Insurance companies will do some shady things to get out of paying a claim.  Take the case of an Albuquerque man whose insurance company actually altered records so it appeared the man’s insurance policy lapsed just 90 minutes before he was killed in an auto accident.  Luckily, the company was caught and the man’s family was awarded $12 million for the misdeed.

Not all tactics are this outlandish, but here are a few ways insurance companies might try to get out of paying a claim:

Delay of settlement.  Insurance companies will try to delay claims as long as they possibly can in hopes that if they take too long, the claim will be dropped altogether or that, in desperation, the claimant will settle for less.

Change the policy.  Always keep the most current policy on file, because a company could change the terms after a claim is filed, in order to deny it.

Cancel the policy.  The company may cancel the policy after a person makes a claim.

Lowball a settlement.  Never accept a settlement offer before talking to an attorney.

Don’t fall for insurance company stall-and-scare tactics.  Before talking to an insurance company after you’ve been injured in an accident, or if you have been a victim of bad-faith insurance tactics, call Scott Mullins, an experienced personal injury lawyer to discuss your case and your legal rights.