5 Secret Tips for Dealing with Your Insurance Company’s Adjuster

 

Most homeowners have limited experience dealing with insurance adjusters.

If you are making an insurance claim, however, then you’ll need to deal with your insurance company’s adjuster regularly.

Your insurance company’s adjuster may claim to be on your side. However, they’re a salaried employee of your insurance company, and they want to pay you as little for your claim as possible.

Here are 5 proven tips for dealing with your insurance company’s adjuster successfully:

Don’t Accept a Low Initial Offer If Unsatisfied

If you’re unsatisfied with your insurance company’s low initial offer, then don’t accept it.

Insurance adjusters may make a low initial offer to gauge your experience. If you accept the initial offer, then that’s great for the insurance company. If you don’t, then your insurer proceeds with the claim.

In fact, many insurers make a low initial offer expecting you to negotiate.

If your insurance company is not covering your insurance claim like you expected them to, or if you’re unsatisfied with the payout they’re offering, then don’t accept the offer.

Understand Insurance is a Business – Not a Friendship

Some insurance company adjusters are personable. They may try to develop a rapport with homeowners. Some claim to represent your best interests, for example.

In reality, insurance adjusters are salaried employees of your insurance company. They work for your insurance company, and they want to pay you as little for your claim as legally possible.

It’s okay to be personable with your insurance company’s adjuster. However, don’t let it interfere with your insurance claim or payout.

You and Your Insurer Must Act in Good Faith

Even if your relationship with your insurance adjuster breaks down, you both must act in good faith:

Your insurer must abide by insurance regulations in your state. States require insurers to respond to requests in a timely manner, respond to claims in a certain period of time, and deal with policyholders in good faith.

As the policyholder, you must also negotiate in good faith. You must respond to your insurance company’s requests within a timely manner. You can’t ignore your insurance adjuster’s questions or avoid contacting your adjuster.

By keeping an open line of communication, you can ensure a smooth insurance claim payout and a hassle-free relationship with your insurance adjuster.

Understand You Have the Upper Hand

Here’s something the insurance company doesn’t want you to know: the policyholder has the upper hand.

As the policyholder, you’re only dealing with one major insurance claim. The insurance company’s adjuster, on the other hand, may handle multiple claims each week.

By familiarizing yourself with your insurance claim, your insurance policy, and insurance laws (or by hiring a public adjuster to do these things), you can get the upper hand in your insurance claim dispute.

Other Tips for Handling your Insurance Company’s Adjuster

Other tips to ensure a successful relationship with your insurance company’s adjuster include:

·        Avoid giving a recorded statement to the insurance company’s adjuster.

·        Consider hiring a public adjuster to represent your side of the insurance claim.

·        Avoid signing documents from the insurance company’s adjuster until thoroughly reviewing and understanding everything in the documents.

·        Avoid settling too quickly or accepting the first offer, especially if disappointed with the offer.

·        Get a settlement offer in writing with everything agreed during negotiations. Insurers may promise one thing during negotiations, only to conveniently leave out that thing in the final settlement.

Overall, the insurance company’s adjuster wants to pay you as little for your claim as legally possible, and they’ll use their superior insurance claim knowledge to achieve that goal. By implementing the tips above, however, you can ensure you have the upper hand against your insurance company’s adjuster.