What happens if you lie to the insurance company about an accident?

After a car accident in Georgia, one of your beginning calls will need to be to your policy company. In fact, virtually every insurance policy includes a clause that requires you to report any accident you are involved in, even if you are not at fault. But when you do call your insurance company, you may be tempted to lie to them about what happened, specially if you believe you are at least partially at fault for the wreck .
The policy adjuster you speak to will likely ask a swerve of questions, some of which are designed to trip you up and get you to admit you caused the crash – giving them grounds to deny any call. But what happens if you lie to the policy company about a car accident ?
No matter how minor the lie, being dishonest with your car indemnity supplier is never a good estimate. In fact, it falls under policy fraud .
At best, you will have to remember your lie the integral meter you are dealing with your insurance company. They will most probably commemorate calls and early interactions with you to uncover any discrepancies in your title. At worst, you could face criminal penalties leading to fines and even jail time.

Of course, even if you tell the truth, your insurance company may still try to twist your words to get out of paying the recompense you deserve. That is why it is so important to speak with an experience Georgia cable car accident lawyer about all of your legal options after a shipwreck, particularly if you suffered major injuries and/or property price .

How the Insurance Company May React if You Lie

Your Claim Will Be Denied

If the insurance party discovers that you lied about the car accident, your claim will about surely be denied. It does not matter if you only embellished certain details, such as claiming vehicle damage that did not occur in the wreck, or if you wholly lie about your role in the collision. The indemnity company will most likely deny the entire claim outright .
For exemplar, a T-bone accident often results in break bones. You may suffer a break arm, which your indemnity may cover. But if you lie about other injuries, such as whiplash or back pain, the indemnity company may not cover any injuries or other damages – including your legitimately break sleeve .

Your Policy May Be Canceled

If you lie to your indemnity company about the cause, injuries, and other details of your cable car bust up, you risk losing your policy completely. policy companies do not want to work with individuals who lie and try to take their money .
alternatively, they may move you to a bad policy class, which can make it harder for you to get coverage. This classification is shared throughout the insurance industry, so switching providers will most probable not solve your problems .

Your Premiums Can Increase

If your policy is not canceled, your premiums will about surely increase. As we mentioned before, your insurance company may label you as “ gamey risk, ” and bad drivers can be forced to pay up to 70 percentage more for the lapp coverage .
unfortunately, your premiums may besides increase after an accident even if it was not your fault. however, the rate of increase is typically much lower. But because Georgia follows a conducive negligence doctrine, your rates may increase more than usual if you are found partially at demerit for the shipwreck.

Legal Consequences of Lying to the Insurance Company

Under Georgia law O.C.G.A. § 33-1-9, lying to your policy company about the details of your shipwreck can lead to felony charges. The jurisprudence states that insurance fraud occurs when any person wittingly or willfully :

Makes or aids in the produce of any false or deceitful statement or representation of any material fact or thing :

• In any written statement or certificate;
• In the filing of a claim;
• In the making of an application for a policy of insurance;
• In the receiving of such an application for a policy of insurance; or
• In the receiving of money for such application for a policy of insurance
• for the purpose of procuring or attempting to procure the payment of any false or fraudulent claim or other benefit by an insurer. …

A … person convicted of a violation of this Code section shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than two nor more than ten years, or by a fine of not more than $ 10,000.00, or both .

In short circuit, making a delusive or exaggerated claim to your indemnity company is a serious crime. The penalties for policy fraud in Georgia can be hard. You may face jail time from 2-10 years and/or a all right up to $ 10,000. In summation, if the indemnity company already paid you, you will have to pay that money binding .

I Already Lied to the Insurance Company. Now What?

As you may imagine, honestly is the best policy when it comes to speaking with the indemnity ship’s company. however, it is significant to note that errors innocent mistakes are not the same thing as lying to your insurance company. If this occurs, policy companies will normally understand and let you make amendments to your call. however, this is not always the case. That is why we recommend speaking with an lawyer before you speak with your policy company .
intentionally lying to the insurance company, on the other hand, is a different matter. If they discover the magic trick, there is a good probability they will send the charge to the patrol for further natural process. At this luff, it would be advisable to consult a condemnable defensive structure lawyer about your legal options .
While the law lays down austere penalties for insurance fraud, many of these cases do not result in legal prosecution. however, that does not mean you will get away with lying to your indemnity company. tied if no condemnable charges are filed against you, your insurance company is still well within their rights to drop your coverage, deny your claim, pronounce you as a bad driver and take other extralegal ( i.e., not pertaining to the law, not the lapp as illegal ) action against you.

Contact a Duluth Car Accident Attorney Today

If you are not certain what to say to the indemnity ship’s company, you are not alone. Calling and reporting a wreck to the party that will only compensate you under the right circumstances can be nerve-racking. As such, we recommend that you consult an experienced car accident lawyer before you speak to your insurance company to make sure you do not say the incorrect thing .
In addition, you often have a better casual of getting the entire compensation you deserve if you work with an Atlanta car accident lawyer. This is because insurance companies will not hesitate to pressure victims into taking a low village, using speech such as, “ This is our best offer – take it or leave it. ” Personal injury attorneys know these tactics and will not back down until they get the liquidation or verdict you are owed .
If you have been injured in a wreck due to person else ’ sulfur actions or negligence, we are here to help. The attorneys at Scholle Law have the skills and experience to take on the policy party on your behalf. Your initial reference is always rid, and there is no tip until we win. Call us at ( 866 ) 592-1296 or contact us online today to speak with a Duluth car accident lawyer .