Secrets Your Auto Insurance Company Doesn't Want You to Know
Many drivers rely on good faith and may not expect to be
forced to sue their auto insurance company in order to receive payment for
expenses resulting from a car accident. Typically, most just want to have their
car repaired and their medical bills paid.
Unfortunately, the auto insurance attorneys of Michigan Auto
Law deal with many car insurance companies on a daily basis that take advantage
of their customers by cutting off their benefits without reason or notice. Some
insurance companies also put people "under investigation"- the excuse
for stopping payment of all medical bills and wage loss. People are being
ignored, threatened, intimidated and even lied to by their insurance claims
adjusters.
The following are common tactics used by many auto insurance
companies to either avoid or minimize their payouts to customers. Suggestions
are included on how you can protect yourself to avoid or minimize problems with
your automobile insurer.
1. Many
restrictions and limitations are buried in your policy's fine print
Knowing how to read and understand the fine print of auto
insurance policies is not an easy task. Auto accident lawyers have seen far too
many people lose out on important benefits because they were unaware of
important filing requirements buried in their policies. For example, many auto
insurance policies pose strict notification requirements, such as 30 days
notice for hit-and-run accidents. Many contracts have separate conditions for
uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage requiring very prompt notice, and
insurance carriers can change their policy filing requirements at any time.
When car accident victims do not respond to notification requirements on time,
they can lose their coverage.
How to protect yourself:
Notify your insurance company immediately after any type of
accident. Be sure you have your complete auto insurance policy, including any
notification of coverage changes from year to year. This can also include
pamphlets or notes that are mailed with renewal statements, reflecting any
policy terms and changes. Most policies include declarations, conditions,
insuring agreements and exclusions with conditions.
It's also important to check insurance policies for any
benefits that overlap with your own health and disability insurance; and to
review any additional coverage (such as uninsured and underinsured motorist
coverage). When receiving ongoing medical care for car accident injuries,
having a solid understanding of insurance policies can help ensure that health
care providers bill appropriately.
If you are confused with your auto insurance policy and have
questions, don't hesitate to contact a lawyer who specializes in auto accidents
- most are happy to offer advice and guidance for your protection.
2. Insurance
agents don't always recommend the best coverage
Following a car accident, there can be numerous issues and
challenges navigating health insurance plans, managed care plans, retirement
plans such as ERISA, and coordinated/uncoordinated policies. In addition,
insurance agents may avoid mentioning important coverage options and applicable
discounts due to payout losses or lower premiums that reduce their commissions.
Many people choose to carry more insurance coverage so they
will not be personally liable if they cause a serious car accident. However,
some people only pay the minimum insurance premium to renew their license plate
each year, and then let the auto insurance lapse. Without an
uninsured / underinsured motorist policy, a driver or family members severely
injured by an uninsured motorist will have no source of legal recovery for
their injuries other than filing a lawsuit against the uninsured driver for his
or her personal assets. Most people do not have sufficient personal net worth
to compensate a person that they have seriously injured.
How to protect yourself:
If you are injured in an auto accident, contact an
experienced auto accident lawyer who is best qualified to provide guidance on
issues of which insurance is primary, and who will pay medical expenses that
are incurred after a crash.
If you carry ERISA health insurance, uncoordinated or
primary coverage is the safe move. An insured person with both ERISA and
coordinated insurance may end up recovering nothing for their pain and
suffering in the event of an auto accident.
Check your insurance policy for uninsured/underinsured
motorist coverage of at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident. If
this type of coverage is missing, contact your insurance carrier to add it -
the cost is minimal and highly recommended to protect you and your family.
Raising your deductibles to at least $500 or more can also
lower your auto insurance premiums by 15 percent to 40 percent. Consider
dropping collision and/or comprehensive coverage on older cars. If your car is
worth less than 10 times the premium, eliminating those coverages can save you
money, unless you still owe money for the car. Finally, if there is any
reduction in the amount of miles you drive annually, contact your insurance
carrier for quotes on low mileage discounts.
3. Accident
Settlement Offers Are Always Too Low
Imagine you just suffered devastating injuries from a car
accident and are now recuperating at home, in pain, and worrying about how you
are going to pay your bills. An insurance agent knocks on your door with a
check for $100,000 for your accident. With the emotional and physical stress
berat following a car or truck crash, a large amount of money sounds great, and
some victims rush into accepting the first settlement offer. Yet determining
the value of an auto accident case goes far beyond a simple calculation of
injury type, future expenses not covered by no-fault insurance and the
wrongdoer's policy limit. Offering to settle is essentially a backdoor approach
by insurance companies to saving litigation costs at the expense of an accident
victim's right to a full recovery.
How to protect yourself:
It never hurts to call an auto accident lawyer and ask for
advice. Many lawyers can explain accident law, what you are entitled to and
make sure your own insurance company is paying everything they are supposed to
- with no fee or obligation.
4. Releases
and Recorded Statements Are Pushed Early On to Overwhelm Accident Victims
Many victims rush into signing adjusters' documents without
having the language reviewed by an auto accident lawyer, believing these are
just basic verifications of the accident. Therefore, they may lose their right
to sue a negligent driver for accident-related injuries. Claims adjusters often
try to get recorded statements early, aiming to minimize the victim's pain and
injuries for later use in court. Even vehicle damage releases can contain
unrelated language that can jeopardize your other claims.
How to protect yourself:
Never give statements to an accident claims adjuster and
never sign a release or allow the adjuster to look at the auto damage. Simply
tell the adjuster that you need to review the paperwork with your attorney and
will get back to them with your response. No matter how desperate you may feel
after suffering the financial burden of medical bills, lost wages and disabling
pain, involving an auto accident attorney will ensure your rights are
protected. Keep in mind that the claims adjuster works for the insurance
company, and has its best interest in mind - not the injured victim.
5. Standard
practice is to deny or delay claim payouts
Most people suffering injuries from a car accident call
their auto insurance company to find out what to do next. They assume that when
they follow the process, they will receive fair, timely compensation for
injuries resulting from the auto accident. After all, they paid for the auto
insurance for that reason - to be covered in the event of a car accident.
Yet many insurance companies engage in common delay tactics
including denying claims, not returning calls, placing people on hold for
extensive periods, requiring a victim to repeatedly gather records, and passing
you from one adjuster to the next. Soon the financial burden of time off work
and mounting medical bills drives innocent car accident victims to contact an
attorney. Or worse, it makes them desperate enough to accept an extremely low
settlement offer, limiting any future recovery of damages.
How to protect yourself:
If you are experiencing these typical delay tactics, contact
an auto accident attorney who can assist you with getting your claim processed
and the benefits you are entitled to under your state's law.
Bottom Line:
If your auto accident involves injuries to you and/or your
family (even seemingly minor injuries), consult an auto accident attorney as
soon as possible. Not only will you better understand what benefits you are
entitled to, but you will have the peace of mind knowing that you received the
full value of benefits and compensation available to injured drivers.
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