4 Signs the Insurance Company May Try to Underpay Your Car Accident

You’ve just gotten in an accident and make an insurance claim. You are hoping the insurance company will treat you fairly, especially since you were injured, had to take time off work, and the bills are piling up. However, the insurance company may be in the process of undercutting your claim if any of the following signs are present:

• You Didn’t Get a Police Report.

Whether you were hurt and immediately taken away from the accident scene, you thought it was just a minor fender bender, or the other driver begged you not to report the accident, it’s not good if you don’t have a police report. 

A police report can document that an accident occurred. It might even point to who is to blame. If you don’t have an accident report, this is the first indication that you may be wading towards troubled waters. Since the insurance company is primarily focused on protecting its profits, it will most likely go with whatever story best suits its bottom line.

• The Insurance Company Uses a Third-Party Appraiser.

If the insurance company informs you that a third party will be conducting your car accident appraisal, this is a sign that it may be trying to undercut your damage claim. Rather than taking the blame for the low estimated value, the insurance company can point to an outside servicer to justify a lower car accident settlement.

• The Representative Asks You to Record Your Statement.

While your insurance contract may require you to cooperate when you make a claim with your own insurance company, you are generally under no such obligation with someone else’s insurance company. So, if the insurance company calls and asks you to give a recorded statement, simply refuse. 

A recorded statement is almost always used against a claimant. The insurance company representative may be attempting to get you to divulge damaging information or say something they can take out of context to deny or limit your claim.

• The Insurance Company Delays Your Claim.

Insurance companies know that injured victims often suffer financial setbacks, such as lost income and piling bills. They may try to leverage their advantage over you by unnecessarily delaying your insurance claim. The insurance company may try to slow down your claim so that you will be desperate and accept a lower car accident settlement. 

How Our Chicago Car Accident Attorneys Can Help

If you notice any of the signs above after filing your insurance claim, an experienced Chicago car accident attorney from Salvi Schostok & Pritchard can help. We have successfully recovered more than $1.6 billion in verdicts and settlements to date. We know the tactics insurance companies sometimes play to try to minimize our clients’ financial recovery and we will fight back. We can protect your interests and advocate for you every step of the way. Contact us today for a free consultation.