Why insurers deploy these tactics
Carriers use delay, ambiguity, and underpayment strategies to reduce payouts and push claimants toward quick, low settlements.
This page maps each tactic to a clear counter so policyholders can respond confidently and keep the claim on track.
Document everything, reply quickly, and time-stamp each exchange to avoid resets and prove compliance with your duties.
Common Insurance Tactics
Spot the patterns before they cost you time or settlement value.
Delay Strategy
Slow responses, extensions, or rescheduling to exhaust policyholders and weaken leverage.
How to Counter ThisDepreciation Abuse
Overstating depreciation or withholding recoverable amounts to shrink payouts.
How to Counter ThisWear & Tear Misclassification
Labeling damage as pre-existing or maintenance-related to avoid coverage.
How to Counter ThisPartial Payment Strategy
Issuing small initial checks to suggest closure before the full scope is valued.
How to Counter ThisLowball Estimates
Using minimal scopes or outdated pricing to anchor negotiations at a lower number.
How to Counter ThisInspection Games
Rushed or limited inspections that ignore key rooms, elevations, or contents.
How to Counter ThisMisstating Policy Provisions
Referencing exclusions or conditions incorrectly to deny or reduce coverage.
How to Counter ThisRequesting Unnecessary Documents
Repeating or expanding document requests to stall timelines and create fatigue.
How to Counter ThisCycling Adjusters
Swapping adjusters to reset conversations and undermine prior commitments.
How to Counter ThisClaim Fatigue Strategy
Deliberate complexity and paperwork to push policyholders to abandon disputes.
How to Counter ThisClaim Denial Based on Ambiguity
Using vague language or unclear policy sections to justify denials.
How to Counter ThisImproper Engineering Reports
Commissioning reports that minimize causation or scope without full evidence.
How to Counter ThisClaim Silence (30+ Days)
Going quiet beyond statutory or policy response windows to avoid decisions.
How to Counter ThisDragging Out Communication
Long gaps between calls or emails to slow momentum and negotiation pressure.
How to Counter ThisUse of Preferred Vendors
Steering to vendor estimates that favor carrier pricing or scope exclusions.
How to Counter ThisSettlement Pressure Tactics
Deadlines, take-it-or-leave-it offers, or threats to close the file prematurely.
How to Counter ThisStrategic Underdocumentation
Omitting photos or notes in the claim file to weaken future disputes.
How to Counter ThisHow to Counter Insurance Tactics
Documentation + Evidence
- Maintain a dated log of every request, submission, and response.
- Bundle photos, estimates, and receipts with short cover notes.
- Re-send key packets after adjuster changes to avoid resets.
Timeline Enforcement
- Cite state acknowledgment and decision deadlines in follow-ups.
- Set reply-by dates in writing and escalate after missed windows.
- Use certified email or portal uploads to capture timestamps.
Policy Language
- Quote exact policy provisions when disputing misstatements.
- Request carrier citations for any exclusion they invoke.
- Keep a side-by-side of your duties and completed actions.
Proper Use of the Claim Playbook
- Use pre-written scripts for delay, denial, and underpayment responses.
- Pair each script with evidence links and recent photos.
- Track carrier replies and pivot to the next escalation step.
When to File a DOI Complaint
- Document repeated missed deadlines or unexplained silence.
- Attach your communication log and evidence packets.
- Notify the carrier in writing before filing to prompt resolution.
When to Escalate to Legal Counsel
- Persistent underpayment after complete evidence is provided.
- Bad faith indicators such as fabricated exclusions or altered reports.
- Impending suit limitation deadlines with unresolved disputes.
Use With
Pair these tools with each tactic response for faster resolutions.
Document Generator
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