A recent online poll about experiences with auto injury insurance claims, conducted on behalf of the Insurance Research Council (“IRC”), a division of the American Institute For Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters, found that the most common reasons for talking to attorneys did not involve dissatisfaction with the claim process.
Only 15 percent of auto injury claimants who talked to an attorney said that they did so because of delays in getting the claim settled, and 10 percent said it was because they were unhappy with the settlement amount offered.
Instead, the survey found, it was more common for respondents to say that they talked with an attorney because it was suggested to them, either by someone they knew (33 percent) or by their doctor (16 percent).
Another common reason was that they wanted to get the highest settlement possible, cited by 22 percent of respondents.
The IRC said in a statement that the survey found additional evidence that claim settlement problems were not the primary motivation for attorney involvement: Nearly two-thirds of claimants who contacted an attorney in relation to an auto injury claim did so at the very beginning of the claim, within one week of the accident. In addition, even among respondents who reported satisfaction with the insurance company's handling of the claim, one in three claimants hired attorneys, the survey found.
“It is a myth that most attorney involvement in auto injury claims arises because a claimant has difficulties settling a claim. Many consumers start the process believing that they cannot navigate the claim without legal representation, a perception perpetuated by many ads for attorney services,” said Elizabeth Sprinkel, senior vice president of the IRC. “This widespread perception has important implications, given the fact that attorney involvement can add significant costs and delays both for the system and for claimants.”
Learn more: http://www.insurance-research.org.
Victoria Spears
Victoria Prussen Spears is senior vice president of Meyerowitz Communications Inc., a law firm marketing communications consulting company. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and Brooklyn Law School, Ms. Spears was an attorney at a leading New York City law firm before joining Meyerowitz Communications. She may be contacted at [email protected].