Why You Need To Know Who An Insurance Adjuster Is
When you’re in any kind of accident, whether it’s a slip and fall, auto accident or any other, you may well have to deal with an insurance adjuster at some point in time. Many people are confused as to who these people are and why they seem to have so much power over the settlement you can receive.
The truth is, they’re a middle person between you and the insurance company, and their job is to stop you from getting the payment you deserve. You can, however, beat their game if you know how to approach the issue. Learn why you’re not alone in wondering what is an insurance adjuster, and why dealing with them can require help from a qualified personal injury attorney.
What Is an Insurance Adjuster?
You’re not the first person to have exclaimed, “what is an insurance adjuster?” while being frustrated with the negotiations for your case. Also called claims adjusters, claims specialists, insurance analysts or by a range of other titles, they have a simple job and it’s to settle your claim as fast and for as low a dollar value as possible.
These men and women are evaluated on job performance based on the number of claims they resolve. They could see over 100 claims per month and be expected to complete all of them. They are also given the power to negotiate the value of the settlement, but they also may be under restrictions as to the maximum amount they’re allowed to negotiate without getting permission from the company.
What Determines Limits?
The limits that a claims adjuster may face depend largely on two factors. The first is whether they are a company employee or an independent contractor. The second is the amount of experience they have on the job. For adjusters who are experienced and independent, they may have a limit ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, not much. Even for more experienced adjusters, though, they might have a limit of up to $20,000.
Your case is likely worth much more than that, and that’s where the problem comes into play.
Non-Payment Tactics
The adjuster wants to settle your claim. They want to do it fast, and they want to do it for cheap. They’ll start by throwing out a lowball offer and trying to convince you to just sign off. If that doesn’t work their negotiation tactics sometimes include threats of lawsuits, bullying, even blaming you when you’re actually the victim. Their goal is to wear you down and get you to just agree to whatever they’re offering. They can even settle claims over the phone.
Don’t fall prey to these tactics, and don’t sign anything.
Call a Personal Injury Attorney
If you’re dealing with a claims adjuster who is giving you problems, you are well within your rights to tell them that your attorney will be in touch. Then, you should call the Nashville personal injury attorneys at Mitch Grissim & Associates. Give us a call for a free consultation about your injury case, and let us take on the negotiations for you today.
