What Reasons Do Insurance Companies Have to Delay or Deny Valid Claims?

What Reasons Do Insurance Companies Have to Delay or Deny Valid Claims?

After a car accident, you might expect the insurance company to review your claim and promptly provide the compensation you need for medical bills and vehicle repairs. However, the reality often looks quite different. Insurance companies operate as businesses focused on protecting their bottom line, and they employ various strategies to minimize payouts – even on legitimate claims.

Understanding these tactics helps you prepare for potential challenges and recognize when you need professional legal support. While insurance adjusters might seem helpful and sympathetic, their primary goal involves saving their company money. This fundamental conflict of interest explains why so many valid car accident claims face unnecessary delays and denials.

What Tactics Do Insurers Use Most Often?

Insurance companies have developed numerous strategies to avoid paying claims or reduce settlement amounts.

One common approach involves disputing who caused the accident. Even when evidence clearly shows the other driver was responsible, insurers might argue you contributed to the crash. They are looking to exploit a Georgia law that bars you from claiming compensation if your fault exceeds 49 percent. Insurers often exaggerate your role in the accident to reduce their financial responsibility.

Documentation issues can give insurers another excuse to deny claims. Insurance companies might argue:

• Medical records don’t adequately prove your injuries 
• Treatment seems excessive or unnecessary
• Pre-existing conditions caused your problems

Finally, companies often deny claims when accident victims wait too long to report the incident or seek medical attention. They argue that delays suggest injuries weren’t serious or weren’t caused by the accident. This strategy particularly affects people who initially felt fine but developed pain or other symptoms days after the crash.

How Do Coverage Limits Create Problems?

Policy limits create legitimate boundaries for insurance payouts, but companies sometimes use these limits inappropriately. They might claim your losses exceed coverage when careful calculation shows otherwise. Or they might interpret policy language narrowly to exclude certain types of compensation you deserve.

Some insurers deliberately slow down the claims process, hoping financial pressure will force you to accept a lower settlement. They might request the same information repeatedly, or they might take weeks to respond to communications. They might even claim they need additional investigation when the facts are clear. These delays cause real hardship for accident victims facing mounting medical bills and lost wages.

What Protection Do You Have Against These Practices?

Georgia law prohibits insurance companies from acting in bad faith, but proving bad faith requires understanding complex regulations and legal standards. You have the right to challenge claim denials and demand fair treatment. However, insurance companies employ teams of lawyers and adjusters trained to protect their interests.

Documentation becomes your strongest ally. Be sure to:

• Keep detailed records of all medical treatment, correspondence with insurance companies, and expenses related to the accident. 
• Take photos of injuries, vehicle damage, and the accident scene. 
• Write down the names and contact information of anyone who might have witnessed the accident.
• Save receipts for everything from prescription medications to transportation costs for medical appointments.

Contact Kaufman Injury Law Today

When insurance companies deny valid claims or offer inadequate settlements, you don’t have to accept their decision. An experienced personal injury attorney can review your case, identify bad faith practices, and fight for the compensation you deserve.

At Kaufman Injury Law, we’ve spent more than four decades standing up to insurance companies. We understand their tactics and know how to build cases that demand fair compensation. If you’re dealing with unfair delays, denials, or lowball settlement offers, we’ll fight to protect your rights and secure the financial resources you need to move forward. Contact us today for a free consultation.