3 risks you take by trying to handle a car crash claim on your own

In some ways, it has never been easier than it is right now to file an insurance claim. You don’t even need to know a website address. Your insurance company probably has an app that you can quickly upload police reports and photos of vehicle damage to after a crash.

Many people jump right into trying to file an insurance claim without looking at their policy or circumstances carefully. The more serious the damage to your vehicle or the injuries that you suffer, the more crucial the handling of your claim becomes. Trying to manage a massive insurance claim on your own might mean that you take losses in the long run. 

Insurance adjusters might trick you into implicating yourself

It is the policy of the person who caused the crash that will pay for your losses after a wreck. Even if it is the same company that insures your vehicle, they will likely try to minimize how much they have to pay you.

Getting you to admit partial fault for the crash or otherwise implicate yourself is a common tactic for reducing how much liability the company has. Without help, you might agree to a recorded statement and say things that reduce your right to compensation through the manipulation of the adjuster performing the interview. 

You might agree to terms that don’t benefit you

Insurance companies know that big claims can have lasting financial repercussions. A quick settlement can possibly save them thousands of dollars. When you receive an offer for a lump-sum check after a car crash, you may want to cash it and move on with your life.

However, that check might not include the costs of your future medical care. Even worse, it might fall far short of covering the damage done to your vehicle because companies sometimes get creative with how they value damaged vehicles after a crash. You will likely need help evaluating a settlement offer and countering it. 

Documenting your losses and negotiating can be hard to do for yourself

Can you objectively review a medical report to make sure that it includes adequate information about the extent of your injuries and their impact on your daily life? Do you know how to hold up under intense pressure when negotiating?

It can be hard to handle a contentious insurance claim on your own. From finding the right professionals to validate the costs you ask the insurance company to cover to pushing back at unfairly low offers, handling a claim on your own can put a lot of pressure on you.

When you have a professional handling the negotiations and the presentation of evidence, you don’t have to worry about learning all these new skills. Instead, you can focus on healing and getting your life back to normal after the car crash.