10 Myths About Insurance Companies and Insurance Claims

The Truth About Who to Trust When You Need to File a Claim! Watch This Video!

1. Believing that the insurance company is your friend. The insurance companies spend multi-millions of dollars to convince the policy holders that they are on their side, and that they are in good hands, however, can anyone truly be playing for both sides at the same time? Insurance companies are in business to make money, and they will exercise every loop-hole and use every legal language barrier that is available to keep from paying policy holders what is due.

2. Believing that the  insurance adjuster is your friend. Adjusters are truly in the middle, stuck between the policy-holder and the insurance company as the representative. But you can bet that their loyalty is to where their paycheck comes from!

3. Independent adjusters are really “independent”. They are employed, and paid by your insurance company – there is nothing independent about this. They get their paychecks from the same company that is going to give you a settlement check, if you’re lucky to get one. Independent means “no ties to anything”, and this does not apply.

4. Get three estimates and the insurance company will always take the most fair estimate. Since when is an insurance company fair to the policy-holder? The word “fair” really means whatever is the cheapest, and the term “fair” doesn’t apply to you. This is a one-sided kind of “fair” and the ball is in their court.

5. The insurance adjuster’s job is to help you get a good settlement. The insurance adjuster’s job could be described as: Make quick recommendations before the policy-holder uncovers more unaccounted damages, or before they change their mind about the settlement offer! A good settlement to them is a low-balled offer. A good settlement to you is a high-estimate. Which one do you think you will get?

6. The insurance adjuster’s job is to help you prove your claim of the damages. If you read over your insurance policy, you will see that it explains that this is the job of the policy-holder! They are hoping that you cannot do this effectively and completely, so that the insurance settlement will be much lower. By calling Advocate Claims, you are getting professional help with your insurance company and an unbiased opinion.

7. The insurance adjuster will write every detail of your damages. With a large case-load and very little time, the adjuster will struggle to make a complete and thorough claim report. What’s more, they are relying on you to tell them details that you may not be able to give right now. This is where experience counts. Use an experienced, private independent insurance adjuster with a light caseload who can ask the right questions for you.

8. The adjuster took pictures, so you don’t have to. There have been many cases where the adjuster has lost the pictures, catalogued them to the wrong address, or they just went missing. Remember, they have a large case load, and you are just one of their long list of inspections for clients. Always keep your own pictures and take more than you think you will need. Never give them your only copies, either.

9. The adjuster inspected my damages, so now I can make my repairs. Only make emergency repairs if you have to, and wait for the claim to be settled before any work is to be done. Don’t alter the damage in any way until the claim is final. Once you settle, you can begin the repairs.

10. Handling your own insurance claim will save you money. Are you sure that this move won’t cost you more money in un-paid damages and un-paid claims? Consider the possibility that you can’t be an expert at everything, and you should bring in an experienced insurance adjuster to handle the claim for you. Attorneys always say that “people who represent themselves in court, have fools for clients.” Don’t be the fool in this scenario. People who have no insurance claim experience should never try to file a claim by themselves! Insurance claims are a long and lengthy process that an untrained individual will not know how to file properly. Hiring an expert will pay for itself.