Don’t Lie To Your Lawyer About Prior Claims
As you may or may not be aware, the insurance companies keep an eye on every claim you have made in the past with regard to homeowners, workmen’s compensation and auto insurance policies. There are two major property claim databases, The Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) and The Automated Property Loss Underwriting System (A-PLUS).
Many times clients will come to the offices of Philadelphia car accident lawyers Reiff & Bily and inform us that they have never been in an accident before. Of course, we would like to take their word for it; however, we always double check with the American Insurance Service Group by performing an ISO check. Many times we find that our clients have not been 100% honest with their lawyer. Obviously, this will affect the client’s credibility in settlement negotiations or in trial, particularly if a client has been treated for similar injuries in the past.
Additionally, it is the position of the Philadelphia personal injury lawyers at Reiff & Bily that one gets only so many bites at the apple and we hate to see clients who believe that they can make a living via litigation which is why we limit our cases to catastrophic injuries. So when the insurance companies vigilantly check a policyholder’s history and the policyholder lies, the insurer may decide to drop coverage all together according to the Insurance Information Institute. As all insurance companies have access to claim histories, this person may have a difficult time finding new coverage.
We recommend that an individual refrain from filing minor claims as in the long run it will affect the premiums you pay on your insurance.
