I just LOVE dealing with insurance adjusters

[P&R Fan]

Over the years I have had several encounters with insurance claims adjusters. They have repeatedly lied to me, and I have won every time I've butted heads with them, starting with a time I was only 19.
Recently I had a claim. I am a Private Investigator, and do a lot of surveillance. I have a long-time client who rents a car for me, at her cost, to use. Recently I hit a deer while I was working for her. About $2,000 damage. I had called my insurance agent prior to this to see if I was covered on my automobile policy. She advised that as long as I had full coverage on one of my cars, I was covered. I called in the claim, and some time later got a call from the adjuster. He advised me, in very confident terms, I was not covered. I asked why, and he said because I had not rented the car. He said I was not on the contract. I told him I certainly WAS on the contract as an approved driver. He paused and said that didn't matter. Now, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am in my element. I said "you need to understand something: I know what your job is. Your job is to save your company money any way you can, including lying if need be. You are used to dealing with people who are intimidated by you. Sir, I am NOT even slightly intimidated. I am right. What we are doing right now is playing poker. You are bluffing with a pair of 3s. I have a Full House.
He all of a sudden wasn't so blustery.
Long story short, after almost two months and numerous phone calls, he suddenly approved the payment. I have found if you stand up to these people, they are not used to that, and will back down, and I have a good time doin' it.

I hope no insurance people on the Forum take offense. I have good friends in the business. But there are certainly some bad apples.
Jim

[papajohn428]

A little common sense and knowing a few things can work wonders with people whose job it is to screw you out of money. One of my few triumphs involved a trailer park that rented me a place to live for awhile, a nice trailer but old and falling apart. It developed a new leak every other time it rained. The park management spent a lot of money getting it fixed, but finally stopped answering my phone calls for maintenance, so after a month I quit paying rent. I was then told I'd be evicted and sued for back rent if I didn't give them their money, and they would ruin my credit rating. HA! I don't think so.

I went to the office and stated my case but they were adamant that I still owed them money. I knew the regional manager was due in the next day, so I waited until he showed up at their office and ambushed him before they could stop me. I demanded my previous months' rent back, he knew all about the situation but still tried to BS me into paying.

I shook my head and told him the rental agreement was void, that the company had vacated the contract by refusing to provide ongoing maintenance as required. The moment I said, "vacated the contract" he turned pale, hung his head, and when I finished he told me to come back in an hour and they'd have my check. They paid me for the previous TWO months rent, and gave me back my deposit, which they're previously told me was now forfeit.

It feels good to vanquish a dragon with one good blow!

[P&R Fan]

I think the majority of people are terrified of standing up to somebody that represents "authority" over them.

Personally, I take great pleasure in dealing with these people who exude confidence, and lie to try to take advantage of me. I get that from my Dad.
Jim

[BJoe]

I have a good friend who's wife USED TO work for B*#e Cross. Her job is to reject EVERY SINGLE CLAIM that comes in for $250 or less. She said most people just pay rather than fight.

[captorquewrench]

This reminds me to call and complain about not seeing a check yet from being hit on Good Friday.

It's $723.

The man's employer had their CFO send me a check for that amount with a settlement agreement to sign, with a letter stating "per our conversation here is payment to settle without insurance claim" and to sign the settlement agreement, and then they'd call when they had it to let me know it was OK to bank the check.

I VOIDED the check and sent it back...explaining to the CFO that no conversation existed and an adjuster had already looked at my car.

A third party contracted adjuster, I might add.

I then called the insurer and told them what their insured had done, no such conversation between them and me had ever taken place...and said send me a check with your written estimate of the damages.

Has not shown up yet.

I would have been HAPPY to settle without insurance had they actually had said conversation.

I don't trust a company that says we spoke when we hadn't, and NO WAY was I signing a settlement agreement without having seen a written damage estimate OR talking to them.

It's not always the insurer. Sometimes it's their policyholder too.

[P&R Fan]

I'll give you a couple more examples.
I mention my first encounter was when I was 19. I had a '72 Pontiac Grand Prix with a 400CU 4BBL. (Unfortunately, it also had an automatic). One day I blew the left rear tire.....at 120 MPH. Yeah, us guys have Guardian Angels. Didn't even go out of my lane, but destroyed the fender. Turned in the claim, of course leaving the speed issue unspoken. Was in my agent's office talking to the adjuster. He saw a 19 year old kid and knew this was gonna be easy. Said my estimate was too high. I pointed out it was from a very well respected GM dealer. Strike One. Then he said there was too much rust in the fender, along with putty. I said they still had to at least put it back in that condition. Strike Two. Now..he's got me. Said the claim was not covered, because I didn't have collision insurance. I looked at him and said "explain something to me, please....how did I have a collision.... WITH MYSELF!?" He looked at me, confused, and threw in the towel. Strike Three.

Then a few years ago we had a homeowners claim. Wind had ripped a lot of shingles off our nearly 100 year old acreage. Adjuster came out and said I didn't need to get an estimate ( I already had one for about $7,000) and that he would give me one, as he was a former roofer. He climbed up, looked around, came down and said it would be about $1,200. I laughed. He said all they were responsible to do was tear the top layer of shingles off and replace them. I pointed out that that would not be up to code, as well as be impossible. He insisted that was what would be done. I gave him the same quote as I state in the OP. We're playin' poker.
I went over his head and talked to somebody above him. I got the full amount, minus the deductible, and had a tearoff done and the whole roof replaced. I was feelin' kinda spunky, so I decided to call him up and gloat just a bit. "Oh, I'm sorry, he's not with the company anymore".

Sometimes, they get what they deserve.
Jim

[bgrone]

Originally Posted by captorquewrench

This reminds me to call and complain about not seeing a check yet from being hit on Good Friday.

It's $723.

The man's employer had their CFO send me a check for that amount with a settlement agreement to sign, with a letter stating "per our conversation here is payment to settle without insurance claim" and to sign the settlement agreement, and then they'd call when they had it to let me know it was OK to bank the check.

I VOIDED the check and sent it back...explaining to the CFO that no conversation existed and an adjuster had already looked at my car.

A third party contracted adjuster, I might add.

I then called the insurer and told them what their insured had done, no such conversation between them and me had ever taken place...and said send me a check with your written estimate of the damages.

Has not shown up yet.

I would have been HAPPY to settle without insurance had they actually had said conversation.

I don't trust a company that says we spoke when we hadn't, and NO WAY was I signing a settlement agreement without having seen a written damage estimate OR talking to them.

It's not always the insurer. Sometimes it's their policyholder too.

Texas has some strict insurance laws(I live in Iowa but was licensed in Tx when I worked for a National Ins co)


If you have been waiting since Good Friday that is inexcusable.

I spent 5 yrs working for an insurance company and always felt my job was to pay the fair amount within the terms of the policy. I found many people amazed when they found out that my company was paying a fair settlement.There also many companies that try to cut costs by bullying claimants and that gives all the rest a bad name and makes for distrust for those who try to deal in an upfront manner'

[DeathGrip]

I used to battle with the insurance companies in the auto body trade. I had a record for supplementals on my estimates. Our customers always got more work than their deductible would pay.

Their job is to save the money for the company they work for.

My job was to make them pay us for the work and make the customer whole.

[DeathGrip]

BTW using a rental for contractual work might give the insurance company an out.

Just thinking when I should be dreaming.

[Steely Dan]

I agree with P&R Fan

Don't back down.

Learn, research. It's hard to argue with facts.

Remember who is the customer and who has been paying for years "just in case something happens""

[old bear]

. I have found if you stand up to these people, they are not used to that, and will back down, and I have a good time doin' it.

Sadly the above does not apply just to insurance folks any longer. I have also found that if you stand up for what is right most often folks will see the light and do the right think. I don't enjoy having to do it, but I enjoy getting screwed over less.

Happy Dad's day all

[captorquewrench]

Originally Posted by bgrone

Texas has some strict insurance laws(I live in Iowa but was licensed in Tx when I worked for a National Ins co)


If you have been waiting since Good Friday that is inexcusable.

I spent 5 yrs working for an insurance company and always felt my job was to pay the fair amount within the terms of the policy. I found many people amazed when they found out that my company was paying a fair settlement.There also many companies that try to cut costs by bullying claimants and that gives all the rest a bad name and makes for distrust for those who try to deal in an upfront manner'

i know since Good Friday is inexcusable. I think their insured may be trying to convince them not to pay so that I will settle....no chance since they said I talked to them about it when I didn't.

Also spring is busy at school both as a teacher and as the parent of a graduating senior...and also in the life of a church musician--I am the one who let it slide as I had other priorities as well as a case of telephone anxiety (yes, this is a real disorder. Yes, being on the phone makes me vomit and have panic attacks)

I know the laws....worked for Farmers for too long. Way, way too long.

In underwriting!

[Bruce51]

Last August I completed a left turn into the far right hand lane of a three lane road. Perfectly legal here. The Suburban, in the center lane, decided to make a right turn into the gas station across my path. Needless to say I could not stop and pitted the Suburban into the driveway.

I took lots of pictures and ends up we are both with the same carrier.

So after the claim was submitted I get a call saying we are both at fault, but that's ok, because it doesn't count against the license.

The adjusters simply decided that this was the easy way out for them. Not so for me, as I would have to pay the first $1000 deductable.

I had to look up the Ca. vehicle codes that covers legal right turns and legal left turns. I sent them information on the Suburban's length and turning radius to prove she made an illegal right turn which I'm sure she denied doing.

So after many Emails to their boss they finally agreed she was 100% at fault.

Then they wanted to see my truck after I sent them an estimate. Their adjuster looked at the damage and the salvage value and padded his estimate up to the point of salvage value.

Unfortunately for him, he left me a phone message and described the extra needed repairs in detail.
I knew that his estimate was BS and the truck could not be replaced for the Bluebook value.

I called the insurance company again and told them his estimate was bogus. He made up damages that simply did not exist. They were not going to salvage my truck for some sheet metal damage.

Finally, after treating me very poorly from the start and not doing their job properly they agreed to repair my truck.

You have to know the law and how these companies work. .
It helps that I know my vehicle.
I also tell them I do claims for moving companies. I will be persistant when I know that I am right and they are wrong.

Last be not least never leave home without a camera.
Take pictures of everything, vehicles, roadway, skidmarks, license plates,registration,drivers license and general area photos.

That's my story.

Bruce

[bgrone]

Camera is must have even if its only a disposable, I kept a Canon Sure Shot in the armrest slot of my pickup till I got an Android phone it takes almost as good pictures as the Canon. Digital pics are great for claims. Most major ins companies will expedite claims with good digital pics. It helps to keep current maintenance records to prove the worth of your vehicle especially if it is in above average condition.

[P&R Fan]

I just remembered one more encounter, but this was just with the agent.
Before I married the Lovely Missus P&R Fan she had an '80 Vette. A CHEVette. (I married her anyway). She lived in an apartment and her neighbors were not the highest class people. One day I came to pick her up and noticed a crease in her passenger door. The neighbor had done it, although we could not prove it. She turned in the claim after getting an estimate from a Chevy dealer. We had no intention of fixing it, she was just going to take the cash, after all, who fixes a Chevette? She got a check from her insurance company made out to her and the dealer. We took it to the dealer and they said they would not endorse it as then they would have to report it as income. I went with her to her agent and asked for another check made out only to her. He said he could not do that, as we could pocket the money, not get it fixed, and then possibly have another claim in the future on the same door. I told him to just leave a note in her file about that door and the damage. He pointed to his file cabinet and said "will you look at the mess those files are in, I'd never find it!". I told him I was certainly impressed with his organization skills, and I had a perfect solution: Cut the check, and then cancel her insurance. We can find another company. Problem solved, we got the money and switched companies.

I gotta admit, I really enjoy it when people try to sucker me.
Jim

[jag312]

My house had $85,000 damage from the October 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The insurance adjuster came by and said it was all previous damage not caused by the earthquake (what the ****!). Long story short; I had to go to a lawyer. We filed a law suit alleging bad faith on the part of the insurance company. They paid the entire $85,000, plus attorney's fees, plus expert witness fees.

When my roof caught on fire, I had no problems. Of course it was a different insurance company. Everything was repaired without any problems. I believe the roof fire was caused by the little creeps across the street with their illegal fireworks, but I can't prove it. I fantasize about climbing onto their roof with five gallons of gasoline and a highway flare.

[palmetto99]

I've have had a few good interactions with with adjusters, but in general, 2x4 to the head would be better.