Once again, I'm playin' poker with an insurance adjuster

[P&R Fan]

I had a thread on here a few weeks ago about the accident my 16 year old daughter was in where a lady smacked into her left rear quarter panel and took off. We thought it was a hit and run so I got an estimate from a very reputable body shop. Turns out the lady reported it to the police later, so I got her insurance information. It was Progressive insurance. Talked to them and told them I had a repair estimate. They said there were two shops in my town that are approved Progressive repair shops and they wanted me to meet their adjuster at one. I picked one that is a dealership.
Met the guy there and he looked at the car. No employees from the body shop looked at it. He came up with a bid exactly half of the one I had. When I questioned that, he said "well, estimates can vary". I said not by 50%. Took the car to the other approved shop, but this time did not tell them it was a Progressive claim. Estimate was within spittin' distance of my first one. Called back Progressive and talked to a claims manager. He defended his employees bid. I said "so let me get this straight. Are you telling me your insurance adjuster has more expertise in body repair than body shop employees who have been doing this for years?" He said "absolutely". I then gave him my classic line I have used several times with insurance adjusters: I said "Sir, you need to understand something, we're playin' poker. You have a pair of Deuces. I have a Full House, Aces over Ladies, and I'm callin' your bluff".
He didn't quite know how to respond.
We agreed to have an adjuster meet me at the same location I got the higher bid from. Turns out they took me seriously. Got a check to make up the difference.

I have done this numerous times with insurance adjusters. I have won EVERY time.
Jim

 

[amazingflapjack]

Jim-your state most likely has an insurance commissioner with a 1-800 #-there you will find folks that can light a fire under insurance companies. Just letting the insurance co/adjuster know that you are aware of this can often have a dramatic affect. "Well, I guess I'll have to see what the folks at the insurance commission say about that."

 

[rburg]

The insurance companies know they're holding the money and that if they stall long enough, they're still holding the money and you're on the outs. The day after Bush won in 2004 someone broke into my garage and cleaned me out. All my power tools, like chain saws, snow blower, weed eater. They really took my stuff away. So of course I called the police (report takers). And then the insurance company. All these years I've been paying for replacement cost, too. So the girl (a hottie) asked if I had proof of purchase. I told her where I bought all my stuff, and that I had both receipts and owners manuals for most of it. She actually visited the hardware thats our local Stihl dealer.

Then she told me they'd prefer I buy through their approved dealer. I said OK, but the stuff needs to be assembled and tuned, not in a box ready to be assembled. She didn't like that. It seems they can get a real bargain by making the guy who gets it do all the assembly. And of course we did have a disagreement over the models. Some were no longer available, so of course she suggested I take the next smaller model. I preferred the next one up. So November went. And the December came and went. But early January we had a snow storm coming, so I called the hardware and asked my buddy who worked there to put my name on a snow blower, that I'd be there to pick it up. And I paid in cash.

Wow the adjuster didn't like that approach. She was a bit upset, but I pointed out we had about 8" of snow and I didn't think I could depend on her or her boss to come to my house at 6:00 am to shovel it. That got the ball moving. She asked how I was going to handle the next tree limb that fell, and I told her the same way. She could pay someone to come cut it up, or I'd stop at the dealer and just buy a new saw. By then I'd assumed I'd just end up replacing everything myself. But it worked out well for me. She called and told me to go to the hardware and pick up my stuff. The counter guy did my bidding for me. He told her I was a good customer and I wouldn't accept smaller models or off brand junk. I'm guessing she got a discount, but it doesn't matter to me, I got the stuff I wanted. It just took time. I didn't even want cash or a check, just the power equipment. I even got a better quality pressure washer because its what they had in stock.

Now that I think about it, it will be 10 full years in a few months. All my junk is wearing out.

 

[Salty RI]

Next time you have to call Progressive tell them you want to talk to Flo.

 

[STCM(SW)]

Jim-your state most likely has an insurance commissioner with a 1-800 #-there you will find folks that can light a fire under insurance companies. Just letting the insurance co/adjuster know that you are aware of this can often have a dramatic affect. "Well, I guess I'll have to see what the folks at the insurance commission say about that."

Thats what I had to do, I got a call from a VP of the Ins. Co saying I would get what was the est. that was on the spot....

 

[Alpo]

I had trouble with an insurance company, until the other driver received the summons to Small Claims Court.

Then it was all, "No sir, you must have misunderstood. We NEVER said it was partially your fault so we would only pay fifty percent. It was completely our man's fault, and we'll pay it all."

Then I went and got new estimates - it was eight months later, and prices had gone up. Made them pay for filing with the court and the deputy that delivered the summons, too.

They didn't like that. They liked, "Court is next Tuesday" less.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Are we still talking about paying to fix $4K in damage to an 18 year old Crown Vic? If so, I plan to avoid Progressive like the plague. Of course, they keep paying claims like that, and they won't be around long anyway.

 

[P&R Fan]

I think these folks are used to dealing with people who are intimidated by them. I am not intimidated.
I have had a number of dealings with these people and have always won. First time I was only 19. I had a '72 Grand Prix. Really nice car. 400 4 BBL. A friend and I took it on a road trip. Out on a lonely country road I opened up the 4 BBL and took off. Had a 140 MPH speedometer, and I decided to see what that speed felt like. I had just glanced at it as it hit 120 MPH when I heard an explosion. Left rear tire blew. Didn't even go out of my lane. (My Guardian Angel was workin' overtime). Destroyed the quarter panel. Came home and showed my parents. Mom looked at it and said "how fast were you going, 70?" Noooo, Mom. Dad glanced at me with a knowing look and kept his mouth shut. I claimed it on my insurance. I'm standing in my agents office with the adjuster. He advised me I was not covered, as I didn't have collision. I looked at him and said "Please explain to me how I had a collision WITH MYSELF". He had no answer. Got the payment.

I also had a claim a few years ago on a roof replacement on my 100 year old house. Guy came out from the insurance company. Went up on the roof. Came down and gave me a bid of $2,000. I laughed at him. He said they were just going to tear off the top layer of shingles and replace them. I challenged him to find a roofer who would do that. He said they all do. Uh, no, can't even get a permit to do that, plus it's impossible. He maintained it was. I went over his head. Got enough for a total tearoff and replace. Decided to call him up and gloat. For some reason he was no longer with the company. Gee, I wonder why.

I actually enjoy this stuff.
Jim

 

[Muss Muggins]

Wow. No further comment.

 

[Alpo]

I see you are a believer in the "Blue Book" and "totaled".

My truck is 34 years old. If it's in "the book" at all, it probably books at less than two hundred dollars.

There is no way I could get a vehicle in as good shape as mine is for 200 dollar.

You dent my fender, and your company says, "Cost more than 200 to fix it, so your truck is 'totaled'. Here's a check for 200 dollars."

Yeah. That's not happening. Either your insurance company will pay to fix my truck, up to the limit of your liability, or I will cheerfully sue the hell out of 'em. And if you don't have enough insurance to fix it, I'll cheerfully sue you.

 

[brick]

I asked for Flo the last time I talked to Progressive and all I got was a chuckle.

 

[LostintheOzone]

We have a very good attorney in the family that has been quite successful taking insurance companies to court and extracting large sums of money from them. His advice to everyone in the family "if you aren't satisfied with an insurance company's performance, yours or anyone elses, just turn it over to me and I will take care of it". Several people in the family have been in accidents and told the insurance company that the claim was being turned over to a personal injury attorney. Then all of a sudden they become very generous. Too little too late.

 

[brucev]

Read through this thread. Regret to read of those who have had less than satisfactory results w/ insurance companies. Only real big claims I've had have been when cars were damaged by deer, etc. and when a gentleman who was old enough to know better was driving like a teenager with his first license... hit my car from the rear and then wanted to say it wasn't his fault. Ah... GSP said otherwise. His insurance company paid... for the car, lost time, etc., etc. I didn't even have to raise my voice to them. For the record I have been very pleased with how Progressive has handled our few claims. In 2008 I bought a house... February. In May a tornado paid us a visit. Hartford was excellent to deal with. Could not be more pleased with them.

 

[Farmer17]

Make sure you get good insurance in the first place! I'm a construction contractor and I talked with one guy who's house was at ground zero in the last big tornado to hit Moore and he got hammered. He told me he only got $29,000 from his company and I said do you want to fix the inside of the house or the outside of the house. I met other people who lived in $100K houses and their clothes and furniture would MAYBE sell on Craigslist for $20K yet they received $400,000. Years ago I once asked my insurance agent how much I would get if a tornado wiped out my house and he said about $800,000, I was then riveted to the TV every time a tornado popped up hoping it would come my direction!

 

[steveno]

I had Progressive insurance on my 2004 Colorado when a drunk driver and me decided to share the intersection. for sure I thought they would just total it out. Progressive decided that is was worth the money to get it fixed and they replaced the complete frame. it was close to $13,000 to fix it for a $24,000 new truck. they were always on the spot to fix hail damage a couple of times. they even stopped at my apartment on a Saturday to quote hail damage. as far as I know there wasn't any problems with the body shop and their quotes. their rates kept going up and I got tired of looking and listening to Flo.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Made a property damage claim several years ago on my wife's car. As I was hemming and hawing with the property adjuster he asked me if there was going to be a personal injury claim made as well. I told him that all depended on how the property damage claim was adjusted.
It's all a numbers game with the insurance companies. Actuarial science is an amazing thing and is the basis for their business.
Numbers just don't lie and they will stick by them and take the risk that your case may be an outlier.

 

[45Wheelgun]

USAA all the way. They have always been there for me. I discovered that apparently I paid for "stupid" insurance. I backed out of my garage one day with the hatchback opened. It crushed the car and the garage door. USAA fixed me up completely and it was my own stupid fault. They didn't even point out how stupid it was...they were rather kind about it.

I'm not sure how they compare price-wise but I don't care - they have me for Home/Car/Personal Property as well as a Million Dollar umbrella policy. I happily pay their premiums.

 

[arjay]

Mine has always been fair with my auto claims,I live in the hail capitol of the world[emoji57]My last claim was a trip and fall at my open house in the middle of a divorce..They took care of her too [emoji5]

 

[Jeff423]

USAA all the way. They have always been there for me. I discovered that apparently I paid for "stupid" insurance. I backed out of my garage one day with the hatchback opened. It crushed the car and the garage door. USAA fixed me up completely and it was my own stupid fault. They didn't even point out how stupid it was...they were rather kind about it.

I'm not sure how they compare price-wise but I don't care - they have me for Home/Car/Personal Property as well as a Million Dollar umbrella policy. I happily pay their premiums.

They were much less expensive than my previous coverage through AARP or anything my independent agent could come up with. They are one great company. I switched all my insurance to them.

Jeff

 

[meaneyedcatz]

USAA all the way. They have always been there for me. I discovered that apparently I paid for "stupid" insurance. I backed out of my garage one day with the hatchback opened. It crushed the car and the garage door. USAA fixed me up completely and it was my own stupid fault. They didn't even point out how stupid it was...they were rather kind about it.

I'm not sure how they compare price-wise but I don't care - they have me for Home/Car/Personal Property as well as a Million Dollar umbrella policy. I happily pay their premiums.

I was an insurance appraiser (not an adjuster) and wrote estimates for insurance companies and also worked at body shops writing estimates. Plenty of people beat themselves up saying what they did was stupid. I always told them "they are called accidents, not intentionals or on purposes".

I have been also been told that I was going to be sued. I had a few responses.
Sometimes I said "no your not, you have no basis, you don't know what I do and you haven't even heard from the insurance company yet. Crying before your hurt."
Sometimes I simply said "okay" then ignored him until I was ready to explain things.
I am always respectful of others but sometimes the level varies depending on their attitude. I remember one putz said that he was going to sue me as soon as I opened my car door. I chuckled at him. He got his cockles up but with dialog that would confuse a high school dropout I shut him down.

Yes, you gotta watch the less than reputable insurance companies but it goes both ways.