Being involved in a car accident leaves behind a trail of scars. The physical, mental, and emotional upheaval that one has to deal with makes time stand for a while. But that’s not just all, unfortunately. Dealing with your car insurance company can be challenging, making the entire incident substantially more hurtful and distressing for the victim and his family.
As has been often seen, insurance companies act tough and weird when you need their help and support the most. After all, the companies are a commercial setup, and they need to take care of their earnings and profits. The smartest thing to do is to speak to professional Florida Insurance Dispute Attorneys. They work cohesively with you to ensure that you get a fair and optimized settlement from the insurance company.
Whether or not you hire an insurance attorney or not, here are seven things that you must know when dealing with the insurance company.
- You are contacted by the insurance adjusters (they are a part of the insurer’s team) within days of filing your claim. The team of insurance adjusters is highly trained in their field. They excel in negotiation. The insurance adjusters are either on the insurance company’s payroll or are hired on a case-to-case basis. They may act friendly with you, but their main objective is to safeguard the interest of the insurance company rather than the customer. Remember that insurance companies have no legal obligation to make a higher or even a decent payout, especially if the other driver is at fault and you are dealing with his insurance company.
- The first offer that comes from the insurer is typically always on the lower side. Do not be in a hurry to accept the first offer that comes your way, especially when you are still in the process of consulting with the doctor and the full-scale of injuries is not yet known.
- Most insurance companies find ways not to pay for the medical expenses of the victim. It is, therefore, important to maintain your documents and medical records because many times, the insurance company would term the medical expenses as fraud. With the papers intact, they cannot do so.
- Do not let the insurance company record your statement – remember, anything you say or comment can be used against you. It is best to hire a Florida Insurance Dispute Attorney who understands all the procedures well.
- The insurance company will recommend repair shops and persuade you to take the car to one of their suggested shops. Beware of it because the insurance companies have tie-ups with such shops, and it has been seen that such shops try to do makeshift jobs and cut corners to keep the repair costs low.
- In case the car is damaged badly, and the repair costs are at least 70% or more of the car’s value, the insurance company is liable to pay you the car’s market value in Florida. The totaling of the vehicle has to be fair, and you can appeal if you feel the amount is not appropriate.
- The insurance company might seem like threatening you, or they may want you to sign on the dotted lines – never sign any paper without your lawyer around.