What to do if a Driver with Progressive Insurance Hits You

Before I get into the meat of this story, let me answer the headline with some quick bullet points because, if you read nothing else, read this list:

• Do not talk to Progressive insurance adjusters without first talking to a personal injury attorney.
• Know that Progressive is digging for evidence to limit how much they pay you.
• Progressive is a for-profit company and their main goal is to limit how much they pay victims of car crashes.
• If you have been injured by someone who has Progressive insurance, you likely need a personal injury attorney. Progressive will play hard ball and we at the O’Sullivan Law Firm have experience beating them at their own game.

Now that I’ve covered the most pressing information, let’s dive in! In this article, I am going to discuss several of the ways that Progressive insurance company tries to limit how much it pays victims of car crashes, and why you should hire a Denver personal injury law firm, including the following:

1. What Tactics Does Progressive Use to Lowball their Settlement Offers?
2. Progressive Has One Goal: To Turn a Profit
3. Should I Give Progressive a Recorded Statement After My Car Crash?
4. Does Progressive Lowball Settlement Offers to Car Crash Victims?
5. Why You Should Never Trust a Progressive Insurance Adjuster
6. How a Lawyer Will Win a Larger Settlement from Progressive Insurance After a Car Crash

Why Does Progressive Lowball its Settlement Offers to Car Crash Victims?

Progressive insurance company is in the business of making money, and they often use sneaky tactics during settlement negotiations to minimize the amount they pay out to claimants.

These strategies can take many forms, and it is essential to be aware of them so that you can protect your rights and get the compensation you deserve from Progressive. Here are the tactics that Scott O’Sullivan, founder of The O’Sullivan Law Firm, has helped car crash victims successfully fight:

• Low-ball: One common tactic used by Progressive is the “low-ball offer.” This occurs when Progressive insurance company makes an initial settlement offer that is far lower than the amount of damages you have suffered. They may try to convince you that this is the best deal you can get, hoping that you will accept it and avoid a lengthy legal battle.
• Delay: Another sneaky strategy used by Progressive is to delay the settlement process as much as possible. The longer it takes to reach a settlement, the more likely you are to get frustrated and give in to their demands. Insurance companies may request unnecessary documentation, repeatedly ask for more information, or simply ignore your calls and emails.
• Cast doubt: Progressive insurance company may also try to argue that your injuries were pre-existing or that they are not severe enough to warrant the compensation you are seeking. They may hire their own doctors to evaluate your injuries and provide a report that minimizes your damages. This is especially true for soft tissue injuries, which are often hard to prove.
• Your Statement: Finally, Progressive may try to use your own words against you. They may record your statements during the negotiation process and use them later to undermine your claim. They may also try to get you to sign a release that waives your right to seek additional compensation later, even if you discover new damages after the settlement is finalized.

It is important to remember no insurance company is on your side, and their primary goal is to minimize the amount of money they have to pay out. To protect your rights, it is essential to work with an experienced attorney who understands these tactics and can negotiate on your behalf.

The O’Sullivan Law Firm can help you gather evidence, negotiate with Progressive, and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Progressive Insurance Has One Goal: To Turn a Profit

Progressive insurance company makes a profit by collecting more money from their customers in premiums than they pay out in claims and expenses. This difference between the amount collected in premiums and the amount paid out is known as the underwriting profit.

Progressive also invests the premiums it collects in order to generate additional revenue. They typically invest in a variety of assets, such as stocks, bonds, and real estate. If their investments perform well, they can earn additional income, which adds to their profits.

However, like all insurance companies, Progressive also face risks that can impact their profitability, such as large or unexpected claims, changes in regulations or market conditions, and natural disasters.

To manage these risks, insurance companies often purchase reinsurance, which is insurance for insurers.

Another way they protect their profits is to offer as little as possible in their personal injury settlements. Even when a driver insured by Progressive is clearly at fault, Progressive does everything in its power to make the victim’s claim look less valuable. The O’Sullivan Law Firm has successfully negotiated significant settlements for victims who have been in crashes with Progressive drivers. We know their favorite tricks and how to win.

Should I Give Progressive a Recorded Statement After My Car Crash?

Progressive insurance company often asks accident victims to make a recorded statement after their crash to gather information about the incident that they can use to assess the validity of the claim and potentially reduce the amount they will have to pay the victim in damages.

By recording the statement, Progressive can create a detailed account of what happened and use it to compare with other evidence, such as police reports or witness statements. They may also use the recorded statement to check if the victim’s story is consistent and accurate over time.

In addition, Progressive may use recorded statements to potentially find inconsistencies or discrepancies in the victim’s story, which could potentially be used to deny the claim or reduce the amount of compensation offered. This is why it is important for accident victims to be cautious when making a recorded statement for Progressive.

The truth is, only an experienced Denver personal injury attorney will recognize all the ways that Progressive is attempting to undermine your case.

It is advisable for accident victims to consult with an attorney before making a recorded statement for Progressive or agreeing to any settlement that Progressive offers. Scott O’Sullivan at The O’Sullivan Law Firm can help protect your rights and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.

Does Progressive Lowball their Settlement Offers to Car Crash Victims?

Insurance companies are businesses that seek to maximize profits for their shareholders, and one way they do this is by minimizing the amount they pay out in claims. To achieve this goal, they often use tactics such as low-balling settlement offers.

There are several reasons why Progressive may low-ball their settlement offers:

• Reduce Costs: By offering a low settlement, Progressive can save money by paying out less than what the claim is worth.
• Negotiation Tactic: Low-balling is often used as a negotiation tactic to start the conversation and see how much the claimant is willing to accept. It is also a way to test how much the claimant knows about the value of their claim.
• Pressure to Meet Targets: Progressive may be under pressure to meet certain targets or quotas, which can lead to them offering lower settlement amounts.
• Ambiguity in Policy: Progressive insurance company policies can be complicated, and sometimes there may be ambiguity in the language used in the policy. Progressive may take advantage of this ambiguity to offer lower settlements.
• Delay Tactics: By low-balling a settlement offer, Progressive may be trying to delay the claims process and wear down the claimant, hoping that they will eventually accept the low offer out of frustration or financial need.

Why You Should Never Trust a Progressive Insurance Adjuster

While many insurance adjusters may act ethically and work to help their clients, it is also possible for some adjusters to act in ways that are not in the best interests of the policyholder. For example, a Progressive insurance adjuster may try to downplay the extent of your damages or injuries in order to reduce the amount the insurance company has to pay out.

Only an experienced personal injury attorney will recognize all the nuanced ways that Progressive insurance company is trying to wiggle out of what they owe you. Call the O’Sullivan Law Firm if you think Progressive is playing games with your case.

It is important to remember that insurance companies are businesses, and they are primarily concerned with maximizing profits. Therefore, it is always a good idea to review your insurance policy carefully and be aware of your rights and options when dealing with a Progressive insurance adjuster.

If you have any doubts about the adjuster’s actions, it may be helpful to consult with an attorney or a trusted expert in the field.

How a Lawyer Will Win a Larger Settlement from Progressive Insurance After a Car Crash

Because of Progressive’s tricky tactics, car crash victims may not understand all the reasons that their case is worth far more money than they are being offered. There are usually various types of compensation available to Denver car accident victims.

This can include economic, non-economic, and punitive damages. The O’Sullivan Law Firm knows how to find every source of compensation that our clients are owed.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are rewarded to car accident victims to help with the following objective losses:

• Past and future medical bills
• Past and future lost wages
• Rehabilitation
• Property damage
• Loss of employment or business opportunity
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Non-economic Damages

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are rewarded to car crash victims to help with the following subjective losses:

• Pain and suffering
• Inconvenience
• Emotional Distress
• Loss of companionship
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages punish the negligent individual responsible for the accident. Punitive damages are only rewarded to victims when injury accidents involve animosity or a direct disregard for the safety of others.

The total amount of compensation paid to car accident victims in Colorado will vary depending on the facts and circumstances related to each situation.

Some of the main contributing factors in these cases include the severity of the injury, how long it takes the injury victim to recover, the level of pain and suffering the victim experiences, and whether or not there was any shared fault for the car accident.

Scott O’Sullivan with The O’Sullivan Law Firm has seen every trick in the book and knows how to protect victims of car crashes from Progressive’s underhanded tactics. Contact the O’Sullivan Law Firm for a free consultation if you are hit by a driver with Progressive insurance.