After a car accident, you typically expect your insurance company to keep the promise your policy lays out. Unfortunately, they may fail to keep that promise. Perhaps they won’t pay for your vehicle damage or medical bills. This may be shocking, especially when you’ve faithfully paid your premiums each month.
When you’re hurt in a wreck, it’s important to educate yourself about how insurers use policies, laws, and your own errors against you. Here are three ways insurance companies fail accident victims.
Refusal to Compensate You for Your ER Visit
Visits to the emergency room can get expensive fast, especially if your visit required a ride in an ambulance. Insurance companies, however, are for-profit companies. That means they typically want to pay out as little as possible for your accident. That means they may claim your policy doesn’t cover all or any of your medical bills.
If you don’t have this kind of coverage, here are a few possible outcomes:
- Your insurance company won’t cover any part of your ER visit
- They pay, but you have a high deductible
- You get left with massive medical bills that you can’t afford to pay by yourself, which can ruin your credit score
If you believe you do have this type of coverage, you may need to speak with your lawyer about their refusal. They can help you hold your insurer accountable.
Insurance Companies Deny Claims Over Insignificant Details
Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for insurance companies to deny coverage because they believe one tiny detail about the car accident wasn’t reported correctly. When you file a claim, they will review the information you provide to see if there are any mistakes that can be used against you.
For instance, if you forget to mention multiple cars were involved, you may not be compensated by those drivers’ insurance companies because of your omission.
Insurance Companies May Delay Paying Claims
Even if your accident is just a fender bender, your insurance company will do its due diligence before paying out anything. That includes looking at pictures of the damage and interviewing witnesses who were at the scene. Unfortunately, some insurance companies may use this as an excuse to delay paying out your claim.
This tactic may be used to make you feel desperate. The longer they delay the claim, the more willing you may be to accept any offer they make. Because of this, it’s important to pay attention to the timeline of your case.
This can be a lengthy process, so if you think they’re taking too long, consult an attorney who can help move things along.
Take Action with a Lawyer’s Guidance
There are a number of ways your insurance company could go back on its word. From delays to denials to avoiding giving you the answers you need, you may be left worried that you won’t be compensated for your damages.
This doesn’t have to happen to you, though. If you find that your insurance company is lagging in getting you paid, reach out to Estes Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers online or call 281-238-5400 for a free consultation. We understand how frustrating this ordeal can be, and we’re here to help.