Part of owning a car is paying for insurance. When you pay your premiums, you expect the insurance company to cover the costs in the event of an accident.
Suffering injuries in a crash can mean a long list of expenses. If your injury prevents you from working, the bills can add up even faster. In those moments, as you are dealing with the aftermath of the accident, you hope that your insurance company will be on your side.
Here’s what you should know about where the loyalty of your insurance company lies.
Opposing goals
Like any business, car insurance companies are trying to make money and remain profitable. Their objective is to keep costs down. When you have a claim, the insurance company will make every attempt to reduce the payout or deny it altogether.
What are your options?
Unfortunately, dealing with the insurance company directly can work against you.
The insurance companies on both sides of the accident — your insurer and the other driver’s insurer — hope that you will settle for the lowest possible amount of compensation. With that in mind, insurance companies routinely make “lowball” settlement offers that fail to cover the full cost of a crash.
Insurance adjusters may also ask you questions that are designed to get you to say something that the insurance company can use as a reason to reduce or deny your claim. You need to approach the insurance company with an experienced legal advocate looking out for your interests.
An experienced personal injury attorney can handle all communications with the insurance companies, as well as negotiate for the maximum available compensation for your injuries. A personal injury attorney works for you and wants you to get the maximum recovery from your claim.