Secret Tips for Accident Claims Against GEICO REVEALED!
Bill Allen | December 4, 2020 | Car Accident Lawyer Near Gainesville Florida
Unless you have been living in a media vacuum for the past ten years, you are probably familiar with GEICO auto insurance. They boast one of the largest television advertising budgets of any domestic company. Their ad campaigns include the wise-talking gecko, the absurdist cavemen, and the warm voiceover reminder that using their insurance is “what you do.” Because of their media reach, it is very likely that you have seen at least one GEICO advertisement.
GEICO’s name is an acronym that stands for “Government Employees Insurance Company” and they are the second biggest auto insurance company in the U.S. They currently provide policies to over 15 million drivers. So, when you are involved in a car accident, it is very likely that you may have to deal with GEICO in some capacity.
Because they are such a large insurance provider, GEICO has massive resources at their disposal. That is why it is important to speak with an experienced legal professional as soon as possible, following a car accident.
Let’s take a look at a few secret tips that you should keep in mind when dealing with a claim against GEICO.
NEVER Provide a Recorded Statement
For most insurance companies, GEICO included, it is standard protocol to request an account of your version of the accident. While this might seem like an innocent request, you should never provide GEICO (or any other insurance provider) with a record. Speak with a trusted legal team before you speak with them.
Some insurance adjusters may imply that you are legally required to give such a statement. This is untrue. Outside the context of litigation, GEICO has no right to a recorded conversation with you regarding your accident.
You should also know that when you speak with a GEICO representative over the phone, they may record you without your explicit consent. In many states, it is legal to record a conversation as long as one party is aware of the recording.
Fortunately, it is not legal to do so in Florida. But you should still be highly cautious.
You might think that you are simply being helpful by answering questions. In reality, you could be giving GEICO the material they need to deny or decrease your compensation.
Be VERY Careful What You Say to GEICO
If one of the drivers involved in your collision holds a policy with GEICO, the company will likely contact you soon after the crash. While there is no harm in providing them with your most basic contact information, you should not tell GEICO anything else without speaking to an attorney who can handle personal injury or property damage claims.
You should never speak to an insurance provider about the following topics:
- What you were doing before the collision or what led to the accident
- Details about your medical care, treatments, or diagnosis
- The cost of your medical bills
- The amount of work that you have missed or lost wages
- How your daily life and activities have been affected by your injuries (this includes hobbies, recreation, pain levels, or emotional suffering)
As we mentioned above, insurance providers may attempt to record your phone conversations. Any innocent comment that you make could be used later in the claims process to deny you the compensation that you are rightfully due.
GEICO Undercuts Your Medical Costs
Most claimants believe that when they submit their medical expenses to an insurance provider, the company calculates the total in order to determine the amount that they will pay. But GEICO and many other large insurance companies will often ignore the actual amount of the medical costs that you incurred.
Instead of offering the money that you are due, they contract medical professionals to determine whether your medical care and treatments were “usual and customary.” The company then pays compensation based on what they call “usual and customary charges.”
This way of calculating claimants’ compensation is very effective for maximizing GEICO’s profits. But this also results in victims foregoing the care that they need because they are afraid that the costs will not be covered. This strategy is deeply unfair to those who have suffered damages in an auto accident.
Speaking with a trusted legal professional can ensure that you have the best chance of recovering the costs of the kinds of care that your doctor recommends.
They Expect You to Underestimate How Much Your Claim is Worth
Following a collision, most people significantly underestimate the amount that they should claim with the insurance provider. Many drivers simply submit a claim for the sum total of their medical bills and vehicle repair costs. This amount is typically much lower than the compensation that they should seek.
Calculating all of the relevant damages is a complicated task, which is why it is important to speak with a lawyer. An attorney with experience fighting tricky insurance providers like GEICO can help you to understand the full range of financial compensation that you are owed.
Some common losses that claimants often overlook include:
- Recurring and future medical expenses
- Missed wages and the potential of decreased earning capacity
- Miscellaneous costs (such as transportation accommodations, medical equipment rental, or house cleaning services)
- Non-economic damages (including pain and suffering, emotional trauma, or loss of enjoyment of life)
Insurance companies like GEICO expect you to underestimate the value of your claim. Because of this, they will often make you a very low initial settlement offer. Do not let them determine how much your accident and injuries are worth. Contact a personal injury attorney in order to secure the maximum possible settlement.
GEICO Has Strategies to Justify Unreasonably Low Offers
Large insurance providers have another incredibly sneaky way to justify their low offers on medical bill claims. Sometimes, GEICO will purchase your hospital lien for much less than it is actually worth. This allows them to base your compensation on the price they paid, rather than the amount that you were charged.
Consider the following example: If you faced a brain injury and your medical bills totaled $50,000, GEICO might purchase your lien for only $15,000. Then, their adjusters can use the purchase price to argue that your compensation should be $15,000. This leaves you with inadequate coverage and insufficient compensation.
Keep these secret tips in mind when dealing with large insurance companies like GEICO. And most importantly, speak with a trusted car accident lawyer immediately following an auto accident.
Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in North Central Florida
If you need legal assistance, contact the Gainesville car accident lawyers at Allen Law Firm at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.
We have two convenient locations in North Central Florida:
Allen Law Firm, P.A. – Gainesville office
2550 SW 76th St #150
Gainesville, FL 32608
(877) 255-3652
Allen Law Firm, P.A. – Ocala Office
112 S Pine Ave
Ocala, FL 34471
(352) 351-3258
