You are lying on your hospital bed after a car accident and someone comes to you claiming they are an insurance claims adjuster. You’d already spoken to your Plymouth car crash lawyer and they told you not to admit to fault or record a statement with the adjuster.
However, you are still not sure what a claims adjuster does or what their roles and duties in a personal injury case are.
Who Are Insurance Claims Adjusters?
Insurance claims adjusters can be independent contractors or they can be hired by an insurance company to provide their services.
Their main job is to investigate and resolve claims for the insurer. They will investigate your claim whether you’re making it under the insurance policy of the person who caused your accident or you’re making it under your insurance policy.
They will investigate the extent of the damage to property, the severity of your injuries, interpret the policy and determine the amount you are supposed to be awarded as compensation.
Some insurance companies and government entities can send an attorney instead of a claims adjuster to negotiate about your claim.
If you find yourself negotiating with an attorney instead of a claims adjuster, don’t panic because they are not there to do anything different from what a claims adjuster would do. They might be a little more forward or bluff a little more than an insurance claims adjuster but these are all tactics they love using in order to award you the least amount of compensation possible.
With that said, you are not supposed to negotiate with your own insurance agent but they can refer you to the claims department.
Read more about your personal car insurance.
How Does A Claims Adjuster Settle Personal Injury Claims?
Most claims adjusters have to close or clear between 50-100 claims every month. Their job performance is judged by how fast they can settle a claim, how little of the insurance company’s money they spend in settlements and their ability to settle a claim without involving their supervisors.
You should know that most insurance adjusters don’t have medical or legal training so they don’t have the resources or the time to investigate your case. So don’t be surprised if you find that you know more about your claim than they do. But if your case is a huge one, the insurance adjuster is likely to be a trained legal professional.
The claims adjuster has the authority to settle claims with you but only up to a certain amount. Adjusters with the most experience are allowed to settle amounts between $10, 000- $20, 000. The less experienced ones can only settle amounts between $5, 000- $10, 000.
If they have to settle with you for an amount that’s much higher than that, they will have to involve their supervisors because they don’t have the authority to approve large amounts of settlements. They, however, will not disclose this information to you.
Why You Should Hire A Plymouth Car Crash Lawyer
Unless you are a trained professional or you have experience dealing with insurance adjusters, you shouldn’t try and negotiate with an insurance adjuster regardless of how much experience you think they have.
Moreover, the emotional and physical toll an accident makes you feel angry, helpless and desperate; exactly what an insurance adjuster needs to ensure they settle your claim for as little as possible.
At our Plymouth car crash lawyer offices, we understand the emotional strain an accident can cause especially if your accident was caused by someone else’s carelessness. It’s our job to take care of your claim while you recover in peace.
You can schedule a free initial consultation with us by contacting us at 508-746-2700 today.
