7 Tips for Dealing with the Insurance Companies After an Auto Accident in Pennsylvania

Dealing with insurance companies can be one of the most confusing and stressful parts of recovering from an auto accident. Even if you are clearly entitled to coverage, the companies won’t make it easy to secure the coverage you deserve.

Securing the coverage you deserve isn’t easy, but it is extremely important. Auto accident victims frequently face tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars in financial and non-financial losses. If you let the insurance companies pay less than they owe, you could bear the consequences for years, if not decades, to come.

How to Protect Yourself When Dealing with the Insurance Companies

So, how can you protect yourself when dealing with the insurance companies? Here are some tips from the lawyers at Drake, Hileman & Davis, PC:

Tip #1: Don’t Let Your Insurance Adjuster Talk You Into Admitting Fault

In Pennsylvania, being deemed at fault in an auto accident can prevent you from securing coverage for your injuries. Pennsylvania follows a rule commonly known as “51 percent comparative negligence.” Under this rule, if you are less than 50 percent at fault in an auto accident, your coverage will be reduced in proportion to your percentage of fault. If you are 51 percent or more at fault, the insurance companies can deny coverage completely.

As a result, when you file a claim after an auto accident, the insurance companies will try to blame you for your own injuries—and they will try to get you to admit that you were at fault in the crash. You should not let your insurance adjuster talk you into admitting fault. Determining fault requires a thorough investigation, and you won’t know who was at fault until you have all of the facts in hand.

Tip #2: Don’t Rely on Your Insurance Adjuster for Advice

You also should not rely on your insurance adjuster for advice. It is important to remember that your adjuster ultimately has your insurance company’s best interests in mind. While your adjuster cannot legally misrepresent your legal rights or the terms of your policy, your adjuster also doesn’t have to tell you everything you need to know in order to file a successful claim.

Tip #3: Review the Terms of Your Auto Insurance Policy

To ensure that you are making informed decisions, you should carefully review the terms of your auto insurance policy. If you get hit by another driver, that driver’s insurance should provide coverage. However, his or her coverage might not be enough. If it isn’t enough, you may need to seek coverage under your policy as well.

This involves filing an uninsured/underinsured motorist (UIM) claim. While UIM insurance isn’t required in Pennsylvania, many people choose to purchase this optional coverage when they buy their policies. If you have UIM coverage and the at-fault driver’s coverage doesn’t fully cover your financial and non-financial losses, now is the time to use it.

Tip #4: Be Persistent and Respond Promptly

When dealing with insurance companies after an auto accident in Pennsylvania, it is important to be persistent and respond promptly. Do not be shy about following up if you are waiting for information. Once your adjuster gets back to you, be sure you provide any information he or she needs as soon as possible.

This will help prevent unnecessary delays, and it will help ensure that you receive coverage as soon as possible. With that said, your adjuster’s actions are ultimately beyond your control, and being persistent and prompt isn’t enough on its own to make sure you receive the financial compensation you deserve.   

Tip #5: Document Your Financial and Non-Financial Costs

To make sure you receive the financial compensation you deserve, you will also need to clearly document the costs of your auto accident. This includes not only your financial costs, but your non-financial costs as well. Some of the types of documentation you will need for your insurance claim include:

• Medical records, bills, and receipts
• Account statements or receipts for your other out-of-pocket costs
• Employment records (if you miss time from work)
• Photos that document your injuries and your recovery
• A log or journal that details your injuries’ day-to-day effects on your life

When filing an auto insurance claim after an auto accident, the more information you have, the better. But, it is important not to share this information with your adjuster until the right time. You should not sign a release authorizing your adjuster to access your medical records, and you should not seek a settlement until you have a clear understanding of the current and future costs of your accident.

Tip #6: Don’t Settle Your Claim Too Soon

This brings us to our next point: You must be very careful to avoid settling your auto insurance claim too soon. You may be tempted to settle quickly, and your adjuster will try to use this to the insurance companies’ advantage. But, once you settle, you can’t go back and seek additional coverage. As a result, until you have a clear and comprehensive understanding of the long-term costs of your accident-related injuries, it is too soon to think about settlement.

Tip #7: Hire an Experienced Auto Accident Lawyer to Help You

Given the various challenges involved in dealing with insurance companies, it is best to have an experienced auto accident lawyer on your side. You can hire a lawyer to handle your auto insurance claim at no out-of-pocket cost, and your lawyer will be able to help you seek a settlement that maximizes your take-home recovery.

Discuss Your Claim with a Pennsylvania Auto Accident Lawyer for Free

Were you injured in an auto accident in Pennsylvania? If so, we strongly encourage you to contact us for more information. With offices in Allentown, Bethlehem, Doylestown, Easton, and Stroudsburg, we represent auto accident victims statewide. For a free, no-obligation consultation about your insurance claim, give us a call at 888-777-7098 or inquire online today.