What factors should one consider in order to evaluate his car insurance claim following an accident?
Total Comments: 9
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:23 pm Post Subject:
The most important questions to ask:
Is my life and property restored to pre-accident conditions?
Have I been compensated fairly for my losses?
Are there any future expenses that could arise out of the accident?
If you can answer these questions and feel satisfied that you have been treated fairly...then you can be pleased. If, however, you feel that your car hasn't been fixed properly...or if there are medical expenses that could pop up...look again at your claim.
Make sure that if you have any injuries, they are well-documented (even if you think they will just go away). Records are very important if you will ever have to revisit the claim!
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:33 pm Post Subject:
Hi,
It seems to me that in order to assess your claim you'd need to gather the facts concerning your accident. Remember, that it's quite important for you to present a consistent description of the mishap.
Even under circumstances when your opponent party has altered their story, you should stick to your original description. This would certainly increase your credibility in the eyes of your adjuster.
ArindamSenIndies
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 08:23 pm Post Subject:
Sometimes you get what you pay for! Whenever dealing with any company, make sure that you understand what coverages you are actually receiving...and compare apples to apples!
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 05:17 am Post Subject:
Even under circumstances when your opponent party has altered their story, you should stick to your original description. This would certainly increase your credibility in the eyes of your adjuster.
Well Arin, it seems plausible but I have experienced it otherwise as well. Adjusters tend to believe what their clients are saying even when they have changed their version of the wreck.
This is often done to escape liability. And, even when the victim is telling the truth and sticking to her version the adjuster pays more importance to her client's story. What can be done against this malpractice of claim handling?
Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 04:19 am Post Subject:
Wouldn’t you want your insurance company to believe and back you? Without evidence that their insured is lying, why wouldn’t they believe them? Should they believe a 3rd party they have no relationship with?
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 09:51 am Post Subject:
Should they believe a 3rd party they have no relationship with?
Okay, if that is the case, who is then responsible for unearthing the truth? Is the victim required to employ an independent adjuster or inform his insurance company and get an adjuster to bat for him?
Das, I'm sure that you too wouldn't like to end up at the loser's side & pay for someone else's crime. The auto insurance rate is already pretty high for many of us and I wouldn't like it if it goes up again for a liar.
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 10:51 pm Post Subject:
It is the insurance company’s responsibility to investigate the claim. The investigation should lead to the facts of the accident to determine liability. In accidents where there were no witnesses or additional proof against their insured and the story told by their insured was plausible and made sense, then they have no choice but to believe their insured. So ultimately it would be the 3rd party’s responsibility to prove their claim.
I understand some people change their story from the police report when they talk to their insurance company. This is where an adjuster needs to investigate why there was a change in story. Once again if the change in story makes sense, they will back their insured.
And no, I wouldn't want to be on the losing side of a claim like this when I know I was not at fault, but I also have enough experience with adjusting that I would make sure that an investigation took place (not by the police) prior to the scene being cleared. This would include getting witnesses tracked down on site, photos of cars as they came to rest, photos of scene, skid marks (camera always in car due to job), recording of conversation with other driver (yes I carry a recorder and am no longer an adjuster).
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 06:33 am Post Subject:
I’m aware of the idea of carrying camera in the car to take pictures after the accident. But, can one actually record other driver’s statement without proper authorization? If its possible to record statement then it would solve many problems. A picture may speak a thousand words in the world but IMO to the insurance company a recorded statement of their client would prove more worthy.
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:08 am Post Subject:
Hi,
What can be done against this malpractice of claim handling?
I guess any manipulation done to delay the claims process is actually
a crime. We shouldn't wait but report such crimes with the DOI as soon as possible. Even though it seems that the downturn would increase the rate of such malpractices but I'm sure it would find a way out too!
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:23 pm Post Subject:
The most important questions to ask:
Is my life and property restored to pre-accident conditions?
Have I been compensated fairly for my losses?
Are there any future expenses that could arise out of the accident?
If you can answer these questions and feel satisfied that you have been treated fairly...then you can be pleased. If, however, you feel that your car hasn't been fixed properly...or if there are medical expenses that could pop up...look again at your claim.
Make sure that if you have any injuries, they are well-documented (even if you think they will just go away). Records are very important if you will ever have to revisit the claim!
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:33 pm Post Subject:
Hi,
It seems to me that in order to assess your claim you'd need to gather the facts concerning your accident. Remember, that it's quite important for you to present a consistent description of the mishap.
Even under circumstances when your opponent party has altered their story, you should stick to your original description. This would certainly increase your credibility in the eyes of your adjuster.
ArindamSenIndies
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 08:23 pm Post Subject:
Sometimes you get what you pay for! Whenever dealing with any company, make sure that you understand what coverages you are actually receiving...and compare apples to apples!
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 05:17 am Post Subject:
Even under circumstances when your opponent party has altered their story, you should stick to your original description. This would certainly increase your credibility in the eyes of your adjuster.
Well Arin, it seems plausible but I have experienced it otherwise as well. Adjusters tend to believe what their clients are saying even when they have changed their version of the wreck.
This is often done to escape liability. And, even when the victim is telling the truth and sticking to her version the adjuster pays more importance to her client's story. What can be done against this malpractice of claim handling?
Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 04:19 am Post Subject:
Wouldn’t you want your insurance company to believe and back you? Without evidence that their insured is lying, why wouldn’t they believe them? Should they believe a 3rd party they have no relationship with?
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 09:51 am Post Subject:
Should they believe a 3rd party they have no relationship with?
Okay, if that is the case, who is then responsible for unearthing the truth? Is the victim required to employ an independent adjuster or inform his insurance company and get an adjuster to bat for him?
Das, I'm sure that you too wouldn't like to end up at the loser's side & pay for someone else's crime. The auto insurance rate is already pretty high for many of us and I wouldn't like it if it goes up again for a liar.
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 10:51 pm Post Subject:
It is the insurance company’s responsibility to investigate the claim. The investigation should lead to the facts of the accident to determine liability. In accidents where there were no witnesses or additional proof against their insured and the story told by their insured was plausible and made sense, then they have no choice but to believe their insured. So ultimately it would be the 3rd party’s responsibility to prove their claim.
I understand some people change their story from the police report when they talk to their insurance company. This is where an adjuster needs to investigate why there was a change in story. Once again if the change in story makes sense, they will back their insured.
And no, I wouldn't want to be on the losing side of a claim like this when I know I was not at fault, but I also have enough experience with adjusting that I would make sure that an investigation took place (not by the police) prior to the scene being cleared. This would include getting witnesses tracked down on site, photos of cars as they came to rest, photos of scene, skid marks (camera always in car due to job), recording of conversation with other driver (yes I carry a recorder and am no longer an adjuster).
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 06:33 am Post Subject:
I’m aware of the idea of carrying camera in the car to take pictures after the accident. But, can one actually record other driver’s statement without proper authorization? If its possible to record statement then it would solve many problems. A picture may speak a thousand words in the world but IMO to the insurance company a recorded statement of their client would prove more worthy.
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:08 am Post Subject:
Hi,
What can be done against this malpractice of claim handling?
I guess any manipulation done to delay the claims process is actually
a crime. We shouldn't wait but report such crimes with the DOI as soon as possible. Even though it seems that the downturn would increase the rate of such malpractices but I'm sure it would find a way out too!
ArindamSenIndies
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