Getting hit in a crash is bad enough. Dealing with the insurance company afterward can feel like a second collision, one aimed straight at your wallet. Most people assume insurers are there to help.
But behind the warm commercials and customer-friendly slogans is a business built on minimizing payouts. If you don’t know the games they play, you could end up settling for far less than you deserve.
Here’s how insurance companies often try to take advantage of car accident victims and how you can protect yourself from getting steamrolled.
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They Act Friendly to Gain Your Trust
The first tactic? Charm. Adjusters are trained to sound compassionate, helpful, and relaxed. They want you to feel like they’re on your side because a comfortable victim is far easier to handle.
The problem is that every single thing you tell them becomes evidence they can twist in their favor. “How are you feeling today?” sounds innocent, but if you casually say “I’m okay,” they may use that as proof your injuries aren’t serious. Their friendliness is strategic, not sincere.
They Pressure You Into a Quick Settlement
One of the biggest traps is the “fast check” strategy. Before you fully understand your injuries or long-term financial losses, the adjuster may offer you money right away. It looks attractive, especially if you’re staring at medical bills or lost wages.
But early offers are almost always lowball deals designed to close your claim before the full cost becomes clear. Once you sign, you can’t go back, even if you later discover you need surgery, long-term treatment, or extensive rehab.
They Downplay Your Injuries
Insurers have a long list of ways to argue your injuries are not as serious as you claim. They may point to a gap in treatment (“Why didn’t you go to the ER immediately?”), question your pain levels, or claim your injuries were preexisting.
They might even hire their own medical professionals to challenge your doctor’s opinions. All of this is meant to create doubt and shrink the compensation they owe you.
They Try to Blame You: Even When Liability Is Clear
Never underestimate how far an insurer will go to shift blame. Even if you were rear-ended at a stoplight or hit by a drunk driver, the adjuster may look for ways to put part of the fault on you.
Why? Because if they can convince you that you’re even slightly responsible, they can cut what they have to pay under Virginia’s unforgiving contributory negligence rule. In our state, if they can show you were even 1% at fault, they may try to argue you’re not entitled to anything. That’s why one of their favorite tactics is twisting your statements to make it seem like you were careless.
They Use Recorded Statements Against You
If an adjuster asks for a recorded statement, understand this: it’s not to “clarify the facts.” It’s to capture something they can later spin against you. People tend to minimize pain, remember events imperfectly, or phrase things awkwardly under pressure.
Adjusters know this and use it to trap you into statements that weaken your claim. You’re never required to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer, and it rarely benefits you.
They Dig Into Your Past to Undermine Your Claim
Insurance companies may request access to your old medical records, hunting for anything they can call a “preexisting condition.” Hurt your back 10 years ago? They’ll argue that your new back injury is just a flare-up from the past.
Have a history of anxiety? They may claim your emotional distress isn’t related to the crash. This is why controlled access to records and professional guidance matter.
They Delay, Delay, Delay
Dragging things out is another classic move. If they stall long enough, they hope you’ll get desperate, frustrated, or financially drained and eventually accept whatever low amount they offer. Meanwhile, they know your bills are piling up. This isn’t incompetence; it’s strategy. Delays benefit them, not you.
They Claim You Don’t Need a Lawyer
If an adjuster insists you don’t need legal help, that’s your cue to pay attention. They’re not saying that for your benefit; they just know that people with an attorney typically recover far more. When you work with a car accident lawyer in Richmond, the insurer immediately realizes they can’t get away with their usual tricks. Suddenly, they become much more cooperative.
How to Protect Yourself
Insurance companies have playbooks. Fortunately, you can beat them at their own game by taking control early. Document everything: photos, injuries, property damage, medical visits, symptoms, and expenses.
Don’t give recorded statements. Don’t sign anything without understanding the long-term consequences. And most importantly, talk to an experienced Richmond, VA auto accident attorney who knows exactly how insurers operate.
When you have a professional in your corner, you level the playing field. They can calculate your full damages, manage communications, and fight back when the insurer tries to lowball you.
Don’t Let the Insurance Company Push You Around
After a crash, you deserve clarity and real support: not pressure, manipulation, or misleading “advice” from an insurer protecting their profits. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure what your claim is really worth, speaking with an accident lawyer in Richmond is one of the smartest moves you can make.
You don’t have to navigate this mess alone, and you don’t have to accept less than you deserve. Personal injury lawyers know how these companies operate — and how to hold them accountable. Let us fight for your full recovery while you focus on getting your life back on track.