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In Houston, you would be hard-pressed to find a drive that really trusts their insurance provider. Denying claims after a car crash, offering less than they should, and other behaviors are commonplace. Still, injured Houstonians find themselves settling for less due to underhanded tactics by their insurance adjuster.
Insurance adjusters work for the insurer, not the victim, and their goal is to settle claims quickly and for as little money as possible. Understanding how adjuster settlements work, and the tactics adjusters often use, can protect your case and help you avoid major long-term mistakes.
How Insurance Adjuster Settlements Work
After your claim is reported, the insurance company assigns an adjuster to investigate the accident, review evidence, and evaluate your injuries. The adjuster will then offer a settlement based on what the insurer believes it can pay while still limiting its financial exposure. These early offers are rarely enough to cover the full cost of medical bills, future care, lost income, or the long-term consequences of an injury. This is why adjusters often try to settle quickly – before you can get a full understanding of your costs.
Adjuster settlements rely heavily on the information the adjuster collects. This includes statements you give, recorded interviews, your medical history, and the documents you provide. Many claimants do not realize that even innocent comments can be used to reduce the value of a claim.
What Not to Say to an Adjuster
Some of the following phrases are poison to a personal injury case:
- “I don’t have any pain right now.”
- “I haven’t talked to a doctor.”
- “The accident might’ve been my fault.”
Your claim has a better chance of reaching fair settlement if you try this instead:
- “It’s too soon for me to say how much pain I feel.”
- “I am waiting to hear from my doctor,” or, “I have an appointment scheduled.”
- “Please defer to my statement in the police report.”
But the best phrase to use on adjusters:
“Please refer any and all questions to my attorney, Hilda Sibrian.”
Tactics Insurance Companies Use To Push Low Settlements
Insurance companies often employ strategies designed to minimize payouts, delay claims, or pressure victims into accepting quick offers. Some of the most common tactics include:
1. Offering Fast But Extremely Low Settlements
Shortly after a crash or injury, some insurers contact victims with a settlement before the full extent of the harm is known. This tactic targets people who are stressed, unsure about their rights, or in immediate need of money. Accepting one of these early offers can leave victims responsible for medical expenses or complications that appear later.
How to Prevent: Do not accept any early offers, this includes verbal offers. Sometimes, adjusters will say something along the lines of “Would $2,000 cover your bill?” or “How much do you think your bills are?” When adjusters throw out a number, they aren’t just spitballing – they’re trying to get you to agree to a preliminary offer. In Texas, this can even be enough to hold up in court, or at least enough to fight you later on.
2. Requesting a Recorded Statement
Adjusters may tell claimants a recorded statement is required. In most cases, it is not. Recorded statements often become tools used to twist wording, highlight inconsistencies, or create doubt. Even answering routine questions before receiving proper guidance can weaken your claim.
How to Prevent: Reject your adjuster’s request to record your statements. They may tell you that you must allow the company to record your statements, but in most scenarios, you can decline to be recorded. While Texas is a one-party consent state (meaning you can record anyone else in Texas without their permission), many other states are not. Instead, tell them that you can talk about the car/property damage, but you will not make any statements about your medical condition, other than that you were injured. Do not offer any additional qualifiers or answer follow-up questions like “how injured are you?”
Sometimes, adjusters can be extremely sneaky – avoid small talk. Any adjuster asking about your week or weekend does not care that you went out – in fact, they will likely try to use that statement against you to show the courts that you weren’t as injured as claimed.
3. Pressuring Victims To “Close the Claim”
Some adjusters repeatedly call or send messages encouraging quick closure. They may imply that waiting will hurt your case, even when the opposite is true. Claims should only be resolved once medical treatment is complete and the long-term impact of injuries is understood. You might recognize some of these phrases:
- “You don’t want to have to start over with another adjuster.”
- “We don’t want to drag out the burden of this case.”
- “I’m going to have to switch adjusters.”
How to Prevent: Patience is key. Waiting for a case to close is extremely stressful. However, talking to a personal injury attorney (like Hilda Sibrian) can provide a significant amount of help. Once you have signed with an attorney, record every time that an insurance company contacts you and direct them to your attorney.
4. Delaying the Process
Delays are a common tactic. By stretching out the process, insurers make claimants feel desperate or impatient. This pressure can push a person into accepting less than they deserve. Delays may include slow responses, repeated document requests, or unnecessary internal reviews.
How to Prevent: Unfortunately there is no way for you to stop insurance companies from delaying the process on your own, and delays are common once they realize they can’t pressure you with repeated calls. However, a personal injury attorney can file motions against companies deliberately slowing the process, and can often expedite internal reviews.
5. Disputing Medical Treatment or Blaming the Victim
If all else fails, adjusters will find ways to invalidate or downplay your injuries. Insurance companies may argue that your injuries were pre-existing, unrelated, or exaggerated. They may also suggest that you contributed to the accident. These strategies reduce the claim’s value and place unfair responsibility on the injured person. Some adjusters suggest that a settlement offer reflects the maximum amount available. Others may imply that hiring a lawyer will reduce your payout or delay the claim. These statements are often misleading. Understanding the policy and your rights is essential before accepting an offer.
How to Prevent: The best way to protect your medical claim is by following our advice throughout this article:
- Do not agree to be recorded.
- Do not discuss your medical condition with the insurance company.
- Do not agree or offer, in any way, shape or form, that you caused the accident.
- Hire an attorney to represent you to the insurance company.
Why Settling Too Early Can Be Dangerous
Many injuries, including concussions, spinal trauma, soft tissue injuries, and internal damage, do not fully reveal themselves right away. Even when symptoms appear early, ongoing medical care or future complications can significantly increase costs. Once a settlement is signed, it is final. You cannot seek additional compensation later, even if your condition worsens.
A fair settlement should account for:
- All medical bills
- Future medical treatment
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Long-term disability
- Pain, mental anguish, and reduced quality of life
Early adjuster offers rarely include these critical categories.
How an Attorney Protects You From Adjuster Tactics
A personal injury attorney intervenes early and manages all communication with the insurance company. This prevents adjusters from using your statements, gaps in treatment, or financial stress against you. An attorney can also gather evidence, verify policy limits, negotiate directly with the insurer, and ensure your claim reflects the full extent of your injuries.
Insurance companies take represented claimants more seriously because they know they cannot use the same pressure or shortcut tactics.
When To Contact The Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian
If you receive a call from an insurance adjuster, or if you have been offered a settlement, it is important to understand your rights before you sign or agree to anything. Victims in Houston deserve guidance, protection, and an accurate valuation of their injuries.
For a free consultation, contact The Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian at 713-714-1414 or complete our online form. Our legal team can review your situation, explain your options, and help you pursue the full compensation you are owed. What’s better is that we work on a contingency basis – that means we only take a small, agreed-upon fraction of the final settlement; and we don’t get paid unless you do.
