The Secret Weapon Used by Insurance Companies to Unfairly Resolve Minor Accident Claims – The Three D’s: Delay, Deny, Defend

Inverness, Florida – A report from CNN uncovered a practice used by insurance companies to deny and limit the compensation you may deserve after suffering injuries in an auto accident. The report highlights a common practice by insurance providers that prioritizes their interests over those of injured victims.

CNN Uncovers the Practice Used by Insurance to Minimize Payouts

CNN conducted an 18-month investigation. They obtained documents from Allstate and State Farm. The records revealed a strategy developed in the mid-1990s. The goal was to delay injury settlements and deny minor accident claims.

Car accidents with minor visible damage can still cause serious injuries. Drivers and passengers may suffer painful and expensive soft tissue injuries. These injuries are hard to prove in court. They often don’t appear on X-rays. Insurance companies use this to their advantage. Juries are often persuaded to believe that minor damage means no real injuries.

Inside the Three D’s Strategy: A Deliberate Plan to Wear Victims Down

So, just what is the strategy used by insurance companies like Allstate and State Farm? It’s known as the Three D’s: Delay, Deny, Defend. They delay the claim as long as possible, while injury victims are left to face expensive medical bills and lost wages on their own. They deny the claims and then defend their decision in court.

The entire process can drag on for several years—or even longer. By the time a claim reaches trial, injury victims may no longer show visible signs of suffering, despite having accumulated thousands in medical expenses. Out of fear of receiving nothing at all, many accept lowball settlement offers from the insurance company instead of fighting for the compensation they truly deserve.

Such practices are how insurance companies continue to rake in billions in profits. Aggressive tactics discourage most people from pursuing fair compensation. According to industry insiders, 80 to 90 percent of accident victims accept minimal settlements—sometimes as low as $50.

Are These Strategies Really About Preventing Fraud?

This take-it-or-leave-it method has made filing claims so burdensome that many simply give up. That’s exactly what insurers like State Farm and Allstate count on. While they claim these strategies are necessary to prevent fraud and reduce premiums, the reality tells a different story.

The Insurance Information Institute reports that the implementation of these tactics has led to a premium increase of at least 30 percent.

The accident victims that choose to pursue their claim in court face a tough battle. A common practice among insurance companies is to rely heavily on photographs that show only minor damage to the vehicles involved. This tactic aims to portray injury victims as fraudulent and persuade juries that a collision with minimal visible damage cannot result in serious injuries.

Unfortunately, juries often buy into these schemes and limit the amount of damages awarded to the victim.

This does not mean that injury victims are never successful when taking on insurance companies. After sustaining injuries in a car accident in Inverness, Crystal River, Beverly Hills, Lecanto, Homosassa, Dunnellon, Hernando, Sugarmill Woods, Citrus Springs, or Floral City, the best thing you can do is speak with the Citrus County Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton. A common practice used by insurance companies is to settle accident claims for far less than what victims truly need or deserve. That’s why you should never sign any documents or make statements to an insurance adjuster without speaking to us first. We, as trial attorneys, will advocate for you to secure the full and fair compensation you deserve.

If you sustained serious injuries in an auto accident in Citrus County, reach out to the Citrus County Injury Attorneys at Whittel & Melton online or call 352-726-0078.