politely decline. Generally speaking, you should not give an insurance company a recorded statement, or even a written statement, until and unless you have consulted a Bethlehem accident attorney at Drake, Hileman & Davis.

Let a Bethlehem Accident Attorney Help With Your Personal Injury Claim 

If you have suffered a personal injury in Pennsylvania, contact a Bethlehem accident attorney at Drake, Hileman & Davis for your free consultation before speaking with your insurance company about anything beyond the very basics. We’ll help you fight against the unfair and often unscrupulous tactics that insurance companies often use.