Insurance companies sell peace of mind, but when it’s time to pay up, their priority is profit. After a car accident, many victims assume an insurance policy will approve their claim and pay out. But in reality, adjusters are trained to minimize payouts, delay and deny claims, and use tactics that get you to settle for less than you deserve. Knowing their moves – and securing a skilled attorney – is the first step in protecting your rights to compensation.
They start with a quick, lowball offer.
An insurance company’s main trick is offering a fast lowball settlement, hoping you’ll take it before you know the full extent of your injuries. They’ll call within days of the crash and offer a check that looks good when your bills are piling up, but these offers don’t account for long-term needs.
If you accept the initial offer, you won’t get compensated realistically for ongoing medical care, lost wages, or pain and suffering. It takes time to work out those calculations and the minute you accept an offer, you lose the right to ask for more money later.
They delay and drag out claims.
If an insurance adjuster can’t underpay a victim fast, they might go silent and try to wait you out until you feel desperate enough to accept anything. For example, they’ll put a claim “under review” for months, hoping that as your bills grow, you’ll become desperate and accept their offer.
If you try to call them, they might ignore your calls or demand endless paperwork to keep you busy. The longer you wait, the more tempting it is to accept a lowball settlement just to move forward. The best way to avoid this is to contact an attorney right away to get your case moving in your favor.
They twist words against you.
Anything you say can and will be used against you by an insurance company. Adjusters routinely push for recorded statements, hoping you’ll admit partial fault or downplay your own injuries so they can offer you even less money. They’ll ask how fast you were going, if you were distracted, and if you were wearing a seatbelt to fish for ammo against your claim. Even saying something simple like, “I’m fine” can be spun as evidence that your injuries aren’t really serious.
Insurance adjusters will also monitor all of your social media accounts looking for photos and posts that indicate you’re not injured. For instance, if you’re traveling the world, smiling, and walking around, it can be misrepresented as proof that you aren’t hurt. They’ll paint the context in their favor and make it look however they want, even if you ditched a walking aid and leaned on a table just for a photo. One report found that 42% of disputed claims saw reduced payouts or were denied because of social media posts.
They’ll downplay your injuries.
Another tactic is claiming your injuries aren’t that severe or weren’t caused by the accident. For instance, they’ll argue that your injuries are from old accidents and pre-existing medical conditions. They’ll minimize soft-tissue injuries like whiplash, back pain, and concussions, even when these injuries have altered your life. They might even send you to one of their independent medical professionals to get a second opinion. These doctors often conveniently side with the insurer.
They’ll shift the blame onto you.
If an adjuster can pin even just a small part of the accident on you, they can lower your payout even more. In states with comparative negligence laws, insurers argue that the victim was partially responsible, and it’s a successful tactic. For example, if they can prove you were 35% responsible, your payout will drop by 35%. When your offer is already low, that’s a significant reduction. For example, for a $12,000 claim, a 35% drop brings the payout down to $7,800.
They’ll use everything to pin blame on you, including reinterpreting evidence, even when the police report doesn’t indicate you were to blame at all.
They’ll deny claims based on the fine print.
Many people are shocked and disappointed to learn that they don’t qualify for much compensation because of the fine print. Policies are written to protect the insurers, not their customers. Adjusters frequently cite obscure exclusions to deny coverage and many policies are purchased without benefits like rental car reimbursement and underinsured motorist coverage.
Don’t fall for the insurer’s tactics.
Insurance adjusters will use inconsistent information to make aggressive attempts to downplay and dismiss your claim. Their game is to pay out as little as possible to preserve their profits. Lowball offers, delays, blame shifting, and outright denial are all standard tactics to avoid paying fair compensation.
Your best defense begins with awareness and ends with being represented by a lawyer. The system is stacked against you, and it’s a fight you don’t want to tackle on your own.
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