When you are injured as a result of someone’s negligence in a car accident, it’s important for you to truly understand what rights you have to move forward. One of the most complex and oftentimes stressful situations is discussing the situation with the insurance company—either yours or that of the other driver.
While you expect them to adhere to the policy and cover you as needed, there are times when this isn’t the case and the insurance company is more prone to keep their own best interests as their top priority instead of helping you recover compensation.
As part of their tactics to protect profit, they often lie about the coverage in the policy protecting you after an accident. If they’re able to do so, they’re essentially lying to limit how much they are trying to pay you, or if they’re even going to pay you at all. Here are some things you should know about the various lies that insurance companies may tell and what comes next.
Lie #1: If You Don’t Accept the Settlement, You Can’t Get Anything
During the process following the car accident, the insurance company may offer you a settlement in lieu of a lawsuit. If you accept this settlement, you give up your right to pursue further legal action against the negligent party and his or her insurance company.
However, the biggest problem in this situation arises when the other party’s insurance company tries to offer a settlement that is much lower than required to cover the damages associated with the injuries and property damage.
They’ll try to tell you that the settlement offer is adequate and it’s all you’ll be able to receive. This is not always the case, though, and having a lawyer on your side can help you identify your options and determine if accepting the settlement is most beneficial to you or if you should pursue maximum compensation by going through the trial process.
Lie #2: Your Damages are Not Covered Under the Policy
This lie is more common when dealing with the insurance company of the negligent party because you are not always sure what kind of coverage they have. Most of the time, the insurance company is trying to skew the details of the policy in their favor, which means denying compensation that is rightfully yours for a false reason.
They try to classify certain losses in a manner that allows them to claim the coverage does not apply. This is why it becomes increasingly important to have someone on your side who can determine what the policy does cover and if your losses fall under the categories present.
Lie #3: You are the One At Fault for the Accident
When you are involved in a crash, the insurance company will reach out to you many times with questions and asking for further clarification on statements. One of the things they’ll do to try and hurt your potential case is asking for a recorded statement.
This is done in an effort to get you to make statements that contradict your initial report of the accident. The insurance company wants you to say that you apologized at the scene of the accident or provide information on any other details that would make you liable for the accident.
Know that you do not have to provide a recorded statement without having your lawyer present to protect you from saying anything that can damage your case. Your attorney can speak with the insurance company on your behalf.
Lie #4: The Policy Has Expired Due to Payment Issues
Insurance companies charge high monthly premiums to provide coverage to drivers, but that doesn’t always mean they’re true to their word. And even worse, they sometimes try to claim that policyholders no longer have active coverage due to missed payments.
These are oftentimes just lies to try and avoid paying out compensation to an injured party. Be sure to have a lawyer who can help you discover what coverage exists, whether or not it is still valid, and if it is adequate enough to cover your damages.
At the end of the day, as much as you want to trust an insurance company to help you, far too many of these large corporations put their own profits first. Instead of helping those who suffer harm at the hands of negligence, all they want to do is protect their bottom line.
They’ll even bring large legal teams into the battle with them—a legal team experienced in defending against accident claims and helping insurance companies pay out as little as possible. You have the right to level the playing field.
At The Matiasic Firm, you’ll find creative, intuitive, experienced, and knowledgeable lawyers, all determined to help you during a difficult time. The insurance company may try to take advantage of your rights during this vulnerable time—we’re here to stop them.
With our San Francisco car accident lawyers on your side every step of the way, you can have confidence knowing that we’re prioritizing your best interests. It is our goal to help you secure maximum compensation and we’ll always go the extra mile to help make that happen.
Call our firm today at (415) 858-6692 and discuss your potential case with our firm. We offer free consultations so you can get the answers you need without financial concern.
Watch Video 
