| Is there a correct way to a successful claim | | | | disagree to the value of the settlement. Please |
| negotiation? Yes there is. But you must be willing to | | | | provide the exact policy language, noting page, |
| play hard ball. I am not kidding you. Insurance | | | | paragraph, policy edition, and all pertinent definitions. |
| companies are the very best negotiators out there. | | | | Thank you." |
| They know therules, and they know when to break | | | | You are now binding the insurance company to its |
| them. They understand the system, and they can | | | | words. If you send a letter to the insurance |
| and will take advantage of the unwary. | | | | company, make sure you send it certified or at least |
| It does not matter if you are dealing with a personal | | | | you get delivery confirmation; if you ever need to |
| injury claim, a health insurance claim, or the total loss | | | | prove that you did send it, then you can do that |
| value of your car. Insurance companies will use "dirty | | | | with no problems. |
| techniques" to get you to settle for theleast amount | | | | Documenting everything with the insurance company |
| possible. For example, in the case of a total loss, they | | | | is also an effective way to avoid the common |
| will cut your rental car early so you do not have a | | | | technique of "changing adjusters." Insurance |
| car to drive. The only way to get money to go find | | | | companies and their managers know when the "claim |
| another car is to settle your total loss right then. | | | | negotiation" is not going their way. They love to |
| How can you handle a good claim negotiation? Or | | | | switch adjusters on you so you have to |
| better yet, how can you play hard ball and beat the | | | | renegotiatepoints that you have already settle on. |
| insurance company? The best thing you can do is to | | | | Most insurance companies will tell you that the |
| document in writing everything about your claim. If | | | | adjuster went on vacation, is ill, left the insurance |
| the insurance company contacts you and tells you | | | | company, or that they had to reassign the claim for |
| that the value of your car is at most | | | | some other reason. Although this could be legitimate, |
| $10,000, then you need to tell them to put it on | | | | it is also very convenient. Be aware. |
| writing. Everything the adjuster says must be on | | | | If you have everything documented, a new adjuster |
| writing. This makes insurance companies nervous | | | | cannot just tell you: "well sir, I am sorry Bob said that |
| because you can always show that an adjuster has | | | | he would give you $7,000 for your car, that is clearly |
| misrepresented the facts or the law and they can be | | | | a lot more than I would ever be able to give you, I |
| suit for bad faith. | | | | can only settle for $5,500." If you do not have |
| You can ask the insurance adjuster to follow up in | | | | anything in writing, then you could have an uphill |
| writing. However, you can also write a letter stating | | | | battle getting the value back to $7,000. But if you |
| the highlights of your conversation. You can also ask | | | | have this in a letter, you can show it to a lawyer, a |
| the adjuster for written evidence of what theysay is | | | | jury, or the office of the department of insurance. |
| in your policy or is required by law. For example, you | | | | You've got them! |
| can write the following: | | | | The only way you can really beat the insurance |
| Ms. Adjuster, per our conversation today, you have | | | | company is by making sure everything is in writing, |
| stated that you cannot provide a rental car formore | | | | every negotiation, every law, every quote or |
| than three days. Please provide the pertinent statute | | | | estimate. This is the only way you can hold the |
| that states that. You also told me that per my policy, | | | | insurance company up to their promises. |
| I had agreed to go to arbitration if you and I | | | | |