Why do insurance companies deny car accident claims?

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While some tricky car insurance companies will deny your claim for dishonest reasons, there are five main reasons why insurance companies deny valid car accident claims. Below are the main reasons why car accident claims are usually denied, from the Kirkland car accident attorneys at Max Meyers Law.

Reasons why insurance companies deny claims.

1) You waited too long to file a claim.

Insurance companies like to be notified immediately when there has been an accident involving one of their insured drivers. Insurance companies write their own policies, which often includes how long a person has to file a claim. If you are filing a claim against the other driver, who has a different insurance company than you, you may not know that company’s internal deadline.

Note: Even though, per R.C.W. § 4.16.080, Washington State’s statute of limitations is three years, that does not matter. If you do not file your claim by the insurer’s deadline, you cannot recover compensation. Call Max Meyers to explore your options: 425-399-7000.

2) You did not call the police to the scene.

Some insurers refuse to honor insurance claims that do not have a police report. If you did call the police to the scene, you might have a report that incorrectly designates you at-fault.

If you did not get a police report or if the police report is incorrect, call Max Meyers Law PLLC. Our team can investigate what occurred and help clear up any inaccuracies with the report.

3) You stated you were uninjured after the accident.

Injuries are not always apparent at the scene of the accident. Some soft tissue injuries take time to develop. Internal bleeding and damages to internal organs may have no immediate symptoms. For these reasons, it is vital that you never say you are uninjured. Instead, go to the doctor to determine whether you have any invisible injuries. 

You might also receive a denial if:

  • You do not have medical records that show an injury.
  • Your injury seems to be a preexisting condition.
  • Your injuries do not match the emergency room records or the police report.

4) You agreed to a recorded statement.

Insurance adjusters receive special training to lull injured victims into a false sense of security during which the victim might say something the adjuster can twist into an admission of fault. Even saying something as innocuous as “I’m sorry” or “I’m okay” can jeopardize your case.

You should never give a recorded statement to an insurance company after a car accident without first talking with your lawyer.

5) You admitted fault at the scene.

You may have apologized to someone at the scene out of politeness and concern for their injuries, not intending this to be an admission on fault. That person or an insurance company may try to twist your words and use them as evidence of an admission of fault. This is one of the reasons why you should be extremely careful about what you say at the scene of an accident. Expect that someone may try to use your words out of context.

Speak to law enforcement and medical personnel, but do not admit fault, even if you suspect you might have been at fault. Things are not always as they initially appear. You may find out later that the accident was actually the result of the other driver texting, running a red light, or being impaired by drugs or alcohol.

Get help from a Kirkland car accident attorney today.

Insurance companies say in their television commercials that they are there to help you when you have suffered an injury or a loss. In reality, that is not their purpose. Their purpose is to minimize the amount they pay out in claims. If insurance companies paid out every claim they receive, they would be out of business within a week. They have to weed out the false and frivolous claims; unfortunately, this means they also deny many valid claims.

When an insurance company denies your claim, it must notify you of the denial and the reason. You can then appeal the decision. A car accident lawyer from Max Meyers Law PLLC can help.

Our car accident team will deal directly with the insurance company for you. We know the reasons claims tend to get denied, and we know how to avoid many of these denials. We will fight hard to get you all the compensation you deserve.

Call us today at 425-399-7000 for your free consultation. We never charge a fee unless you get a recovery.

Max Meyers
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Max is a Kirkland personal injury attorney handling cases in Seattle, King County & surrounding in WA State.