Posted in Blog
Insurance adjusters seem friendly. They call you by your first name, express concern about your injuries, and promise to handle everything quickly. But their job is not to help you. Their job is to save their company money by paying you as little as possible.
We’ve negotiated with insurance adjusters for years, and we’ve seen every tactic they use. Our friends at Macrae & Whitley, LLP discuss how these strategies affect claimants nationwide. A slip and fall lawyer understands these tactics and knows how to counter them, but you should understand what you’re up against before you start negotiating on your own.
1. Your Initial Statement Can Destroy Your Claim
When an adjuster calls within hours or days of your accident, they’ll ask you to give a recorded statement. They frame it as routine paperwork, just getting the facts while everything is fresh in your mind. This is a trap.
Insurance companies use recorded statements to lock you into a version of events before you fully understand what happened or know the extent of your injuries. If you say “I’m fine” or “I feel okay” in those first traumatic hours, they’ll use that recording to argue you weren’t seriously injured.
They’ll ask leading questions designed to get you to admit partial fault. “You were running late, weren’t you?” or “You didn’t see the other car right away, did you?” These innocent-sounding questions become ammunition against you later.
You are not legally required to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company. You should report the accident to your own insurer, but even then, you can provide basic facts without a formal recorded statement. Adjusters don’t want you to know you can decline or wait until you’ve spoken with an attorney.
2. The First Settlement Offer Is Almost Always Too Low
Quick settlement offers arrive when you’re stressed, in pain, and worried about mounting medical bills. An adjuster calls with what sounds like decent money, encouraging you to settle fast and “put this behind you.” According to the Insurance Information Institute, insurance companies know that early settlements save them money because injuries and damages aren’t fully known yet.
They make these lowball offers before you understand the full extent of your injuries or future medical needs. That back pain from the accident might require surgery six months from now. Those headaches could be a concussion with lasting effects. Once you accept a settlement and sign a release, you cannot come back for more money when additional problems arise.
Adjusters count on your financial pressure and your lack of knowledge about what your claim is actually worth. They offer just enough to seem reasonable while keeping it far below fair compensation.
Why They Want You To Settle Quickly
The longer your case remains open, the more it costs the insurance company. Medical bills accumulate. Lost wages add up. Your attorney might get involved. They want to close files and minimize payouts, so speed benefits them, not you.
Never accept the first offer. It’s almost never the best they can do. Adjusters have authority to negotiate and increase offers. Their initial number is a starting point designed to see if you’ll take far less than you deserve.
3. They’re Monitoring Your Social Media
Insurance adjusters and their investigators actively search your social media accounts. They’re looking for any posts, photos, or comments that contradict your injury claims. That photo of you standing at a family gathering? They’ll claim it proves you’re not injured, even if you were in significant pain that day and left early.
They take things out of context constantly. You post about having a good day despite ongoing pain? They’ll use it to argue you’re exaggerating your injuries. Someone tags you in a photo from before the accident? They might try to claim those are current activities.
Adjusters don’t want you to know how extensively they monitor online activity. They hire firms that specialize in social media investigations. They’ll look at public posts, photos where you’re tagged, comments you make, and even your friends’ posts about you.
Make your social media accounts private immediately after an accident. Better yet, take a break from social media entirely while your claim is pending. Tell friends and family not to post about you or tag you in anything. One innocent post can damage an otherwise solid claim.
4. They Use Delay Tactics When It Benefits Them
Insurance companies preach urgency when they want you to settle quickly, but they drag things out when it helps their position. They’ll “need more time to investigate” or “wait for additional medical records” or “send it to another department for review.” These delays are often intentional strategies.
Why would they want to delay? Several reasons:
- Financial pressure builds on you while their resources remain unlimited
- You might get desperate enough to accept a lower settlement
- Witnesses’ memories fade and evidence becomes harder to gather
- Medical records get lost or harder to obtain as time passes
- Some people give up and drop their claims
If you have an attorney, they lose this advantage because lawyers know the tactics and push back with deadlines and formal demands. Adjusters prefer dealing with unrepresented claimants who don’t know that unreasonable delays are unacceptable.
Most states have unfair claim settlement practices laws that prohibit unreasonable delays, but adjusters bet on you not knowing your rights or not enforcing them.
5. They Have Access To Your Past Medical Records
When you sign a medical authorization form from an insurance adjuster, you’re giving them permission to access your entire medical history. They’ll request records going back years, searching for any pre-existing condition they can blame for your current injuries.
Had lower back pain five years ago? They’ll argue your back injury from the accident is actually that old problem, not a new injury. Previous headaches? Your concussion symptoms must be related to those, not the car crash. Depression or anxiety in your past? They’ll claim your emotional distress isn’t from the accident.
This tactic is called “building a file,” and adjusters use it to devalue claims or deny them entirely. They cherry-pick information from your medical history while ignoring evidence that supports your claim.
You don’t have to sign a blanket medical authorization. You can provide specific records related to the accident and current treatment. If they demand full access to all your records, that’s a sign they’re looking for reasons to deny or reduce your claim, not trying to fairly evaluate it.
Know Your Rights And Protect Your Claim
Insurance adjusters are trained professionals working for billion-dollar companies. They use proven tactics to minimize payouts, and they count on claimants not understanding the process. Knowing these strategies helps you avoid common mistakes and protect your right to fair compensation. If you’re facing resistance from an insurance company or feel overwhelmed by the claims process, getting informed legal guidance can make the difference between settling for less than you deserve and receiving full compensation for your injuries.