Collecting on your Insurance Claim

When you have only a piece of paper in black and white, it is very hard to trust that you would not be conned. When you go to a grocery store, you buy stuff and for the money you pay, you have a solid product to take back. Similarly, when you pay for a car, you will find it in your garage when you wake up. How is it then you don't get to take something solid back home after an accident or after having damage occur to your vehicle and you are forced to believe that your money has not been wasted? To ensure that such fears don't manifest into reality, you need to take a few precautionary measures. If you have to assure yourself of your insurance payment, you have to follow these tips.

The worst thing that can happen in insurance claims is not remembering your claim number. To avoid a situation where you don't have something to show as proof for the insurance policy that you paid for, you have to be very cautious with your claim number. You have to remember the claim number. If you have a habit of forgetting things, write the number down somewhere and have it in a safe place. Remembering the number also helps the adjuster in handling your claim faster. If the adjuster can handle the claim fast, he / she will be a lot easier to work with.

Bargaining with an adjuster can be tricky business. When you start getting picky and keep pushing for the extra 5 bucks, you may even lose the reasonable offer that you have been extended. If the offer is close to what you expect, be satisfied. This will help when you are negotiating on other aspects of your insurance claim.

It might sound macho to flaunt your clout or threaten the adjuster that you would go to court. Telling the adjuster that you would hire an attorney doesn't make any difference to them. They meet a lot of people who tell them the same thing day after day. And a fake threat can work against you, making the adjuster less reasonable with you, and chances are that the negotiation would not go easy. So if you have really not hired an attorney, do not tell the adjuster that.

Be more respectful when you speak to an adjuster. They are people like you and they love respect as much as you do. They are not hard-liners like debt collectors, so be cordial and treat them with respect. It not only helps build up rapport but also makes it easier for you to have your claim processed.

Carry ample proof with you in order to make a claim. You need to have proper and reasonable documentation to have a claim processed. When you are claiming $ 1000 for the car music system that got stolen, show the adjuster enough proof. Provide sufficient documentation so that the adjuster finds no difficulty in believing that the music system indeed cost $ 1000. Even when you do not have the original receipt, you should be able to produce some proof to substantiate your claim. People have claimed $ 1000 for a car music system when they have not spent so much on it. Yet, if they have evidence, they always have the advantage.

Remember, the adjuster is not your friend. He has no moral obligation towards you. He has his job to do. So, if he has processed your claim, he will naturally move on to the next one and there are instances when they help the insurance company save some money. So, under no circumstance should you expect them to advise you on how to make the most of your claim, explain it to you or offer you what you expect from your claim.

There is no substitute for preparation. You need to understand how the system works, for you to make the most out of your claim. You have to sit down and review your documents, understand the claims process, and spend some time in learning how to go about it. In an auto insurance claim, it would help if you learn how the state determines the value of your wrecked car. You need to understand the difference between a fair market value state and a Blue Book state. Only when you know that, you will be able to come up with an estimate for the worth of your car. If it is an injury claim that you are looking at, get to know what the compensations you are entitled to are. Make a list and identify the items that you can claim for.

Insurance is not like other compensations. If you expect a fair deal and a decent compensation, know your claim well. Though these tips do not cover all the measures to implement to collect on insurance claims, it definitely will help in getting your basics sorted out so that you get compensated for your claims in a fair and timely manner.