Can Insurance Companies Refuse to Settle Your Car Accident Claims?

The shortest and the simplest answer to the above question would be “Yes”. Indeed, on most occasions, car accident injury claims get resolved without any jury trial. However, to make that possible both the disputing parties should be ready to compromise to a certain extent. 

The bad news is that insurers often want to make more money by being unfair to victims submitting their insurance claims. If you face any such situation, you must get in touch with a personal injury lawyer boasting experience of representing victims of car accidents successfully. 

While a top lawyer would be able to assist you to get your claim settled without much fuss, you must know the common reasons why insurance companies refuse to settle claims. 

Refusal of First-Party Claims 

Your insurer can deny your claim if you fail to offer the company a detailed description of the car accident. Denial of claims may also occur if you wait for a long time before reporting the claim. Other common reasons for refusing first-party claims are as follows:

• Failing to present exact records of expenses resulting from the accident including medical costs
• Getting treatment for car accident injuries after waiting for a long time 
• Having a policy that doesn’t cover certain things claimed by you 

Refusal of Third-Party Claims 

The most common reasons behind denial of third-party claims are as follows:

Lack of Valid Evidence: The law of the country requires insurance companies to meticulously investigate all the claims made against drivers insured by them. This is no good news for car accident victims. If you want to win the compensation you deserve, you’ll have to produce valid evidence to prove that you have suffered from damages due to the insured driver’s negligent actions. 

If you fail to prove that the driver’s negligent action was directly responsible for your losses, the insurance company will not take any financial responsibility for covering your damages. Some of the documents you’ll need to present include:

• The police report of the accident 
• Evidence to prove property damage 
• Medical records that show your injuries
• Statements from eyewitnesses 

Insufficient Cover: Insurance companies may also refuse to settle your claim as the driver responsible for the accident doesn’t have enough coverage. If you are unlucky, you may also encounter drivers who don’t have any coverage at all. 

Administrative Issues: The country’s law requires insurance companies to give a time limit for filing car accident claims. If you fail to submit your claim within that stated time, you’ll not get the compensation. It’s as simple as that. Your claim will also be denied if you commit the mistake of providing wrong or inaccurate information. 

It’s difficult to get third-party claims settled without any legal assistance. That’s because insurance companies put in their best efforts to prove that outside factors were responsible for your damages. These may include bad road conditions, pre-existing injuries, and so on. 

Final Words 

Getting in touch with an experienced car accident attorney right after the accident is a must if you want to get duly compensated. However, do your research well before hiring a lawyer.