Dealing with insurance adjusters after accident

Communicating with insurance companies after an accident can be overwhelming. When you have suffered an injury in an accident, you will have to deal with one or more insurance companies as you seek financial compensation for the harm you have endured. The insurance companies have a “public face” who will communicate with you and handle most of the legwork for responding to your claim. They usually do this through an insurance adjuster, who will likely try to contact you soon after the accident and at various points in the claims process.

In reality, dealing with an insurance adjuster is more complex than it may seem because this person is not your friend or helper. They work for the insurance company, and their loyalty is to the company that pays their salary. If you are trying to deal with the insurance adjuster alone, they can get the better of you in any interaction. Here, it means that insurance companies can get away with paying you less than the total amount they owe you or even pay you nothing.

Instead of trying to speak with an insurance adjuster on your own, you are better off hiring a car accident lawyer who can effectively communicate with them on your behalf. Your attorney knows how to deal with insurance adjusters because it is a part of the job they do all the time. An experienced lawyer will protect your rights and best interests. They understand the legal system and the tactics that insurance companies may employ to reduce or deny your claim. Whenever an insurance adjuster is part of your claim (and there always will be), you are better off having legal representation.

What Does the Insurance Adjuster Do?

Insurance agent recording car damage on claim form

You can think of an adjuster as the gatekeeper for the insurance company, and they will be the initial point of contact. They will perform the initial investigation of your claim, and they may even be the person who makes you the initial settlement offer. The insurance adjuster will communicate with you (or try to speak with you) about your claim.

Insurance adjusters are trained professionals. They are loyal to the insurance company and perform well when they save their bosses money. In many cases, the insurance adjuster has years of experience dealing with claims like yours, and they receive training to help them know what to spot and what your weak points are. The insurance adjuster may probe to determine where they can most effectively undermine your claim.

Insurance companies may want to save money, so they hire too few adjusters to keep up with the work. Adjusters often handle multiple cases, and they will deal with your claim when they can. If you are the one who is trying to reach the adjuster for whatever reason and they are nonresponsive, you can be sure that they will claim to be extremely busy.

Why You Need to Be Careful When Dealing with an Insurance Adjuster

You must be extremely careful when dealing with an insurance adjuster after an accident because they try to protect the insurance company. In turn, insurance companies have an obligation to defend their policyholder from your claim or lawsuit. Thus, they are a direct representative of the other party who was in the accident.

You may be dealing with multiple parties in the days after your accident. Of course, you must communicate with your own insurance company (if the accident involved a motor vehicle) because your policy requires you to report the accident. In addition, the insurance adjuster from the other party may contact you.

Insurance adjusters may have many motivations when they try to contact you. They will tell you that their job is to investigate the accident for the insurance company, and they may even explain that they need to determine liability for the accident. The adjuster will tell you almost anything other than the fact that their main goal is to protect the interests of the insurance company that sits across the table from you in settlement negotiations.

Be Polite, But Not Hostile

Car owner and insurance adjuster discussing a car accident while standing next to the cars

If the insurance adjuster contacts you, you must treat them politely and respectfully. Refrain from arguing with them because it will not help your case. However, it is best to decline to speak with them and give any information about the accident or your condition.

The insurance adjuster may probe to get you to talk about what happened. They may ask seemingly innocuous questions, but they have a purpose: They are looking to learn everything they can to use against you someday. The adjuster may even ask you to give a recorded statement, which you should not do under any circumstances. Insurance companies already know the facts of the accident because they may have read the police report and spoken with their driver. Even if their policyholder is not telling the truth, an insurance adjuster is experienced enough that they can figure out what happened.

The adjuster may also seem very concerned about your condition. They will ask for details about your medical treatment, which you should also politely decline to give. The adjuster is probing for any information that they can use to undercut your claim when you seek damages for your injuries. Even a harmless question, such as “How are you doing?” can elicit an answer that they can use against you. For example, if you respond and say that you are okay, insurance companies may challenge you when you present documentation of your injuries in the future. The adjuster may take issue when you seek pain and suffering damages, claiming you told them you were fine. As such, you can see how the adjuster may operate when they speak with you.

The Insurance Adjuster Is Not Your Friend in Any Way

Do not ever think that the insurance adjuster is a friendly face, no matter what they say to you. Sometimes, the insurance adjuster may go out of their way to make you as comfortable as possible with them because they want to elicit information. Anything you say to an insurance adjuster can find its way into your future case and cause setbacks.

The insurance adjuster wants to get you on the record saying something that can damage your case. Insurance companies may be looking for a way to blame you for the accident. They know that bearing any fault in the accident can even eliminate your legal right to receive compensation entirely. At the very minimum, your own fault can reduce your compensation by the proportion of blame you bear for the accident.

Try to minimize your contact with the insurance adjuster who works for the other party’s insurance company. If possible, you should not even deal with them on your own. You are always better off when you have a personal injury attorney doing the talking for you. They know how to handle an insurance adjuster and what not to say, preventing you from making a mistake that may compromise your case. All it takes is one offhand comment that the insurance adjuster takes note of to jeopardize your chances at financial compensation.

When you hire a personal injury attorney, the insurance adjuster must speak with your lawyer before they can speak to you. If you have already hired a personal injury attorney, you will tell the insurance adjustors to contact your lawyer.

Be Careful When Dealing with Your Own Insurance Company

It is best to exercise caution when talking to your own insurance company. Even though you may have been a loyal customer for years, your insurance company can and will turn on you in a heartbeat if its financial interests ever conflict with yours. All it takes is the possibility of filing an underinsured motorist claim (that your insurance company needs to pay) for the friendly and concerned faces to disappear quickly. Your own insurance company is also taking notes in the eventuality that they may owe you money.

Thus, hiring a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after your accident is crucial. The insurance adjuster may work hard if they sense an opening to pressure you. If you do not have a lawyer, the insurance adjuster may see you as a target of opportunity, and they may even have a well-honed strategy to get you to undermine your claim. Be sure to hire a lawyer quickly; otherwise, you may pay a price.

The Insurance Adjuster Does Not Get the Final Word

The insurance adjuster is the insurance company employee who must settle your claim with you or face a lawsuit. Ultimately, the adjuster has no power over you; they merely represent the insurance company. You do not have to follow directives from the other driver’s insurance adjuster or do what they tell you. You sit across the table from the insurance company in settlement negotiations, and its interests are opposed to yours. First, you must always protect your interests, and yours are not aligned with the insurance company’s.

Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer to Handle the Insurance Company

Personal injury lawyer and healthcare legal

When dealing with the insurance adjuster, you should not put yourself where you are left to your own devices because you will lose almost every single time. As much as you may think you know, it is always better to get help from an experienced professional who is wise to the tricks that insurance companies may use to cut their liability and the amount of money they owe you.

When you hire a personal injury lawyer, they will take the reins of your case and handle all the details. They will gather evidence to prove negligence in your case, quantify your damages, and fight for every dollar coming to you. Most importantly, they will be your point of contact when communicating with the insurance company. If the adjuster tries to contact you, you only need to tell them to speak with your lawyer. Thus, you are speaking with one unified voice and eliminating the possibility that mistakes that you may make can hamstring your case.

Do not delay scheduling a free initial consultation with a personal injury attorney. Here, time is money because you can cost yourself when you try to handle the situation alone. Make this call as soon as possible after your accident to get the most comprehensive help that a personal injury attorney can provide you.

You Will Not Have to Pay Anything Out of Pocket for a Personal Injury Attorney

When dealing with the aftermath of an accident, the last thing you should worry about is the financial burden of hiring a lawyer. The good news is that cost is never a concern when getting help from a personal injury attorney. They will never ask you to pay them anything at the outset of your case, and they will not send you any bills while your case is pending. Personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means they only get paid if they successfully recover compensation for you. This fee is typically a percentage of the total amount from your settlement or award, and you both agree on this at the beginning of your attorney-client relationship. If your lawyer does not win your case, you do not owe them anything.

By hiring a personal injury lawyer, you are getting a skilled professional to fight for your rights and handle the legal process on your behalf. They will handle all the paperwork, negotiate with insurance companies, and take care of any necessary court proceedings. Your attorney will also gather and preserve crucial evidence to support your claim. They can interview witnesses, collect medical records, consult with experts, and build a strong case. All of this is done with no upfront costs to you.

Dealing with insurance adjusters after an accident can be a daunting task. Hiring a lawyer ensures that someone will advocate for your rights and best interests throughout the claims process. They have the knowledge, experience, and dedication to protect your rights and maximize your compensation. Do not face an insurance claim alone; consult with a personal injury attorney in Seattle who has your back.