The first thing you must understand about insurance companies is that they make their money off investments. When they delay or deny paying an injured party the compensation they are entitled to, insurance providers can keep their money invested, which earns them interest or profits. While insurance adjusters may seem friendly, they are paid to always look out for the company’s best interests.
How Insurance Companies Give You the Runaround
When you call the at-fault driver’s insurance company after a car accident, you may get the runaround.
Even when liability is quite obvious, the adjuster may tell you the insurance company is denying liability until they obtain some information from the at-fault party. Furthermore, adjusters may say that they have not been able to get a hold of the at-fault party for any information, therefore they won’t look at your vehicle or consider your injury claim.
On the other hand, they may delay your claim, hoping you will eventually give up. They often ask the injured person to collect documents for them that they do not really need to make you an offer. And when you provide them the requested documents, they may ask you for something else. Constantly asking you for things can keep you busy while they collect interest on your money.
If you file a lawsuit, insurance companies will then do their best to not pay the fair value of your claim. When an auto insurance company refuses to pay, they will defend the claim as long as possible—even all the way through a jury trial and sometimes beyond that into appeals. Again, they want to hold onto your money as long as they can in order to maximize their profits.
How to Fight Back
Hiring the right attorney will make a significant impact on how your claim is handled. An experienced and aggressive lawyer can file a lawsuit and pressure the insurance company to take your claim seriously, or else they may end up going to trial.
For more information, contact our Fort Worth accident attorney at the Law Office of James M. Stanley today.