After an accident, most people expect their insurance company to help them. And to a degree, it will. Minnesota’s no-fault system means your own insurer pays certain medical expenses and lost wages through personal injury protection (PIP) benefits regardless of who caused the crash. But when it comes to recovering full compensation for serious injuries, the insurance company on the other side is not on your team. Their job is to pay as little as possible, and they have a playbook full of strategies to make that happen.
How the Insurance Process Works in Minnesota
Minnesota’s no-fault auto insurance law requires every driver to carry PIP coverage. After an accident, you file a claim with your own insurer for up to $20,000 in medical expenses and $20,000 in non-medical benefits such as lost wages and replacement services. These benefits are paid regardless of fault.
When your injuries exceed the no-fault threshold, which includes medical expenses over $4,000, a permanent injury, or 60 or more days of disability, you gain the right to step outside the no-fault system and file a third-party liability claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance company. This is where the adversarial nature of the process becomes most apparent, because the at-fault driver’s insurer has every incentive to minimize what they pay you.
Tactics Insurance Companies Use to Reduce Your Claim
Understanding what to expect from the insurance company helps you avoid common mistakes that can hurt your case.
Quick settlement offers. An adjuster may contact you within days of the accident with a settlement offer. These early offers are almost always far below the true value of the claim. They are designed to close the file before you fully understand the extent of your injuries or the long-term costs involved. Once you accept a settlement and sign a release, you cannot go back for more, even if your condition worsens.
Recorded statements. Adjusters frequently ask for recorded statements early in the process. They frame it as routine, but the real purpose is to get you on the record saying something that can be used to reduce or deny your claim. Phrases like “I feel fine,” “It wasn’t that bad,” or “I think I might have been going a little fast” can all be weaponized against you.
Disputing medical treatment. Insurers may argue that certain treatments are unnecessary, that you over-treated, or that your injuries do not justify the bills submitted. They may request an independent medical examination (IME), which is conducted by a doctor chosen and paid by the insurance company. These exams frequently produce opinions that minimize the severity of your injuries.
Blaming pre-existing conditions. If you had any prior neck pain, back problems, or other medical history, the insurance company will argue that your current symptoms are related to those conditions rather than the accident. Minnesota law allows you to recover for aggravation of pre-existing conditions, but insurers use this tactic to push for lower settlements.
Surveillance and social media monitoring. Insurance companies routinely monitor claimants’ social media accounts and sometimes hire private investigators to conduct physical surveillance. A photo of you at a family gathering, a post about a weekend activity, or video of you carrying groceries can all be taken out of context and used to argue that your injuries are not as limiting as you claim.
Delays. Dragging out the process is itself a strategy. The longer the claim takes, the more financial pressure builds on the injured person. Some claimants accept low offers simply because they can no longer afford to wait.
What You Should and Should Not Do
Do report the accident to your own insurer promptly. You are required to cooperate with your PIP carrier, and delays can jeopardize your benefits.
Do keep detailed records. Save every medical bill, receipt, pay stub, and piece of correspondence related to your accident and injuries. Documentation strengthens your position in negotiations.
Do follow your treatment plan. Gaps in medical treatment give the insurance company ammunition to argue that your injuries are not serious.
Do not give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver’s insurer without consulting an attorney. You are not legally required to provide one, and anything you say can be used against you.
Do not sign a medical authorization that gives the insurer unlimited access to your medical history. They may be entitled to records related to your current injuries, but a broad authorization lets them dig into unrelated conditions and use them against you.
Do not accept the first settlement offer without having it reviewed. The initial offer is a starting point, not a final number. An attorney can evaluate whether it reflects the true value of your claim.
When to Bring in an Attorney
If your injuries are serious, if the insurance company is delaying or lowballing your claim, or if fault is being disputed, legal representation changes the dynamic entirely. An attorney handles all communication with the insurer, which removes the pressure of dealing with adjusters directly. They know how to counter IME reports, respond to surveillance evidence, and calculate the full value of your claim including future damages that the insurance company will not voluntarily account for.
Insurance companies treat represented claimants differently than unrepresented ones. They know that an attorney can take the case to trial if the offer is not reasonable, and that changes the calculus of every negotiation.
Do Not Let the Insurance Company Control Your Claim
Whether you were in a car accident in Minneapolis, a truck collision near Eagan, or a crash on Highway 61 in St. Paul, the insurance company’s interests are not aligned with yours. Contact Bennerotte & Associates for a free consultation. We deal with insurance companies every day, and we know how to push back. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
