Insurance Tricks
Here Are The Top SEVEN Insurance “Tricks of the Trade” Your Insurance Company Doesn’t Want You To Know
Please realize your insurance agent and your insurance adjuster are two different people at your insurance company. Be aware that an adjuster from an opposing insurance company does not have your best interests at heart. If you are the not at fault party your insurance typically will not be responsible for any payout. However, if you are involved in an auto accident that is not your fault, but the other party does not have proper or sufficient insurance coverage you will have to seek damages from your own insurance company and this is when you are placed in an adversary position. The adjuster’s primary goal is to pay out as little as possible to save the corporation money. This is why we suggest having legal representation as the best policy when dealing with either the opposing and, believe it or not, your own insurance company. We can guarantee you that what you think and what your insurance adjuster thinks is a fair settlement are worlds apart.
The adjuster will often offer to pay you a specific amount of money on the spot in exchange for a full release. At the time, that amount of money might seem like a great deal. Getting paid on the spot may be tempting. However, if you have not had a chance to see the big picture then that amount usually is more of a deal for the insurance company. Did you know that if you hire an attorney, typically, an insurance company will pay 2-3 times the amount for pain and suffering than if you try to negotiate the settlement yourself?
The long term effects cannot be determined without a proper examination and specific course of treatment over a period of time to determine how your body will respond to the current treatment, but more importantly how your body will respond in the future. It is crucial to always receive sufficient treatment so that your doctor can release you to maximum medical improvement. Remember, although you may achieve maximum medical benefit there is always the possibility of having residual health issues. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Remember, the insurance adjuster is not your friend!
MIST = Minor Impact Soft Tissue
MIST is a term that is almost always misused or abused by crafty insurance adjusters and insurance defense attorneys. Many times you will be told that you couldn’t have any personal injuries because the total bill to fix your car is less than $1000.00.
First of all, never use their repair facility as they are paid to give low ball estimates and they don’t use original manufacturer parts (OEM) for their repair. If you are forced to use their auto repair garages, you’re better off to pay the money to get a second opinion. The chiropractors are aware that almost all auto manufacturers recommend that all seat belts in use during an accident be replaced with original OEM parts. Just this fact alone will add up enough to surpass the limits falsely placed by MIST standards in Arizona.
Did you know that if a baby seat is involved in a car wreck it is considered unusable and must be replaced?
When you have been involved in a car accident that is considered low impact (under 10 miles per hour) it may appear to the untrained eye that the accident only caused minimal harm to your body or minor property damage to the cars involved. However, most modern motor vehicles have built in safety devices to absorb the shock of a low impact collision and, therefore, the appearance of little or even no damage to the bumper of opposing vehicles is used by insurance adjusters to convince you that you couldn’t possibly be hurt when there is no apparent damage to the vehicle(s). This TRICK is just scientifically untrue. Car accident victims can be bamboozled by highly trained insurance adjusters and even defense attorneys who are already on the insurance payroll.
The Force Will Be With You if you are Involved in a Car Accident
In a high speed car wreck one needs to realize the more damage that occurs to the car is actually better for the occupants of the same car because the car now is absorbing the lion’s share of the forces. Cars are built with shock absorbing bumpers for low impact while the cockpit is built with crumple zones that are designed to absorb as much of the traumatic forces as possible. These safety features help minimize and delay the traumatic force of the impact to the occupants.
Size Does Matter
- A smaller car weighing 2,000 lbs with a 10 mph impact delivers a traumatic payload of approximately 3.7 tons.
- A larger car weighing 3,000 lbs with a 10 mph impact delivers a traumatic payload of approximately 5.6 tons
The most important fact to remember is traumatic payload is delivered in fractions of a second and that is why the low impact collision is so devastating to the occupant’s back and neck. So size does matter, but so does the amount of time in which the forces are delivered. In addition, these forces affect women differently than men; older individuals differently than younger; and also anyone who has arthritic changes is more susceptible than someone who does not have arthritis.
Magnification of Acceleration- What is it?
Scientific studies have proven that occupants of a rear end impact will experience a sort of “warp speed effect”. Magnification of Acceleration causes the occupants of the car to accelerate much faster than the car they are in which was just struck from behind, therefore, their bodies absorb most of the traumatic forces.
The Chiropractors of Collision Injury Auto Accident Treatment are well versed in these tactics and have your best interest at heart and are very happy to work with personal injury attorneys to get you the best settlement possible.
Injuries From a Low-Impact Crash
Current documented scientific literature and studies establish that low-impact accidents can affect the soft tissues in a victim’s neck and/or back, such as ligaments, tendons, and muscles. These soft tissue sprains and strains will set in motion the path to advanced arthritis in 65% of car wreck cases. These studies have also proven that whiplash type injuries have occurred even in impacts as little as only 2.49 miles per hour. (Brault et. Al. 1998 p72)
As you can see there are several tricks that a trained and cunning insurance adjuster or insurance defense attorney can use to try to low ball your possible settlement or, even worse, to convince you that you may not be as injured as you think. Don’t fall for these tactics.
Give Us A Call Today at 602-456-7252 and let’s get started getting you back on your feet and protect your rights.
Adjusters may want you to think that your actual settlement will be 1/3 less if you hire an attorney. This is the furthest thing from the truth. Research has shown that claimants with experienced legal representation consistently walk away with larger settlements than those who settle directly with the insurance company on their own. First and foremost, how many insurance claims do you negotiate and settle on a daily basis? We realize that may seem like an odd question. Ask yourself, how important is your possible settlement to you or your loved ones? Why would you go up against an insurance adjuster that is trained in all aspects of insurance tricks of the trade, including how to negotiate low ball settlements all day long? Even if you thought you were getting a great deal, it most likely is not. It basically comes down to experience. It just makes sense to have a seasoned personal injury attorney on your side to level the playing field when negotiating with the insurance company if you want a fair settlement. For more information about medical treatment and legal representation concerning a motor vehicle collision: Call 602-456-7252 or fill out our on-line inquiry form.
Many times you will call the phone number on your insurance card and before you even talk to an insurance adjuster a voice comes over the phone and states, “This conversation may be recorded for training purposes.” Then the following conversation might occur: “Good Morning, this is Mr Adjuster. How are you feeling today?” Accident victim: “I’m doing well. Thank you. I need to ask some questions about my car accident.” Without realizing it you just told the adjuster you were doing well. When you hear this disclaimer “This phone call may be recorded for training purposes” the first thing you should ask the adjuster is “Is this phone conversation being recorded?” If it is being recorded, follow up with this statement “Any parties listening, I do not want this call recorded and I do not give my permission to do so.” The insurance company records will have recorded you admitting to being “well” and they will argue that you don’t have any serious injuries. It’s never a good idea to give an insurance company’s representative a recorded or written statement without specific instructions to do so by an experienced personal injury attorney. For more information about Car accident injuries and the treatments we offer call 602-456-7252 or fill out our on-line inquiry form. Delaying payment of your claim. When you are involved in a motor vehicle collision, and have sustained injuries and damage to your car, this typically causes financial stress, to say the least. You may have missed work because of your injuries and had to find a way to work and then a way home without your car. You are going to doctors’ visits and you need to see your attorney from time to time. They say the stress you go through following a car accident is up there on the same level as the loss of a loved one. Insurance companies are well aware of this and will often delay the processing of your claim until you are desperate enough to settle for a low ball settlement offer. When facing high medical or personal property bills, you are not in a good position to negotiate and will be tempted to agree to a settlement for far less than the full financial compensation to which you are entitled. The lawyers we work with cut through this red tape and use the laws that are in place to protect you so you’ll be able to enjoy a timely settlement for the full amount that you are rightfully owed. For more information concerning the legalities and the treatments we offer call 602-456-7252 or fill out our on-line inquiry form. Big Brother is Watching. When you make a claim for a serious injury, the insurance companies have accident investigators on their payroll to follow you while you carry on your normal daily routine and they may photograph or even video you engaging in some activity that would indicate that your claim is much less significant than you have stated. Honesty is always the best policy. Never claim injuries you don’t have and realize that filing and settling a claim are two very different things. The insurance companies all have major policies in place to make sure you will not “hit the lottery” and their goal is to not pay even one penny more than they have to pay. For more information about the treatments we offer call 602-456-7252 or fill out our on-line inquiry form.
This may seem ridiculous at first glance, but recordings can be used against you in future negotiations. Also, realize an Arizona insurance company does not even have to tell you that they are recording your phone call.
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