Top Reasons for Insurance to Deny Your Car Accident Claim

In nearly every case when a car accident claim is denied, the most frequent reason to receive a claim denial letter in the mail is that the auto insurance company has determined that you caused the accident and are legally at fault for the collision. However, in many recent auto wreck cases, you have local free legal options to immediately help with a claim denial appeal at your disposal. 

It would be nice to think that when you place your insurance claim, your insurance company would work as quickly as possible to process your claim and pay it out, but that is not how things work in the real world. Some companies are amazing, and do everything possible to help you, while others make it very difficult, asking you to jump through hoops to get the claim paid. After all, these companies are in business to make money, so if there is a valid reason to turn down the claim, that is exactly what they will do.

Vehicle accident insurance claims can be denied for many reasons and individual case factors. While certain denials of a car crash claim may be legitimate, there are more insurance claim compensation denials that are wrongly denied. To help you make sure this does not happen to you if you are involved in a car accident, we have put together some of the top reasons why insurance companies may decline your car accident claim as well as advice on how avoid this happening to you.

Common Reasons for Car Accident Claim Denials

Here is the list of the some of the more common reasons insurance companies will deny your claim:

• Claim not filed on time
• Doctor was not seen in a reasonable amount of time
• Proof of fault not submitted
• Proof of losses not submitted
• At fault or partially at fault
• Vehicle condition played a part in accident
• False or misleading statements made
• Insurance lapse
• Not responding to requests for information in a timely manner
• Did not protect your legal rights

Claim Not Filed on Time

In addition to the state statute of limitations, you will also need to meet the requirements of your insurance company, which could be significantly different in terms of submitting the proper information for the claim. This will vary based on the company you are using, so we would highly recommend you made a checklist of all your insurance company deadlines to ensure you know exactly how much time after an event takes place to file your claim.

Doctor Not Seen in Reasonable Time

Obviously, if you are submitting a car accident claim, you will need to prove the injuries sustained were a result of said accident. If too much time passes between the accident and the doctor’s visit, you are bringing doubt into the equation as to exactly what caused the accident. Even if you do not think you are injured, it is always wise to make an appointment and visit with the doctor. He or she can also go over the accident and give you symptoms to keep an eye out for an injury that may surface in a few days, weeks, or even months after the initial accident.

Proof of Fault

Without supplementary coverage, you are going to need to prove another party was responsible for the injuries sustained. Secure police reports, accident scene photos, witness reports, etc., to prove that you were not the party at fault in the accident.

Proof of Losses

Again, you will need proof that losses were suffered, both physical and property. Doctors’ reports, accident scene photos, repair bills, etc., can all help in making this claim. There may be added costs, such as pain and suffering, that will also need to be accounted for in the claim. For significant losses, you will absolutely want to secure the services of a personal injury attorney to help you win your case.

At Fault or Partially at Fault

Depending on your coverage, if you were completely at fault or partially at fault, the insurance company can deny the claim. If you were only partially at fault and your insurance denies the claim, you may still be able to recover some costs by filing a lawsuit against the second party.

Vehicle Condition

If you were not properly maintaining your vehicle, the insurance company may be able to deny the claim based on this. For example, you lost control of the vehicle on a wet surface, but when the car was inspected, it was found that your tires were old and worn, with almost no traction. If the condition of your vehicle is found to be responsible for the accident, the insurance company can be justified in denying the claim.

False Statements Made

This not only negates the claim, but it is also considered insurance fraud, and can result in significant legal problems. Having said that, if you made an honest mistake, you may be able to adjust the claim and still have it paid.

Lapsed Insurance Premiums

This one is pretty self-explanatory… if you failed to pay your premium on time, your coverage no longer exists, therefore, the company will automatically deny the claim. There are exceptions to this, however, which is an issue that can be discussed with an attorney to rectify and still receive payment.

Ignoring Requests for Information

Ignoring letters and phone calls amid a claim does give the company reason to deny the claim. This is another situation where a personal injury attorney can relieve the stress of ensuring timely communication. Once you hire an attorney, he or she will manage the communications with the insurance company. Having said that, you still need to make sure you are communicating with your attorney on a regular basis so that he or she can relay that information to the insurance company for you.

Protecting Your Legal Rights

Most people are not legal experts, so it is very easy to see how legal rights are not protected, resulting in a denied claim. For this reason, if you were involved in an accident, be it your fault or not, you are well advised to consult with a personal injury attorney to ensure all of your rights are protected.

If you would like to discuss your auto accident claim with a member of our team, give us a call at 855-633-0888 or for fill out the free accident injury review form. You are under no obligation to use our services and your initial consultation is free of charge.