If you get into a car accident with a negligent driver, chances are you may make a claim with their insurance company.
Unfortunately, large insurance companies, especially GEICO, try to make the process as difficult as possible to save money.
Here are five secrets about filing claims and lawsuits against GEICO that they don’t want you to know.
1. GEICO Uses Your Recorded Statement Against You
When you file your claim with GEICO, they may tell you that it’s standard practice to give a recorded statement about the accident. While this may seem necessary at first, GEICO’s goal is to find any comment that could be used against you.
For example, if you tell the adjuster you are fine as a courtesy, they may use that statement to show that you aren’t suffering or in pain. In addition, they might try to interpret certain comments as an admission of guilt.
This is why it’s best to have an attorney who knows these tactics to manage your claim.
2. The Adjuster Wants You to Accept the First Offer
Despite their reassurances, the goal of a GEICO insurance adjuster is to settle your claim for as low as possible. Unfortunately, this also means that they pressure financially desperate victims to accept the first offer.
Most of the time, this initial offer is much lower than the claim is actually worth. The adjuster also tries to convince victims that if they don’t accept the settlement offer immediately, they get nothing.
This combination of pressures often gets victims to accept a lowball offer that doesn’t fully cover their damages.
3. GEICO May Purchase Your Hospital Lien to Justify a Lower Offer
One of the most unethical tactics used by GEICO is purchasing the hospital lien of a claimant.
Typically, they buy the lien at a much lower price than the total lien amount. They consider this price the real amount of medical bills associated with your accident.
For example, if you owe $50,000 to the hospital but GEICO purchases that lien for $10,000, they will claim that your injuries weren’t that serious. GEICO uses this as an excuse to lower the value of your claim.
4. Your Total Economic Expenses May Not Be Considered
If GEICO doesn’t try to purchase your hospital lien, there are a few other tricks they may use to lower your claim. One of those tricks is to hire their own medical experts to examine the cost of your medical treatment.
They use these biased assessments to accuse your doctor of misrepresenting your injuries. Ultimately, the goal of the insurance company is to get you to stop seeking treatment. They then use this fact to minimize or outright deny your claim.
5. GEICO’s Settlement Offer Doesn’t Include All Your Losses
While this may seem obvious at first glance, it’s actually one of the most common reasons victims seek the help of an attorney. California law entitles you to all economic and non-economic damages related to your accident.
This includes things like future medical expenses, lost wages, lost quality of life, and pain and suffering. All these losses are common in lawsuits against GEICO as well as other insurance companies.
Need Help Dealing with Your GEICO Injury Claim?
Whether you have an active personal injury claim with GEICO or another insurance company, don’t try to fight it alone. At Wells Call Injury Lawyers, we dedicate ourselves to helping victims pursue the money they need to recover.
Our personal injury attorneys use a personalized, compassionate approach to achieve the best results possible for our clients.
With decades of experience negotiating settlements and going to trial, we know just how difficult the battle may be on your own.
To schedule a free case review, call us at 707-426-5300 or contact us online. We are proud to represent clients throughout the Greater Sacramento Area.