Insurance Companies Pay More Property Damage Claims than Injury Claims

Approximately 85-90% of all auto claims paid out are for property damage and not personal injury.  Thankfully, this means that in most auto accidents the only thing hurt is a vehicle and not a person.  But it also means that insurance carriers do everything they can to minimize the dollar amount they pay on out property damage claims.  By either authorizing only replacement parts that are not from the car or truck manufacturer; sending claimants to their approved body shops, or just plain “nickel and diming” the case, they save millions of dollars each year over hundreds of thousands of car crash claims.

Herndon injury lawyer Doug Landau recommends that automobile owners be aware of this natural bias that exists in an insurance company’s underwriting process.  If you are involved in an auto accident in which there is property damage, make sure your insurance company is giving you a fair payout to cover the cost of repairs or vehicle replacement.  Get a “second opinion,” in writing, as to the full extent of the damage to your property after a collision.  Your local body shop, service station and the dealership that sold you the car or truck may all be able to assist, especially if they are going to get to do the repair work !

Doug knows all too well, however, that some auto accidents do result in personal injury.  If you or someone you know has been injured as the result of a car, truck, bicycle or motorcycle crash and there are questions about your insurance coverage, e-mail or call us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. (703-796-9555).

 

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