How insurance companies work after a claim is made

When you get into a collision, your priority should be getting the medical care that you need to recover. Once you’re stable, your very next step should be to look into making a personal injury claim.

When you’re hurt because of another person’s actions, it’s reasonable to make a claim against their insurance policy. The policy, when doing what it should, will cover your medical expenses and other financial losses related to the collision up to a specified cap.

The problem that many people run into is that insurance companies are not always working to do what’s in your best interests. The agents may try to offer lowball settlements or look for signs that you feel that you may be partially responsible for a collision. They might try to talk to you to see if you’re really as injured as you say you are, too.

How do insurance companies value a claim?

There are a few things to consider when valuing an insurance claim. First, the insurance agency would look at real economic damages, such as the cost of replacing a totaled vehicle or the actual cost of medical care already received. There are industry formulas in place that will determine a car’s pre-collision value, for example, which are rarely deviated from. For medical care, the agency may look at your receipts and actual costs.

Insurance companies don’t just look at the exact costs, though. When you talk to the agent, they’ll start looking for reasons not to pay out. That’s why it’s important for people to have their attorneys talk to the agents instead of doing so themselves. If a person talks to an agent and apologizes about the crash, that agent may look for a way to get the claim dismissed or reduced.

Knowing how to speak with insurance agents is the key to getting the highest amount of compensation after a crash. An attorney knows how to negotiate and submit information to the insurance company to get the most for you, so you can focus on your health instead of worrying about trying to negotiate on your own.