4 Tricks Insurance Companies Use to Avoid Paying Injury Claims

If you’ve been left battered and bruised in a car wreck, you probably expect the insurance company involved to recognize the seriousness of your injuries and pay your claim.

Except that probably won’t happen. The harsh reality is that insurance companies exist to make money — and they may even actively encourage their adjusters to pay out as little as possible. No matter how obvious your right to compensation, there are tricks the insurance company can use to keep that money in their pockets.

Here are the top ways that insurance companies avoid paying fair claims:

1. Denying Coverage

Insurance companies will act like they cover everything when you buy a policy — and claim to cover nothing when you use it. This is often purposefully done to muddle your understanding of their obligations. The hope is that you will simply walk away.

2. Delaying Claims

Sometimes called the “delay until death” tactic, this is a particularly insidious method used by insurers to avoid responsibility. The hope that you’ll eventually either die, give up or settle for less than you’re due.

3. Splitting Hairs

Imagine being told that an insurance company won’t cover your injuries after a car accident, despite your robust policy, because the other driver was having a fit of road rage and therefore your wreck wasn’t really an accident! That’s actually happened before and left injury victims in the lurch.

4. Shifting Blame

You know you weren’t at fault for the car accident, but the other party’s insurance company keeps trying to make you sound at least partially responsible. That’s a clear “blame game,” and it’s always a sign that a consumer is going to lose.

If you’ve been injured in a wreck, don’t get victimized all over again by the insurance companies. Find out how you can protect your legal rights — and your future.