A little white lie never hurt anybody, or so they say. After all, you’ve faked sickness to avoid a meet-up with a friend before and gotten away with it. Or lied to your partner about the amount you spent on Black Friday Sales and evaded the consequences.
A lie can get you out of some situations, but definitely not with a reputable insurance company. The consequences of your lies could be great, sometimes leading to the denial of your claim, cancellation of your insurance policy, or even criminal charges in Bowling Green, KY.
Did you know that it’s considered insurance fraud to lie to your insurer? Flora Templeton Stuart Accident Injury Lawyers handle all insurance consultations and counsel our clients to always be honest.
What are the consequences of lying to an insurance company about an accident? Read on to find out.
In This Article:
- Common Lies At-Fault Drivers Say to Avoid Accountability
- What Will Happen if You Lie To Your Insurance Company
- Honesty and Conciseness: The Gateway to Avoid Lying to Your Insurance Company
- Collecting and Storing Evidence for Future Reference
Common Lies At-Fault Drivers Say to Avoid Accountability
Insurance companies are aware of the tricks often used by guilty road users and can most times smell lies from afar. Below are some common lies auto insurance companies report receiving from drivers after an accident.
- “My friends and relatives never drive my car.”
If a person not indicated in your insurance policy drives your car and gets into an accident, your rates will increase. Lying to your insurance company concerning who drove your vehicle during the accident could lead to denial of your claim.
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“My turn signal was on before I switched lanes.”
In Bowling Green, any kind of lie regarding your behavior at the time of the accident may not end well. This includes lying about your driving speed, making a wrong turn, or stopping at an intersection. If the witnesses claim otherwise, you may be found totally or slightly responsible for the accident, and your claims could even get blocked.
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“My friend lives with me.”
Failure to list all household members who drive your vehicle can result in denied insurance claims, especially in Bowling Green, Kentucky for PIP, uninsured, or underinsured.
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Lies of Omission
Silence is a strong weapon, and sometimes lies are the things we don’t say. Silent lies that could get you in trouble are:
- Not listing all the drivers within your household, e.g., college kids and teens
- Not informing the insurance company that you use your car for commercial purposes
- Not disclosing previous damages to your car
- Not admitting that you were under the influence while driving
In case you’re involved in a car crash, and the at-fault driver lies about the occurrences, try not to argue and report your version to the police. Note down every detail you remember from the scene, as this goes a long way in proving your claims. In Bowling Green, you can be held partially at fault and failing to reveal important facts can result in denial of part of your claim.
Thereafter, choose a competent attorney with a proven record of winning cases for personal injuries to represent you. He or she will more likely prove that the at-fault driver is lying. If you’re in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Flora Stuart is experienced enough to establish liability of your case.
What Will Happen if You Lie To Your Insurance Company
If you lie, you’ll be subjected to severe consequences, including:
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Cancellation of Your Insurance Policy
Canceling your policy will make it difficult to find a new policy somewhere else, and if you do, you may have to pay more. Policy cancellation for non-disclosure places you in a high-risk category, which automatically makes it harder and costlier to find car insurance.
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Denial of Your Claim
Lying to your auto insurance company about your everyday driving habits could lead to your claim being denied if you get into an accident. Such lies include wrong mileage, wrong information on the number of people driving your car, or even lying about other injuries that resulted from the accident.
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Losing Your Rights to Damages
Most auto insurance companies will inspect the car to know the damage extent once you make a claim. The company’s surveyor will examine your vehicle before your claim is accepted. In case of any irregularities, your insurer can reject your claim, and you end up losing all your rights to the damages.
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You May Be Denied a Car Insurance Policy In The Future
If your car insurance company discovers that you provided wrong information while buying your policy, they may cancel it on the accounts of fraud and manipulation. They could also blacklist you to avoid using their services in the future. Kentucky law mandates them to avoid doing any business or interacting with you in this case.
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You May Face Fines and Penalties
In case your insurer finds out that you lied to them, they may impose a hefty fine or penalty on you. To continue using their insurance services or to prevent them from filing a legal complaint, you will have to pay this fine.
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You May Be Subjected To Criminal Charges
In Bowling Green, the company could sue you as lying is a form of insurance fraud, which could cost you a permanent criminal record, a jail term, or hefty fines.
Honesty and Conciseness: The Gateway to Avoid Lying to Your Insurance Company
Once an accident occurs, whether innocent or at fault, always be honest and concise with your narrative. If your sentences do not align with the other driver or eyewitnesses, the insurer will seek an investigation. But in case your story doesn’t change, no matter the number of times you narrate it, the truth will finally prevail.
Here are simple tips and tricks to be consistent and concise when narrating your story:
- Use clear and simple language
- If unsure of anything, discuss with your attorney first, who will help you present the information while remaining credible
- Limit the amount of information you provide. Just report the basic information on the accident, then tell the company to speak in-depth with your attorney.
Collecting and Storing Evidence for Future Reference
After an accident, seek a police report and reach out to any eyewitness willing to issue a statement of what happened at the scene of the accident to back up your claims. In case the other at-fault driver had been previously charged for driving offenses, a police report will significantly help you support your claim. At Flora Templeton Stuart Accident Injury Lawyers, we will obtain statements from witnesses.
Before the police arrive, ensure you take pictures at the scene, including your car’s wrecked condition. They will act as evidence when supporting your claim. Our team will also gather photos of the damaged vehicles.
Contact Flora Templeton Stuart for Your Car Accident Injury Claim in KY and TN
When reporting an accident, speaking too much may make you fumble with words, and you end up saying things you didn’t mean. To avoid providing any unnecessary information that may cost you your claim, we highly recommend that you contact an experienced car accident injury attorney.
In case of an accident injury caused by another driver’s actions or negligence, we are here for you. Bowling Green personal injury attorney Flora Stuart will stand for your rights and not back down until you get the verdict or settlement you deserve. With our main office in Bowling Green, Kentucky, you can meet with Flora personally. If you cannot travel to us, our attorneys will travel to you.
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