You may find dealing with an insurance company after an accident to be more frustrating than you had expected. Different insurance companies have different philosophies and approaches to handling personal injury cases, and you may not understand what you are dealing with. A First Coast personal injury attorney can help you understand how insurance companies work.

When dealing with high-profile, large, national insurance carriers, keep in mind that they tend to have very conservative philosophies. The adjuster is likely to share that philosophy and be loyal to the company. If you have a lower- or mid-tier adjuster, they have very limited authority and report to a claims manager or supervisor, so you will really be dealing with the conservative mindset of his boss. Adjusters for such conservative carriers do not cut corners and have no problem spending time poring over your claim, researching prior medical treatment, reviewing your tax returns, and scrutinizing your wage history. Additionally, such adjusters are typically not sympathetic to documentation about pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. They prefer to deal with hard figures and objective data about what you have lost.

Adjusters from small, local carriers might be conservative in negotiations for a different reason: they are such small companies that they have a much smaller premium pool to use in settlements. A $30,000 or $40,000 case may be large to them.

If you have further questions about how to deal with your insurance company following an accident, contact experienced First Coast personal injury attorney John Fagan for a free initial consultation.