Sorry to hear about your luck TestKeys. I’ll ditto the advise to see if you can get coverage under your renters or Homeowner’s policy but it sounds like the personal property lost might be less than your deductible.
On the valuation of the truck. If you’ve been looking to replace the truck with something of same model, age and condition present this to your adjuster. You should be able to bring in either printed ads or something from the dealer/seller. When I handled auto claims I always took into account what that vehicle model and year was selling for locally. Also remember the company may owe you the sales tax and license/registration fees as well.
Lastly if you’re really having trouble with the adjuster talk with your agent. He or she has been accepting your premiums and would like to in the future. They may make a call for you to the adjuster asking them to speed things along.
This bears repeating. I’m an insurance broker, and I’ve got a couple of clients that are now with sub-standard markets now because they insisted on putting through very minor claims against their homeowner’s policies. It’s certainly their right to do it, but insurance companies across the board are total pricks about homeowner’s claims.
It is not that I am having trouble. I assume he is moving things along, at least I hope so, it is just that he is not offering any advice at all. Like when I had to pay the tow fee. I was not repaired for that at all. I can imagine some cities are different and require the tow fee at the time of release and others will wait for the insurance to pay it. I would have thought my adjuster would know these things and at least have warned be that I may have to pay.
I did tell him about it and he told me to include the receipt in the paperwork I sent to him so I assume I am going to get reimbursed but if I had not asked about it I would have lost that $70. It just gave me the sense that he is not doing all he can for me and my claim.
Can I do that? I mean do I just call him up and say “Yo Mr. Adjuster Man, I really liked my old truck and would like to replace it with the same exact vehicle. Here are two ads I found on Auto trader. They are 1993 trucks and I know mine was only a 1991 but they have the exact same things on them and the mileage is the same”
That sounds like I am telling him how to do his job. I mean if he comes back with a settlement that I feel is ridiculously low then of course I will break out my research but shouldn’t I wait until then?
It has only been 11 days since I filed the claim so I hope I hear something next week.
Not likely to work. At all. Really, if there is nothing in your local area same year/make/model to establish at least a baseline for a “typical” TestKeys-mobile that can be compared to YOUR vehicle, go to NADA.com and use the figure that most closely describes your car. You can expect at least that for a settlement. Frankly, if you’re my customer and you’re disagreeing with my offer because you’re looking at newer cars and not a similar number of older ones as well, I’m going to form an opinion about you that is going to determine what I think you’re really after. Turn it around for a second. If you’re going to pay money for a 1993 vehicle, would you accept a 1991?
Yes. Give the guy a chance to be wrong before you warm up the flamethrower. I know a lot of competent reps who just plain suck in the empathy/communication department. In the end, their results are fair, accurate and agreeable to the customer, but they just can’t seem to get the hang of the whole, “imagine-for-just-a-second- that-your-customer-hasn’t-got-a-clue-about-this-process” thing.
I was just using that as an example. I don’t expect to get anything more from them other than what I can turn around and use to replace my vechical or something similar to it.
Okay maybe that is the vibe I am feeling. Maybe he assumes I know all about the process and I don’t have a clue, which is why I asked the question in the first place. I have asked him questions but I get very brief answers. Like when I called yesterday about my plate.
TestKeys: Hi Mr. Adjuster man, this is Ms. TestKeys. I have a question. Can I get my plates from my truck? I didn’t think about it when I saw it at the impound lot. Is it to late to get them? I just renewed them last and I could use them when I get another vechical.
Mr. Ajuster Man: hmmm Ms. Testkeys right?
TestKeys: Correct
Mr. Adjuster Man: [Insert 26 seconds of silence] Okay, it will take awhile. I sent a request. They will come in the mail.
I guess I was looking for more of a “Of course you can get your plates. That is a common thing to forget in these situations. I will put in a request for them to be returned to you via mail. It may take awhile though. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
Maybe I am to high end on how I think an agent should treat their clients. I guess I am expecting the same type of service I get from my regular agent. He just seems so stand offish to me.
Anyway, hopefully next week I will hear something back and then I can go from there.
Quite the contrary. The position you’re in right now, not just the one where you give them your money, is what insurance is really all about. You’ve been paying someone to make and keep a promise to you, and you can rest assured that it will be kept because ALL insurance companies have to keep that same promise: to honor the conditions of your insurance policy.
The only real difference between insurance companies, then, are the intangibles. The things that aren’t written into your policy, but which also don’t cost the company a dime. Personally, I believe I have an obligation to address my customers’ emotions as well as their contractural rights. I do this because it’s how I would want to be treated, because I know that my customers are more reasonable if they believe I am on their side, and because if my customers feel as good as they can about the crummy circumstances they are in then they might just continue to give my company their money and I get to keep collecting a paycheck–just makes sense all around. Sounds like you’re not getting anything extra out of this experience. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if that didn’t make you question whether you thought you were getting your money’s worth, or if you might pay a couple extra dollars a month to give someone else a chance. I’m not suggesting you do anything at all about it, just suggesting that your claims guy hasn’t given the matter a lot of thought.
I never took it personally when someone did the legwork to research the value of their car. If they presented values for a 1993 model when they had a 1991 then I’d point this out when discussing my valuation. But I had several insured’s and claimants provide me with auto trader prices, dealer quotes and newspaper clippings involving cars with the same make, model year and options as the totaled vehicle.
But it does sound like your adjuster is a little unfocused. This time of the year can be that way for auto adjusters. All that snow and ice tends to up the pending claim count. Even in slow times most adjusters carry between 150 and 200 claims. It can get rather overwhelming at times. But Inigo is right it’s the quality of claims adjustment and the claim philosophy that is the actual product of an insurance company.
Inigo, did you always want to be an adjuster when you grew up?
No, I always wanted to be a lion tamer! But when I found myself in this job I figured I might as well do it as well as I could until the circus came back in town.
I actually have thought about it. To be honest I thought about it before my truck was stolen. I was going to get some quotes hoping I might be able to lower my payments but I have not done it because one, I loved the service I got from my agents secretary. She is always so nice and helped me with any questions or changes I made to my policy and two I have been their customer so long that I felt that if I came into a situation that I am now going through that they would bend over backwards for me.
I expected more personalized service. I don’t need a shoulder to cry on or someone to hold my hand but a little consideration to my feelings would help. At this point I would almost rather deal with an automated agent. At least you don’t expect any human emotions from it.
I may go ahead and get quotes after all this is settled if for nothing more than to show me that I am paying a competitive rate.
I have done some research and I plan on bring it to light if I feel I am not getting what I think I should. I am a reasonable person but I am not going to just lay down and take it if he comes back with a figure that is not even in the ballpark.
Th really rough part was I had to make a payment yesterday of $222.40. It was hard to pay for insurance on something that I don’t even have anymore. I know I had to but still
