After a Car Accident, Insurance Companies Aren’t on Your Team

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By Michael J. Epstein

If you’ve ever been in a car accident, you know the first wave of relief: I survived. I’m okay. Then comes the second wave: How bad is the damage? But the third wave often blindsides people: Why is my insurance company treating me like the enemy?

That’s because the relationship between crash victims and insurers isn’t what most people think it is. For decades, we’ve been told insurance companies exist to protect us. Commercials show friendly adjusters, reassuring mascots, even celebrities promising you’re “in good hands.” The reality? Those hands are trained to hold onto money, not give it away.

The Playbook

When someone files a claim after a crash, insurance companies don’t think in terms of people. They think in terms of risk, exposure, and bottom lines. The playbook is simple: delay, deny, and defend.

• Delay. Draw out the process, hoping victims will give up or settle for less.
  
• Deny. Argue coverage doesn’t apply, or minimize injuries.
  
• Defend. If all else fails, fight tooth and nail in court—even when liability is obvious.
  

I’ve seen clients wait months for approvals on medical care they desperately needed. I’ve seen families forced into financial crisis because insurers refused to pay fair value on lost wages. These aren’t rare exceptions. They’re the rule.

The Human Cost

The worst part isn’t the paperwork. It’s the people left behind. Accident victims often enter the system with optimism: “I’ve paid my premiums. I’m covered.” Then they discover the system is designed to grind them down.

I represented a client who was struck by a distracted driver. Her medical bills were staggering, her recovery uncertain. Yet her insurer treated her like a fraudster, demanding endless documentation, disputing obvious injuries, and making it difficult to get the care she needed. All she wanted was the medical care she needed to treat her injuriesl. She was looking for dignity and fairness.

This is what people don’t see in glossy ads: the grinding machinery of corporate profit operating at the expense of the people it claims to serve.

Why It Happens

The explanation is simple: insurers make money by collecting premiums, not by paying claims. Every dollar paid out is a dollar less in profit. Adjusters are trained to limit losses. Defense lawyers are hired to fight claims as long as possible. It’s a system designed to protect shareholders, not policyholders.

That doesn’t mean every adjuster is heartless, or every denial is groundless. But the system itself tilts against victims from the start.

Fighting Back

This is where the law matters. Trial lawyers exist to level the playing field, to hold insurers accountable, and to ensure victims don’t get steamrolled by corporate tactics. When insurers know a victim has strong representation, the tone changes. Suddenly, delay and deny don’t work as well when a jury might be the one deciding what’s fair.

The courtroom, even if not perfect, is often the only place where individuals can stand toe-to-toe with multi-billion-dollar insurance giants.

A Call for Honesty

What frustrates me most isn’t just the tactics—it’s the false sense of security the industry sells. The ads, the slogans, the mascots—they all suggest insurers are your partner in recovery. They aren’t. They’re businesses. They will fight to protect profits.

I believe the public deserves more honesty. If you pay into a system your whole life, you should know what to expect when tragedy strikes. And what you should expect is this: your insurer isn’t on your side. Your lawyer is.

 

About Michael J. Epstein

Michael J. Epstein, a Harvard Law School graduate, is a trial lawyer and managing partner of The Epstein Law Firm, P.A., a law firm based in New Jersey.