Dealing With Insurance Companies after a Car Accident

After being involved in an automobile accident, your first instinct may be to call your car insurance company. People think that their insurance companies exist to protect them in the event of an accident – if you were at fault, you think your insurer will simply pay for your car repairs and medical bills so you can be on your way. If another driver caused the accident, you assume your company will walk through fire to ensure that driver is punished and you are fully compensated. Unfortunately, it can actually be a challenging and arduous process dealing with insurance companies after a car accident.

The Reality of the Insurance Business

Insurance companies exist to provide a necessary service to people, so they are definitely a business, not a “Good Samaritan” organization. These companies try to avoid paying money for accidents, and they set rates for drivers accordingly. If, for example, you’ve had one or more accidents, your insurance company will see you as a risk and will often raise your rates or possibly even cancel your insurance. One study even found that drivers with bad credit get charged higher rates than other drivers. Insurance companies felt these drivers were more likely to call their insurance company after an accident than a driver with a higher credit score would.

Because insurers don’t want to pay, they may try to offer you less than your claim is actually worth, or they may refuse to pay you at all. It doesn’t really matter if the company you’re dealing with insures you or another driver involved in the accident – the goal for all these companies is to pay out as little as possible.

How to Negotiate With an Insurance Company

You don’t have to rely upon the claims of an insurance company after you’ve had a car accident. You can perform your own research, too:

  • Take pictures of the damage done to your car (and to your person as well.)
  • Keep all medical statements and include paycheck stubs to help calculate special damages, or damages for which there is a specific monetary amount lost.
  • Consider sending the insurance company a demand letter outlining exact monetary losses, medical needs, and the reasons the insurance company is responsible for payment.
  • You don’t have to accept the company’s settlement – instead, you can use it as a jumping-off point for negotiations.
  • If you and the insurance company cannot agree on a settlement amount, you may want to think about rejecting the settlement and filing a personal injury lawsuit

How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

Dealing with a huge insurance company can be intimidating, especially if you’re trying to recover after your accident and you’re not feeling well. In this instance, it’s a good idea to call an attorney to handle your claim. The personal injury attorneys at Udall Shumway, PLC will stand up to the insurance companies and fight to get you the damages you deserve. We can handle all correspondence with the company, so you can focus on healing.

This blog should be used for informational purposes only. It does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader and should not be construed as legal advice. If you or someone you know wishes to seek the help of an experienced personal injury attorney regarding Dealing With Insurance Companies, or other personal injury matters, call Mesa AZ Personal Injury Attorney Clark R. Richter at 480-461-5321 or contact him at crr@udallshumway.com for a free consultation to discuss your rights and options. Udall Shumway PLC is located in Mesa, Arizona and is a full service law firm. We assist Individuals, families, businesses, schools and municipalities in Mesa and the Phoenix/East Valley.