We all carry insurance policies that we hope never to use. Unfortunately, the insurance companies also hope we never use them. In fact, insurance companies are in the business of turning a profit, and they do what they can to keep their payouts for claims at a minimum. It’s as simple as that. Further, some insurance companies aren’t above sinking to unethical measures in the denial of claims. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, a slip and fall, or any other kind of accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you owe it to yourself to seek experienced legal counsel. Your rights matter.
Tricks of the Trade
If you’ve been injured in an accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, it’s highly likely that insurance is going to play an important role in your financial recovery. Unfortunately, according to a report from the American Association of Justice entitled “Tricks of the Trade: How Insurance Companies Deny, Delay, Confuse and Refuse”—many insurance companies resort to astonishingly low tactics to keep their bottom lines healthy. In fact, they share that “some of America’s most well-known insurance companies—the same ones that spend billions on advertising to earn your trust—have endeavored to deny claims, delay payments, confuse consumers with incomprehensible insurance-speak, and retroactively refuse anyone who may cost them money.” As breathtaking as this statement is, it’s not difficult to believe—we’ve all had an insurance claim or two that left us shaking our heads in wonderment.
Egregious Methods
The report goes on to outline some of the most egregious methods these insurance companies employ:
- Claim denials. By simply making it a policy to deny as many valid claims as they can get away with, insurance companies save big. Many such companies even reward those employees who manage to deny the most claims. Ouch.
- Delay, delay, delay. Many insurance companies use the very simple tactic of routinely delaying claims until the policyholder simply gives up (and who among us hasn’t given up a time or two?). The most egregious examples of this tactic are long-term care providers who take advantage of their policyholders’ age and poor health—effectively cashing in on their deaths.
- Insurance doublespeak. All contracts are rough reading, but insurance contracts are incomprehensible—sometimes by design. Often these companies will include obscure coverage clauses that no one understands—until it’s too late.
- Penalizing callers. Some insurance companies even penalize their policyholders for making calls of inquiry about their policies. Some go so far as to count such calls as claim equivalents and then do what they can to get rid of the policyholders who dared to use their insurance policies that they purchased for this very purpose.
Each of these tactics is ethically reprehensible—and there are more besides.
If an Accident Left You Injured, Seek Experienced Legal Counsel at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC Today
If an accident caused by someone else’s negligence has left you injured, you need skilled legal guidance. Such accidents inevitably mean dealing with insurance companies, and insurance companies simply can’t be trusted to protect your best interests. The experienced legal team at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC, in Gwinnett County, Georgia, is here to help, so please contact or call us at 404-418-8244 for a free consultation today.
