The Top 5 Reasons Insurance Companies Use To Deny Auto Accident Claims
Michael Babboni
Law
All motorists in Florida must have auto insurance in order to take to the road legally. This means that every legal driver in St. Petersburg and beyond pays a premium to an insurance company in order to cover their vehicle and their injuries in the event of an accident. It’s an unwelcome surprise to many when an accident does occur, and drivers find that suddenly their insurance providers are less than enthused to give them the compensation they deserve.It's important to remember that insurance companies are companies first, and ideally they’d like to keep those premium payments while paying out as little as possible. Insurance providers may use any number of reasons to deny a claim or pay out much less than what a motorist needs. The top 5 most common of these reasons are:
▪ You failed to seek medical attention quickly enough – If you are in an accident, the shock and stress of the situation can cause your body to pump out pain reducing adrenaline. This is normal, and a common reason why many feel as though they suffered no injuries in an accident only to experience the pain setting in later on. Failing to seek medical attention right away gives insurance providers a reason to deny or lessen your claim.
▪ You have pre-existing conditions – One of the most unfair reasons an insurance company may cite to deny or lessen your claim has to do with pre-existing conditions. If you’re in an auto accident and hurt your knee, but it’s found that you had a previous knee injury, your insurance provider may claim that your injury isn’t the result of the auto accident. If the injury isn’t due to the accident, then it’s therefore not their responsibility to pay for the damages.
▪ Your injury claims are inconsistent – If you felt good immediately following the accident, only to have pain settle in days or weeks later, an insurance provider may use these inconsistent statements to deny your claim. Even if you were being truthful in both instances, this may be used as a loophole to avoid a payout.
▪ Your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim – Insurance providers may state that your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim if they can find any “evidence” to back this up. This means combing through social media and keeping track of your activities for any proof they may find that you’re not really injured at all. A photo taken out on a lunch trip, or a chat with a friend where it was claimed you were feeling “good” may be used to show that your injuries are not serious and therefore you are not entitled to the compensation you claim to need.
▪ You didn’t notify the insurance company quickly enough – It’s important to notify your insurance provider as quickly as possible if you’ve been in an accident. However, if you’re feeling too unwell after an accident, or the stress of the incident causes it to slip your mind, you might find yourself with a denied claim. An insurance provider may claim that they were not given opportunity to investigate the evidence of the accident in a timely manner and therefore aren’t responsible for the damages.
The last thing any injured person wants to do after an accident is fight with their insurance provider. Having a skilled personal injury attorney in St. Petersburg is what you need for peace of mind that you will get the compensation you need to recover from your injuries.