Insurance · March 15, 2026 · Khehra Law Corporation
Insurance companies are not on your side — even your own insurer. Their business model depends on collecting premiums and paying out as little as possible. After a personal injury accident in California, adjusters use deliberate, well-rehearsed tactics to reduce or deny your claim. Knowing these tactics empowers you to protect yourself.
Shortly after your accident, an adjuster may call and ask for a "recorded statement." They'll frame it as routine — just a formality. In reality, this recorded conversation is designed to lock you into statements they can later use against you. The adjuster may ask leading questions: "So you're feeling better today?" or "You didn't see the other car until the last second?" Your answers — influenced by stress, pain medication, or incomplete memory — become ammunition to argue that your injuries aren't serious or that you share fault.
How to counter it: Politely decline. Say "I'd prefer to have my attorney handle all communications." You have no legal obligation to provide a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer.
Insurance companies know that accident victims face mounting medical bills, lost wages, and financial pressure. They exploit this by offering a quick settlement — sometimes within days — that sounds generous until you realize it's a fraction of what your case is worth. The offer typically covers some immediate medical bills but ignores future treatment costs, long-term pain and suffering, lost earning capacity, and the full scope of the injury's impact on your life. Once you sign the release, you waive your right to seek additional compensation — even if your condition worsens significantly.
How to counter it: Never accept a settlement until you've reached maximum medical improvement (MMI) — the point where your doctor confirms your condition has stabilized. Have an attorney evaluate any offer before you respond.
Even when liability is clear, insurers routinely challenge the nature and extent of your injuries. Common methods include hiring their own medical experts to review your records and contradict your treating physician's opinions, seizing on any gaps in your medical treatment to argue you weren't really hurt, and using surveillance investigators or social media monitoring to find photos or posts suggesting you're more active than your medical records indicate.
How to counter it: Follow your doctor's treatment plan consistently. Attend every appointment. Do not post anything about your activities, travel, or physical condition on social media during your case.
Time is the insurance company's best friend. The longer your claim drags on, the more financially desperate you become — and the more likely you are to accept a lowball offer just to end the process. Common delay tactics include repeatedly requesting the same documents, claiming paperwork was lost or never received, transferring your case between different adjusters, and going silent for weeks at a time without any updates.
How to counter it: Document every communication with dates and times. Send everything in writing and keep copies. An attorney can send formal demand letters with deadlines and, if necessary, file a lawsuit to force the insurer to act. In California, unreasonable delays may also constitute insurance bad faith — opening the door to additional damages beyond your original claim.
California's pure comparative fault system means your compensation is reduced by your percentage of responsibility. Insurance companies aggressively exploit this by arguing that you caused or contributed to the accident — even when the evidence clearly points to their insured. They may claim you were speeding, distracted, failed to signal, or violated a traffic law. In slip and fall cases, they'll argue you weren't watching where you were going or were wearing inappropriate footwear.
How to counter it: This is where having an experienced attorney is critical. We conduct independent investigations, gather evidence establishing the true facts, retain accident reconstruction experts when needed, and present a compelling case that accurately reflects what happened — not the narrative the insurer wants to create.
Insurance companies have teams of adjusters, attorneys, and algorithms working to minimize your claim. The single most effective thing you can do is hire an experienced personal injury attorney who knows these tactics and how to beat them. At Khehra Law Corporation, we've recovered over $100 million for California accident victims. Call (661) 383-9387 for a free consultation.