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If you're going to negotiate with the insurance company on your own, here's what you can expect. First, the adjuster is going to give you a lowball offer. That is a shockingly low offer. If you reject this offer, and you should, then you can expect stonewalling. Stonewalling is a negotiation tactic that can take many forms, but the goal is always the same: delay settling your claim until you become so frustrated or so desperate or so tired of waiting that you're willing to accept less than your claim is worth. Remember that the insurance company wants to sell your claim for as little as possible. So, big picture: if you want to negotiate with the insurance company on your own, you should expect that it will take a considerable amount of time, effort, and patience to get a fair offer.
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Settling With the Insurance Company Without a Lawyer
The ultimate goal of any insurance company is to make money. They accept your premium payments with the hope that you will never need to make a claim, and they will not have to pay out. Even when you have a legitimate claim, some companies will use tactics to avoid or delay paying you to protect their profits. This is known as acting in bad faith; when this happens, you are entitled to take legal action against them.
Examples of Insurance Company Bad Faith Actions
It is hard for the average person to know when they are being taken advantage of by an insurance company, but at Case Barnett Law, we know how insurance adjusters operate. If you believe your accident or mishap should be covered under your insurance policy and your insurance company does any of the following, they are acting in bad faith:
- Fails to respond to your claim in a timely manner
- Denies, terminates, or suspends your legitimate claim
- Underpays your claim
- Tries to dissuade you from making a claim
- Misrepresents coverage during the application process
- Misrepresents the terms and benefits of your policy in any way
- Makes unreasonable demands for documentation
This is not an exhaustive list; there are many ways an insurance company can act in bad faith. If you are having any difficulty with your insurance company, contact our Costa Mesa personal injury attorney team for assistance.
You Need an Attorney by Your Side
Attorney Case Barnett believes strongly in an insurance company’s duty to uphold their end of a contract, and he will fight for the settlement you deserve when your insurer acts in bad faith. You can be sure the insurance company will have their lawyers arguing their side, so you need to fight fire with fire. When you hire us for your insurance bad faith claim, we will take over all communications with the insurance company and free you up to focus on recovering from the disaster that put you on this journey to begin with. Call our Costa Mesa personal injury attorney team to learn more about the personal attention you will get from our small but experienced law firm.