Secrets of Accident Claims Against GEICO Revealed
Paul Brannon | August 30, 2023 | Car Accident
According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, GEICO is the second-largest auto insurance provider in the United States, responsible for more than 14% of the national market share. It has more than 18 million drivers as policyholders which insure more than 30 million vehicles in the United States.
If you’re ever involved in a car accident, it’s likely that you or one of the other parties involved will have GEICO insurance.
Our experienced personal injury lawyers have extensive experience dealing with GEICO insurance adjusters. We’ve shared secrets regarding accident claims against GEICO below.
GEICO Adjusters Will Try To Get You To Say Incriminating Things
The first thing you need to understand about working with any insurance adjuster is that they work for the insurance company. They are not there to help you or make your life easier. They don’t want to pay you a fair amount for the damages you sustained.
On the contrary, they are there to protect their employer’s interests. In GEICO’s case, this means that insurance adjusters will work tirelessly to aggressively defend the company’s $44 billion in “admitted assets.” One of the ways they do this is to get claimants to say things that undermine their case.
Here’s how it usually goes: You’re involved in an accident that involves a GEICO-covered driver. You make the claim with the insurance company. An adjuster is assigned to your case.
The adjuster asks how you’re doing, says that it’s great that you were not seriously injured, and gushes about how your health is the top concern. You say thank you and that you’re doing fine.
The adjuster might ask you a few questions about the accident, like how it happened, the speed you were driving, what you were doing at the time of the accident, and your injuries.
Before you know it, you get a denial or a lowball offer because your injuries aren’t serious. Or, your claim is less valuable because you were driving a few miles over the speed limit, according to the adjuster.
You can avoid falling into this trap by only providing the bare minimum of details necessary to make the claim. Then, you can refer the adjuster to your personal injury lawyer to discuss the details of your claim.
GEICO Adjusters Will Ask For a Recorded Statement
GEICO adjusters are trained to ask claimants for a recorded statement. You may even hear a message at the beginning of the call that says calls are being recorded for “quality control purposes.” The adjuster may say that providing a recorded statement can help resolve the claim faster.
Again, the adjuster is just trying to get you on record to say something that could hurt your claim. And, they’re looking for any way possible to deny your claim. You are under no obligation to provide a recorded statement.
GEICO Adjusters Might Make a Quick Settlement Offer
When GEICO adjusters can’t completely justify an outright denial of your claim, they will sometimes make a fast settlement offer because they want you to accept the first offer. They don’t want to give you time to learn the full extent of your injuries, the damages you will likely incur in the future, and how their insured has negatively impacted your life.
Before you settle your claim, have an experienced car accident lawyer review it.
You may be entitled to compensation for many losses you might not have considered, such as:
- Future medical expenses, including payment for ongoing treatment, therapy, medication, and future medical procedures
- Lost earning capacity, if your injuries prevent you from returning to the same line of work or any work
- Out-of-pocket expenses, such as rental car expenses, rideshare services, household services you cannot tend to while you are injured, and other incidental expenses you incur because of the accident
- Pain, suffering, anguish, and other mental and emotional consequences caused by the accident
An experienced car accident lawyer can give you a better idea about the potential value of your claim.
GEICO Adjusters Might Undervalue Your Claim
GEICO adjusters use specific software that is designed to undervalue claims. They then use these programs to justify low settlements.
Medical expenses are one of the biggest costs associated with car accident claims. You may quickly rack up thousands of dollars in medical bills simply by being taken by ambulance to the nearest emergency room, receiving treatment, and being prescribed medication.
GEICO insurance adjusters will try to ignore the real costs you have incurred by using “usual and customary charges.” GEICO hires its own team to determine typical treatments following accidents and their value, which are often less than what the real-world expenses are. This tactic tries to justify the company’s lowball settlement offer to you.
An Experienced Fort Walton Beach Car Accident Attorney Can Deal With GEICO For You
You do not have to go through this process alone. Contact an experienced car accident lawyer for help dealing with GEICO.
Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in Northwest Florida
If you need legal assistance, contact the Destin car accident lawyers at Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.
We have two convenient locations in Northwest Florida:
Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers – Destin Office
4507 Furling Ln Suite 214
Destin, FL 32541
(850) 790-0243
Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers – Fort Walton Beach Office
975 Mar Walt Dr
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547
(850) 863-5297