| No matter what kind of claim you're making, the | | | | There are a few things you can do to speed up your |
| settlement of your insurance claim could take | | | | claims. The first is to stay on top of it. You should |
| months, even years. Commercial claims on buildings | | | | know what stage your claim is in, what has been |
| and vehicles are often complex with reams of red | | | | done and what remains to be done, and |
| tape. Domestic claims - homeowner's, life, and vehicle | | | | approximately how long it is until you can expect to |
| insurance - are less complex, but involve the | | | | hear a decision. This often entails keeping very good |
| often-unprepared policy holder doing battle with an | | | | records as well as calling weekly or even daily to |
| insurance company that is long skilled with denying | | | | check on what's happening. The person to deal |
| claims. | | | | directly with is your claims adjuster. |
| Your first weapon understands how long your claims | | | | If your adjuster does not give you good results in |
| should take. Small cases, like vehicle damage, should | | | | what you consider to be a timely manner, ask to |
| be taken care of right away. More than a business | | | | speak to his or her supervisor. A good supervisor can |
| week is too long. Medical cases should also be | | | | get your claim expedited. |
| handled quickly, though they may take a bit longer, | | | | If your claim is a large one and especially if you're |
| up to a month or more if the case is complicated. | | | | nervous about the possibility of the claim being |
| Life insurance should be settled, also, within a month | | | | denied (as in when floods cause large numbers of |
| of filing provided there is no controversy surrounding | | | | homes to be damaged and make it more likely for |
| the death. | | | | the insurers to deny claims) you might need to hire a |
| Home insurance and business insurance are a little | | | | loss assessor. |
| different. First, with your business, if you have | | | | How a Loss Assessor Can Help |
| business interruption insurance with the same insurer | | | | A loss assessor is to you the same as the claims |
| that covers your premises, you may be able get | | | | adjuster is to the insurance company: an ally who will |
| them to move faster as every day they don't pay | | | | look at the damage done and try to come up with a |
| you is another day they pay on the other policy. | | | | fair price to cover the claim. He often has a claims |
| Regardless, in both home and business settlement will | | | | adjustment background, and will be able to deal with |
| take a little longer than other policies, particularly if | | | | the insurance company better than you ever could. |
| the damage was caused by a natural disaster that | | | | Although a loss assessor will cost you money, the |
| caused problems elsewhere as well. If you take | | | | increase in your settlement he may be able to get |
| pictures of everything yourself, you may be able to | | | | should more than offset his cost to you, and in |
| speed up this process; if it takes more than a couple | | | | addition he will be able to protect your future claims |
| of days for the claims adjuster to make it out to | | | | with your insurance company. Whenever you have a |
| your site, you should take those pictures yourself | | | | large claim it is worth looking into a loss assessor for |
| anyway to document how much damage was done. | | | | professional and intelligent advice. |