Dealing With Insurance Companies After Wrecks
Not every car accident is the same. Likewise, not every car insurance company is the same. The larger auto insurance companies have local adjusters and lawyers who work exclusively for them known as “captive counsel.” These people are employees of the company whose job is to minimize your claim and thereby minimize the amount the company pays out. Smaller and medium-sized insurance companies often are not large enough to have an adjuster in every city or a law firm on the payroll in every town. There are a number of ways the smaller and mid-sized insurance companies handle claims that range from in-house adjusters to contracting out claims to independent claims adjusting companies. It helps to have a Houston car accident attorney who is familiar with the insurance company handling your claim and how it is set up. This knowledge may play a role in determining the best way to pursue the claim.
How to File Injury Claims Against Auto Insurance Companies
When you are injured in an accident that is caused by someone else in Texas, you have the right to file a claim against their liability insurance carrier to recover for the medical bills, lost wages, physical pain, mental anguish, physical impairment, and scarring that you may have endured from the wreck. You can file a claim by finding the phone number for the other driver’s insurance company on the police report and calling them to set up a claim. Some insurance companies also allow online claim filing as well as via various applications. You will need to gather documentation of your injuries and losses and provide this information to your lawyer to and/or to the insurance company.
They generally will not pay your medical bills as you are treating but rather force you to wait until the end to submit everything. You must find a way to pay for the medical care you need until you are released from care and the insurance company is ready to evaluate it and offer a settlement. You will need to prepare a demand at that time.
Insurance companies are counting on the fact that many people will stop seeking the care they need due to the upfront out-of-pocket costs. You can prevent this by hiring a car accident lawyer who will issue you a letter of protection so that you can obtain the medical care you need without having to pay as you go.
What Tactics Will The Insurance Adjuster Use?
It has been our experience that many auto insurance companies of all sizes like to switch adjusters around, forcing the claimant to repeat themselves until they get frustrated and do harm to their own case. This is a common shared tactic of most insurance companies. However, not all of them employ the same tactics. A number of insurance companies use claims-adjusting software such as the infamous Colossus program to devalue your claim. Others will try to spring the early offer trap on you. Below are links to specific pages offering tips on dealing with some of the different auto insurance carriers when bringing an injury claim against an auto insurance company:
- Allied Auto Insurance Claims
- Allstate Insurance Claims
- Farmers Insurance Claims
- Fred Loya Insurance Claims
- GEICO Claims
- The General Insurance Claims
- Germania Claims
- Liberty Mutual Insurance Claims
- Mercury Insurance Claims
- Mid-Century Insurance Claims
- Nationwide Insurance Claims
- Progressive Auto Insurance Claims
- Rodney D. Young Insurance Claims
- Safe Auto Insurance Claims
- Safeco Insurance Claims
- State Farm Insurance Claims
- Texas Farm Bureau Claims
- USAA PIP Insurance Claims
- 21st Century Insurance Claims
It helps to be familiar with the company and its specific claims-adjusting tactics before you try to pursue a car accident claim.
Unique Issues in Claims
There are many ways a car wreck can happen. Below you can find more information on specific types of car accident claims:
- Drunk Driving Accidents
- Broadside Collisions
- Single Car Accidents
- Head-on Collisions
- Speeding
- Intersection Collisions
- Running Stops Signs & Lights
- Distracted Driving Accidents
- Passenger Claims
- Hit and Run Accidents
- Driving on the Wrong Side of the Road
- Sideswipe Accidents
- Rear-End Accidents
- Malfunctioning Traffic Signal Lights
- Unsafe Lane Change
- Vehicle Defects
- Weather Conditions
- Road Rage
Keep in mind that there are many reasons automobile accidents happen. There can be more than one cause of an automobile collision. Juries are often asked to sort out multiple causes and apportion liability among two or more drivers.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
- How to obtain the medical care you need after a car accident.
- What should I bring to the meeting with my accident attorney?
- Is a verbal release given to an auto insurance adjuster binding?
- What is a Stowers demand letter?
- What is Colossus?
- What is the difference between a first-party and a third-party insurance claim?
- What is a MIST claim?
- What constitutes a minor impact collision?
- Texas Police Officer Crash Report Codes PDF
- What if I am sued over a car accident?
- What are my duties after a car accident?
- Will My Insurance Rates go up if I File a Claim?
- How Long Does a Car Accident Settlement Take in Houston?
- Who is at fault in a rear-end auto collision?
- Who is at fault for a sideswipe accident?
- Who is at fault for an intersection collision?
- Who is at fault for a multi-vehicle accident?
- What Texas laws pertain to hit-and-run accidents?
- Who is liable for a tire blowout?
- Who is liable for a car accident caused by malfunctioning traffic signal lights?
- Who is responsible if you lend someone your car and they get in an accident?
- Can a Child Sue a Parent Over a Car Accident?
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