Adjusters are trained to investigate accidents, collect evidence, and negotiate settlements, but their focus is often on minimizing what they have to pay.
This doesn’t mean all insurance adjusters are out to deceive you, but their loyalty lies with the insurance company, not you. The only person whose loyalty you can be sure of is your car accident attorney.
Many of an adjuster’s strategies are designed to minimize payouts, sometimes at your expense. If you’re not aware of their tactics, it’s easy to make mistakes that could cost you your compensation.
Tactics Used by Insurance Adjusters
Here are some common tactics used by insurance adjusters:
Early Settlement Offers
On the surface, it may feel like they’re just trying to make things easier for you. But they’re probably hoping you’ll accept their offer without fully understanding the full picture of your damages. These early offers tend to be much lower than what you actually deserve.
The reason they’re quick to make these offers is simple: they want to close the case fast, and the faster it’s done, the less they have to pay. You might not know the full extent of your injuries or how much your claim is actually worth.
Some injuries don’t show up immediately or might need long-term treatment, and an early settlement won’t cover all that.
A lot of times, the adjuster’s goal is to get you to accept that quick offer before you’ve even had time to talk to a lawyer. They might make you feel like it’s a “good deal,” but if you’re not careful, you could be leaving money on the table.
Shifting Blame
One thing adjusters love to do is try to shift some of the blame onto you. Even if you know you weren’t at fault, they’ll dig deep into the accident, looking for any little thing they can twist to make you seem partially responsible. This is something they do to reduce the payout they have to make.
They’ll go through every detail with a fine-tooth comb, questioning your actions, how you handled the situation, or even why you were in a particular spot at the time of the accident. They might even point to things like how fast you were driving or whether you followed traffic laws perfectly.
This tactic can be especially damaging in states or regions where comparative or contributory negligence laws apply.
Downplaying Injuries
Another move that adjusters often try is downplaying your injuries. They may argue that your injuries aren’t as bad as you say they are or suggest that you’re exaggerating. This can start with them questioning why you didn’t seek immediate medical help or pointing out gaps in your treatment.
They will also start requesting access to your medical records, not just from the accident but also your past medical history. While this may seem like a routine part of the claims process, it’s a way for adjusters to look for gaps in treatment, inconsistencies, or pre-existing conditions that they can use to argue that your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim.
Using Medical History Against You
If you’ve got a pre-existing medical condition, this could work against you in the eyes of the adjuster. They may try to argue that your injuries were already there before the accident and that the crash didn’t actually cause your current pain.
This can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you know that the accident aggravated your condition.
Adjusters love to use this tactic because it can reduce the amount they have to pay. They’ll look for any reason to say that your injuries aren’t directly related to the accident or that the compensation should be reduced because of your medical history.