When you’ve been injured by someone else’s negligence, one step toward financial recovery is communicating with the other party’s insurance company. It may not seem like a challenging task, but effectively discussing your injuries and damages with an insurance adjuster is not as simple as many people believe.
Before you disclose anything about your injuries or the details of your accident to an insurance adjuster, it’s important to understand what the adjuster’s role is with the insurance company and what that means for your claim.
What Does an Insurance Adjuster Do?
An insurance adjuster’s job is to investigate claims and determine how much money should be paid out for a claim. The adjuster will:
- Investigate the accident
- Determine if the policy covers the claim
- Review the damages caused by the accident
- Determine who is at fault
- Calculate the settlement offer
- Communicate with the injured person to make a settlement offer
While there are numerous tasks involved in the process, the underlying mission of an insurance adjuster is to evaluate all the evidence to either deny a claim or make an offer for damages. Essentially, their job is to offer a settlement amount that the insurance company will deem appropriate. This amount is rarely in line with what the injured party would consider appropriate.
The Insurance Company is Not on Your Side
Insurance companies are for-profit businesses. Their loyalty is to shareholders, which means the bottom line is their motivating force. Paying out as little as possible in accident claims is the goal, which is the opposite of what a positive outcome looks like for injured accident victims.
Adjusters who work for insurance companies share in this mission to minimize payouts, so regardless of how friendly and helpful they seem, they are not on your side.
How to Handle Insurance Adjusters in Georgia
It’s important for insurance adjusters to have a full picture of the accident and the damage it caused, but interacting with them should be handled with caution. Consider the below tips before speaking with the at-fault party’s insurance company:
- You are not required to give a recorded statement.
- The insurance adjuster may try to use your words against you.
- Their priority is to save the insurance company money, which means minimizing settlement offers.
- Don’t agree to sign anything without talking to a lawyer first.
The Atlanta Accident Law Firm for Your Personal Injury Case
At Flanagan Law, your recovery is our primary goal. For many people who file a personal injury claim, accepting a settlement offer is a favorable outcome. Our Georgia personal injury lawyers can help you consider all the factors to determine if an insurance adjuster’s offer is fair.
We also understand that settlement is not the best option for everyone and that sometimes, the best course of action is to file a lawsuit and go to court. Flanagan Law’s extensive experience with Georgia accident cases has given us the context and strategic understanding necessary to help our clients make this important decision. Contact us to schedule your free consultation.
