Insurance Company Tactics to Delay Paying Your Settlement

Updated January 14, 2026

The Short Answer

Insurance companies use delay tactics to avoid paying settlements and to pressure consumers into accepting unfair offers. They may record you or show up at your home unannounced to get you to say or do something that could be used against you. Learn more about ways that insurance adjusters may try to keep you in the dark and what you can do to counter their strategies.

Key Takeaways

• Insurance companies are required to settle claims promptly per the Indiana Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act. However, they may still use tactics to delay the investigation and settlement.
• If the claims adjuster doesn’t return your calls or refuses to provide a letter documenting coverage and accepting liability, it could be an important warning sign.
• Recorded statements can be used to dispute liability and get you to admit fault, even if you did nothing wrong. This can complicate your case and delay your claim.
• Insurance companies may ask for all of your medical records or make you go to an independent medical exam. In addition to causing delays, medical investigations can cast doubt on your injuries or be used to blame pre-existing conditions.
• Insurance adjusters may make misleading statements to get you to admit fault or say that you’re sorry, which can affect your rights.
• If you’re experiencing delays or aren’t being treated fairly, speak to a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to understand your rights.

1. Not Reaching Out or Avoiding Your Calls

If you don’t hear from a claims adjuster within 1 week of the accident, it could mean that the company is understaffed, ignoring your claim, or that the other party wasn’t insured after all. If a week passes and you haven’t heard from the insurance adjuster or if they won’t call you back, the insurance company may be using delay tactics or engaging in unfair claims settlement practices. Contact your attorney, write a letter to the insurance company, and consider contacting the Indiana Department of Insurance.

2. They Avoid Putting Anything in Writing & Refuse to Tell You Policy Limits

When communicating with an insurance adjuster, get everything in writing. To ensure that you have a valid, covered claim, have the adjuster provide a formal letter confirming who they work for and whether the wrongdoer was fully insured on the day of the accident. Additionally, any settlement offers should be in writing.

Specific details of verbal settlement offers are easily forgotten by the adjuster. If the insurance company uses delay tactics to avoid confirming coverage, it can be a serious red flag.

3. Denying Liability

To recover compensation for your damages, you must prove that the other driver caused the accident. The insurance company may try to blame you for the accident to deny the claim. If the company cannot blame you for the accident, it may try to claim you are partially at fault to lower the value of your claim. There are two tactics insurance companies like to use to obtain evidence it can use against you in an injury claim.

4. The Insurance Adjuster Wants to Record You

Giving a recorded statement to another driver’s insurance company is risky. Don’t let anyone record you without talking to a lawyer first. Most adjusters already know how the accident occurred based on the police report and witness statements. The adjuster may want to record your statement to get you to admit fault. If any inconsistencies or disputes arise, what you say could be used against you, either through recorded statements or medical releases.

5. The Adjuster Wants You to Sign a Medical Release or Use Their Doctor

There are 2 issues when it comes to insurance companies accessing your medical records. First, most insurance companies want you to sign a general release that gives them access to all of your medical records, not just ones related to the accident. This can be used to discredit your claim, delay your settlement, or blame a pre-existing condition. Second, insurance companies may ask you to complete an independent medical exam (IME) with a physician who has never treated you before. Talk to a personal injury attorney to protect your rights and avoid common legal pitfalls.

6. The Adjuster Won’t Admit Their Client Is At Fault

Insurance companies may use delay tactics to avoid accepting liability. When it comes to settling a case, it’s important to make sure it’s clear who is at fault. If the insurance adjuster is avoiding this, you should request a liability acceptance letter documenting who is at fault. If the adjuster does not believe that their insured was responsible, have them explain in writing why you or someone else is partially to blame. To avoid confusion, contact an experienced attorney for any questions about comparative fault laws in Indiana.

7. They Show Up at Your Home Unannounced

Nobody likes guests arriving unannounced. If the insurance adjuster shows up at your home without an appointment, you should be concerned. The visit could be an attempt to catch you doing something that hurts your case or shows that your injuries are not severe. Don’t discuss your case, and tell the adjuster to call back for an appointment.

8. The Insurance Adjuster Says You Don’t Need a Lawyer

If the insurance adjuster says that you don’t need a lawyer or if they tell you not to obtain legal advice, you should proceed carefully. The adjuster may not want you to know the true value of your case, which could cost you thousands. It’s unethical for an insurance adjuster to attempt to deny your right to legal representation. Working with an experienced attorney is recommended in any personal injury case to make sure you’re treated fairly and receive the compensation you deserve.

9. The Insurance Company Is Talking to Your Friends & Family

Insurance adjusters aren’t your friend, so why are they talking to your close acquaintances? If the adjuster or the insurance company investigator is asking your neighbors, employer, co-workers, friends, or doctors questions about you without your permission, it’s best to consult an attorney. Insurers may even conduct video surveillance on you to downplay the severity of your injuries or catch you doing something wrong.

10. The Guilt Trip or Admission of Fault

Sometimes, the adjuster may say something to you, hoping that you will feel sorry for the wrongdoer. The insurance company counts on your forgiveness and guilt, and they may even use these statements against you as an admission of fault. Never feel guilty or say you’re sorry about being compensated for your pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical bills. You need full compensation to make a full recovery.

11. Intentional Delay Tactics

Insurance companies don’t just have 1 tactic for delaying settlements. They have an entire playbook. Here are a few ways that insurance adjusters may delay your case in hopes of paying you less:

• Asking for more medical records, even if you’ve already provided some. Insurance companies know it takes time to acquire these records, and they’ll use that to their advantage.
• Telling you they need to speak to a supervisor, who has higher settlement authority, to offer you more money. They’re likely hoping you’ll take the smaller amount instead of waiting weeks or months for a small increase.
• Transferring your case to a different adjuster. This can delay your case as the new adjuster will have to familiarize themselves with your case.
• “Hiding the ball” is when insurance adjusters won’t volunteer anything to help you understand the insurance coverage. They aren’t playing fair. You may have thousands of dollars coming to you from your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. If you need help understanding the policy and the rights you have, contact your attorney.
• Telling you that your claim needs to go through a “committee” before you can receive compensation is another common delay tactic. In this case, it’s likely that the adjuster is just buying time.
• If you’re elderly, the insurance adjuster might decide to stall instead of processing your claim, hoping something else happens so they don’t have to pay. Sadly, you would be surprised by how many times insurance companies use this strategy.

12. Your Car’s Damaged, But They Want the Rental Back

If your car has been wrecked and cannot be repaired, it will be considered totaled. A common tactic for the insurance company is to put you into a rental car immediately. Then, several days later, they will make you a very low settlement offer for your car. At the same time they make the offer, they demand that you return the rental car, forcing you to make a quick decision. Frequently, people have no choice but to say yes to the low offer for their car. Even if the car isn’t working properly, many times it’s worth much more than what’s being offered.

13. Offering You Quick Settlements

A quick settlement is another way the insurance company can reduce the amount of money it pays for your insurance claim. This works in two ways.

1. If the insurance company can get you to sign a release settling your injury claim before you speak with an attorney, you may not realize you are entitled to additional compensation. Unfortunately, once you sign the release, you cannot seek more money, even if an attorney tells you that you should have received a higher settlement payment.
2. The insurance company wants to settle your claim before you discover the full extent of your injuries. If you have permanent disabilities or you require future medical treatment, the insurance company can get out of paying you for this if it can get you to settle now. Even if you find out later you have additional injuries, you cannot go back to the insurance company for more money if you have signed a release.

The insurance company takes advantage of the fact that after an accident, you often need money to pay medical bills and living expenses after being injured. It is always in your best interest to consult with an experienced accident attorney before you settle an injury claim.

14. Relying on the Wait and See Strategy

Wait and see is one of the more subtle insurance company delay tactics. Oftentimes, adjusters are counting on consumers to wait and see what offer the insurance company will make. After you’ve been waiting, the insurance may stall longer until you start feeling the pressure and wonder how you’re going to drive to work and pay your bills. Once you’re desperate, the insurance company will step in with a lowball offer that you’re pressured to accept. Waiting it out can give the insurance company a big advantage.

How Can an Attorney Help?

If you aren’t getting results or moving toward a successful claims resolution, it’s worth seeking legal help. A lawyer can recognize common delay tactics and hold the insurance company accountable. Here’s how an attorney can help:

• Evaluating your claim and damages
• Communicating with the insurance company
• Determining if the company has violated state laws
• Reviewing the insurance policy and coverage limits
• Declining lowball settlement offers
• Negotiating favorable settlements
• Preparing a lawsuit and presenting your case in court, if needed

Insurance Company Tactic FAQs

Contact an Attorney Who Can Take on the Insurance Companies

Before you accept a smaller settlement than you’re owed, it’s in your best interest to talk with an experienced lawyer. At the Ken Nunn Law Office, our team has been representing injured people in Indiana for decades, and we want to help you, too. Our attorneys have recovered over $1 billion for clients since 1967. Don’t let the insurance company delay your settlement or deceive you. If you’ve been injured, you have a right to full compensation. The more you know about insurance company delay tactics, the better you can advocate for yourself and those around you.

Get in touch with an attorney today to learn more about your rights. It’s easy to request a free case evaluation by completing our online form or contacting our offices in Bloomington or Indianapolis.

Related Articles & Info

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• Everything You Should Know About Insurance Adjusters & Your Injury Claim
• Do I Need to Tell My Insurance Company About My Minor Car Accident?
• How to Receive Medical Treatment for Your Injuries After an Accident Without Insurance
• What to Do if an Insurance Adjuster Requests Medical Records After a Car Accident Claim in Indianapolis