How to Deal with Insurance Companies

If you want to try to settle a claim on your own, you will need to talk to an opposing insurance company yourself, and tell them why you think it’s the fault of their insured.

You may need to sign medical record releases, and/or supply the opposing insurance company all related medical records and billing, and any photos you want to share. For tips on how to get the records and bills yourself, click here. If you’d rather let the insurance company collect the information, try not to sign medical releases for any doctor or hospital at any time. Limit the releases to doctors who treated you for the injuries, and to the time period since the incident. The insurance company may have a legitimate need for prior treatment if it’s to the same body part as you are saying they should pay for, so give that to them if they insist.

If you settle with the insurance company, you will be expected to sign a liability release. Read the release carefully. Try to limit the release to the insurance company, their insured, and associated entities. Sometimes the liability release they send will be for any firm, person, or company that may have responsibility.

For minor injuries that do not require a lot of treatment and don’t involve any permanent problems, we think you may be able to get the insurance company to pay around twice the amount of the medical bills in a self-done settlement, but there are no hard rules.

Remember too that if Medicare or Medicaid paid related medical bills, you and/or the insurance company may be required to report the settlement to Medicare, and to reimburse Medicare a portion of what they paid, and private insurance companies may make a reimbursement claim as well.

Finally, you should understand that you take a risk in a settling a claim yourself.

We can’t teach you all the legal intricacies and risks. Do not rely on our general discussion here to protect you. It is safer to have an experienced lawyer settle your claim.

Learn more | How to Order Your Medical Records 
Medicare reimbursement rights 
Missouri HealthNet/Medicaid reimbursement 
Employer provided health insurance reimbursement 

Learn more | Missouri hospital liens, Missouri Revised Statutes §430.230, 430.240 and 430.250