Road accidents happen quite frequently. Sometimes, they occur due to the driver’s irresponsibility, distractions such as smartphones, or a malfunctioning car. Numerous incidents could cause an accident, so being a careful driver is extremely important for you and those around you!
However, once they do happen, it is essential to determine all of the circumstances and who is at fault! This is where insurance adjusters come in. This article talks about insurance adjusters, what they do, and how to deal with them. Stick around for some useful information!
If you wish to explore on your own, try visiting https://www.surex.com/Insurance/auto-car/toronto.
Who Are Insurance Adjusters?
The insurance adjuster’s job is to process all of the claims that insurance companies get and determine who exactly is at fault. They also help determine what would be the best way to settle an accident.
Some other things that they have to do are:
- Make sure that everybody involved has insurance coverage
- Make files for every claim that the insurance companies get
- Ask all of the sides about the accident
- Check whether what they said is true or not
- Inspect all other circumstances
- Ask for accident reports
- Determine what the best settlement would be.
There are three significant types of insurance adjusters:
- Insurance company adjusters: They work for your insurance company.
- Public adjusters: They work for the clients rather than the insurers. They can offer you an objective point of view.
- Independent adjusters: They, too, work for insurance companies, but they are not officially hired. Insurance companies call for such adjusters whenever they need them.
How to Deal with Insurance Adjusters?
One of the first people you should call right after an accident is an insurance adjuster. It is essential to act in a particular way when talking to them. Your insurance settlement depends on their decision, so consider doing the following:
1. Be polite
As always, try to stay polite with anybody involved, especially insurance adjusters. Do not irritate them or argue with them because that can only make them angry. The settlement of your accident is their decision, which is why you never know why being nice might be helpful.
Furthermore, make sure to stay calm at all times. Calmness shows that you are not afraid that you might be at fault. It conveys professionalism, which can come in handy.
If you are friendly and calm when talking to the insurance adjuster, they might be more inclined to believe your version of the story if some parts are challenging to prove. Being polite never hurts!
2. Know Who You are Talking to
Whenever you talk about anything important over the phone, make sure to get their personal information first! Ask for their name, address, and the insurance company they work for.
Do this to avoid scammers but also to have some info on who is dealing with your settlement. You never know how this might be of help.
3. Do Not Give Too Much Info
You do not have to give an insurance adjuster a lot of information about yourself. Feel free to tell them your full name, where you work, and where you live. You are not obligated to give them any other piece of information.
Keep in mind that you should be especially careful with giving out personal information over the phone!
4. Avoid Giving Your Opinion on the Accident
Insurance adjusters might try to get you to give them details about the accident. Make sure to avoid saying anything more than what they can already see. You can tell them where and when it happened, who was involved, etc. However, avoid telling them anything more because you do not want to incriminate yourself.
Once you get a personal injury demand letter, you will have to describe the accident in more detail. Here is where you can give a bit more information.
5. Do Not Talk About Your Injuries
If an insurance adjuster calls you soon after the accident, do not talk about your injuries just yet! Firstly, you do not know if everything is assessed; there might be some potential injuries that you could not notice within the first few hours.
Try telling them that you are treating your injuries, and you will hear from the doctor and let them know. Wait to see if you have any other injuries or if the ones that you do have are getting worse.
6. Write Down Everything
While talking to the adjuster, make sure to write down what you said and what they said! Note down their name, company, and pretty much everything else that they tell you.
This will keep you safer as nobody will be able to convince you that something else was said over that phone and you do not remember.
7. Do Not Settle Right Away
Insurance companies like to resolve these problems quickly to avoid unnecessary work. However, as the accident is still fresh, you do not know the severity of your injuries. Things did not fall into place just yet, so it’d be wise to give it some more time!
Be careful with what you say because the insurance company might use that as your official statement. For this reason, it is best to limit the amount of time you spend on the phone with them. Once you gather all of the necessary information, you can start thinking about the settlement.
8. Do Not Allow Tape Recorders
If an adjuster asks you to record the conversation claiming that this will protect you later on, politely decline. Firstly, you are not legally obligated to be recorded. Secondly, you are still not sure about the accident details, so you might say something that may turn out to be false. They would have you on record and could use that against you.
Therefore, make sure to say that you are not comfortable with the recording, and you will provide them with all of the necessary information in due time!
Endnote
Insurance adjusters are basically mediators between insurance companies and their clients. They can be self-employed or directly work for an insurance company.
Most importantly, they have a lot of tricks up their sleeve, so be extra careful when talking to them. They might try to get you to settle right after the accident, but make sure you wait for more information. Lastly, stay nice to the insurance adjuster throughout the length of your conversation/s!
