Getting in an auto accident can be painful and frustrating. Insurance company intransigence can make things even worse but keeping your cool can make a difference.
The "Big Guys" & Adjuster Burnout
Think about it. Some adjuster is assigned the unenviable task of satisfying the needs of who knows how many crash victims. Various discussions on Reddit suggest big insurers like GEICO, Allstate, or State Farm assigning between four and six new claims to adjusters per day. Since cases don't immediately settle themselves, one can imagine boatloads of cases piling up and crash victims are not famous for being easily satisfied customers.
Adjusting claims of any kind has a high burnout rate and as a consequence, if you angrily scream at the adjuster about the value of your totaled motor vehicle you just might find yourself at the bottom of pile.
Lose Your Cool ... Lose Your Opportunity
Today my law partner Allan mentioned to me a client who took the angry path when hearing the initial offer from the property damage adjuster. Their vehicle suffered $18,000.00 in damage and consequently the insurer was willing to declare it a total loss and pay out $21,000.00.
This infuriated the client and they called Allan. He calmed them down and asked for more details about the reason the car was worth more than what was offered. The answer was that his car was in vintage condition with recent improvements and repairs. Allan then called the adjuster and asked them why the offer was so low and the answer was that the client yelled at her and inhibited communication to the degree that she knew nothing of the improvements and said she would reconsider.
The Happy Ending
Now to be clear, Allan can be both charming and persuasive simultaneously, but an hour later the offer was $26,000.00 and the crash victim was very happy and grateful.
So next time your dealing with an insuarnce claims adjuster, try a little kindness, it just might pay off. If you would rather we deal with your adjuster however, give us a call at 301-317-1001 for a free consultation.
