Ways to Speed Up Your Auto Accident Claim

What Causes Auto Accident Claim Delays?

Multiple variables can delay your car accident claim. While some are inevitable, others might be tactics insurance companies use to cut their losses when it comes to compensation.

1. Missing or Incomplete Documentation

A major cause of delays is a lack of necessary documents. Insurance adjusters cannot proceed without a full picture of the accident and its aftermath. If critical items like the police report, medical treatment records, repair invoices, or wage loss verification are missing, the adjuster may pause the process until they are provided.

In many cases, documents go unsubmitted because the injured party doesn’t know what’s required. A qualified personal injury attorney can step in here to ensure that nothing is overlooked and that all supporting materials are submitted promptly.

2. Liability Is Unclear or Disputed

If it’s not obvious who’s at fault, insurance companies might take time to approve or deny the claim — they’ll do an internal investigation. That could include reviewing police reports, interviewing witnesses, and examining accident reconstruction evidence, among others. Liability disputes can easily lead to a lot of back and forth between the two parties’ insurers, and that alone takes time.

3. High Volume of Claims

After natural disasters or in areas with frequent accidents, insurance companies can be inundated with claims. Even a straightforward auto accident claim might end up at the bottom of the pile simply due to the backlog.

Although this doesn’t make unresponsiveness acceptable, it’s one of the reasons that your claim might take longer to process. One way to keep those good claims moving along is to stay on top of the insurer with regular follow-ups, or have your attorney do it on your behalf.

4. Delayed or Ongoing Medical Treatment

If you’re still receiving treatment for your injuries, the insurance company might delay calculating a final settlement until your treatment is complete. This helps them to calculate the total cost of care. But this also allows adjusters to claim that some treatments were unnecessary or unrelated, which can only complicate the process further. 

To protect yourself, ensure all your treatment is thoroughly documented, and follow the medical advice you receive. If there is a gap in treatment, the insurer may attempt to use that as justification to provide lower compensation.

5. Bad Faith Insurance Practices

Not all insurance delays are justified. As you may know, insurance companies often use bad faith tactics to get claimants to accept a low settlement or to give up altogether. Examples include:

• Repeatedly asking for the same information
• Not returning calls or emails
• Offering settlement amounts that are clearly below your damages
• Denying the claim without a clear explanation

If you suspect your insurer has acted in bad faith, it’s important to secure legal help promptly.