Insurance companies spend a lot of money trying to convince the general public that they care about their customers and are more than ready to pay when you finally need them. But at the same time, those insurance companies report huge profits year after year. How is it possible for those companies to be so profitable if they’re generously giving their customers big checks for every accident and injury they suffer?

Simple answer: they aren’t writing big checks. Insurance companies are hugely profitable because they don’t pay all of their policyholders the money they’re supposed to receive. In fact, insurers have teams of employees called adjusters whose primary job is to find ways to reduce or deny legitimate claims. The result is that countless people in Oklahoma and throughout the U.S. pay thousands of dollars in insurance premiums and monthly rates, only to have those companies turn their backs on them when they need them the most.

Here’s How Insurance Companies Get Away With Not Paying Fair Settlements

Insurance companies have been around for a long time. They’ve perfected methods of protecting their profits at all costs, and it typically happens at the expense of their own customers. Here’s how they do it:

• They offer “lowball” settlements right away—Adjusters know that people need money immediately after car accidents and personal injuries. And when people are facing big medical bills and weeks or months away from work, they’re in desperate need for money immediately. When insurance companies know they may be on the hook for a big settlement, they’ll instead offer a much lower settlement right away and with no hassle. And when injured victims accept, they forfeit their rights to pursue additional compensation, even when the initial offer runs out way too soon.
• They use loopholes and legalese to their advantage—Signing insurance papers when you initially purchase a policy can be a labor-intensive and intimidating process. Unless you have a lawyer by your side, you may not understand exactly what you’re reading. But when you sign on the dotted line, you’re bound by those terms and conditions, many of which come as a complete surprise when you decide to file a claim. A single line or phrase in your insurance documentation can make you ineligible for a single penny after an accident or injury.
• They twist victims’ words against them—Talking to the insurance company on the phone or via email is often a trap. Adjusters are trained to act friendly and helpful, but in reality, they’re often mining for potentially incriminating statements that can be used against you. The more you talk to the insurance company, the more likely it is that they’ll find something, even if they must take it out of context, to make your claim to a settlement null and void.
• They deny liability—When evidence is circumstantial or somewhat lacking, or when there’s dispute over who is at fault, insurance companies representing the injury-causing parties may flatly deny that their clients were at fault for accidents and injuries. By doing so, they leave the burden of proof up to injured victims. That can make it extremely difficult or even impossible for many victims to get compensation on their own, as they find themselves going up against a brick wall of adjusters, lawyers, and corporate bureaucracy.
• They stalk victims to gather “incriminating” evidence—A sticking point for many injury claims is the seriousness of the injuries themselves. If an insurance company believes that a victim is exaggerating or falsifying their injuries, they will deny their claim outright. That leads to some insurers going overboard to find “evidence” that proves injuries aren’t as serious as victims claim. For example, they may scour victims’ social media to find pictures or status updates that indicate physical activity, or they may even drive by their homes hoping to see them doing yardwork or other activities.
• They ignore victims—If you’ve ever needed to call a big corporation for help, whether it was to rebook an airline ticket or get a refund, you know how helpless you can feel when you can’t get through to a human or get anyone to call you back. Insurance companies know this is a frustrating experience for accident victims, too, and they use it to their advantage. Simply put—they often hope that potential claimants will get frustrated and give up on getting compensation for their injury-related expenses.

These are just a few of the tactics insurance companies use to protect their profits. But one thing all of those tactics have in common is that they’re all well-known and easily overcome by experienced lawyers.

Don’t Fall Victim to a Greedy Insurance Company That Doesn’t Live Up to Its Duty

Whether you’re pursuing a claim against your own insurance company or the insurance company of someone who injured you, it’s essential to have a team of Oklahoma personal injury lawyers on your side from day one. Insurance companies feel confident when they know they’re going up against an individual, but they dread going up against injured victims who have the backing of an experienced law firm like Parrish DeVaughn.

We don’t let insurance companies get away with ignoring, manipulating, or taking advantage of our clients, and we won’t let it happen to you, either. Contact us today for a free consultation. It’s our goal to get you every penny you deserve.