After your accident, you will not only be dealing with your insurance company. You will also deal with the insurance company and claim adjuster of the other party involved. the role of an insurance adjuster is to research your accident, study the policy, and decide on your settlement. an insurance adjuster works for the insurance company. They help insurance companies make more money by paying you less for your accident.
When Should I Call an Insurance Adjuster?
We strongly suggest that you do not deal with an insurance adjuster by yourself. to put it another way, hiring an experienced accident attorney to negotiate is the best call of action. If you deal with an adjuster on your own, it is likely that you will have more information on your accident. This is most likely due to the fact that they may not have update records or statements. a claim adjuster has the authority to come to a verbal agreement with you over the phone for your settlement. and they will most likely try to low-ball your settlement offer.
If you decide to deal with an adjuster without being represented by an attorney, here are a few negotiation tips:
- Be respectful and be prepared. One of the most important things to do when dealing with an adjuster is to be prepared. Know all aspects of your claim. We highly recommend that you hire an attorney to represent you during this time. an experienced car accident lawyer can help with negotiations so that you will not have to deal with unfair settlements.
- Do not give the adjuster more information than is necessary. All you need to tell them is your full name, address, telephone number, and perhaps place of business. You do not need to discuss your work schedule or your income.
- All insurance adjusters already have the full story by the time you have your first call with them. We advise that you do not give them your account of the accident, it is already in the police report. an adjuster will try to get you to make a statement that will cast doubt on who was at fault. Politely refuse to discuss any details about the accident except the most basic facts (which are in the police report). It is always a good idea to tell them that the details of your accident are still under investigation.
- Do not go into detail about the injuries you sustained in your accident. They will likely ask and if there is a chance that you leave something out, it can impact your claim a great deal.
- You are not telling the insurance adjuster anything they don’t already know; you are merely letting them know that you understand the value of your insurance claim.
- Since a fault is not in question, a claim that has appropriate documentation has merit. Advise them of the total damages and the amount that you are demanding. Not only for repairs to your car, but injuries that you or any passengers may have suffered from due to the other party’s negligence.
- Do not be surprised if the insurance adjuster cuts the conversation short and tells you that they will consider your demand and will get back to you. This is a classic waiting tactic that they use to break the momentum of your case. They will use this to slow you down and make you believe that you should settle for less than what your case is worth.
- We advise that you do not lower your claim value or offer. the insurance company will come back with a counter offer – again, in negotiating offers, we strongly suggest that you let an experienced attorney represent you, we know exactly how insurance companies and adjusters work when it comes to offering low ball settlements.
- If an adjuster requests more documentation such as medical bills, health records, police reports, etc., send them whatever you think will best help with your case. Oftentimes, they do not have all of the paperwork necessary to substantiate your claim.
- It is an adjuster’s job to try to settle your case for a low-ball sum. This is to save the insurance company’s money. Stay calm and professional throughout the process and remember that if you have a strong case, you will win in the end.
- Furthermore, take notes throughout your call with a claim adjuster.
That being said, we always recommend that you hire an attorney to help you with an adjuster. Here at Silverthorne Attorneys, we have experience in negotiating with insurance adjusters. We can get you the settlement you deserve.
Contact us today for a free consultation.
