If you are ever involved in a personal injury accident and hire a personal injury lawyer, you need to understand who insurance adjusters are and how they handle injury claims. It will help you when filing your personal injury case or claim.

Insurance adjusters are known by other names: claims specialist, claims representatives, and independent claims analysts. You need to understand who these professionals are and how they work. It will help you understand that they don’t have the ‘upper hand’ in the settlement negotiations process. In fact, if you understand that insurance adjusters simply resolve personal injury claims and cases, and you completely understand your personal injury case, you will likely be at an advantage.

What the insurance adjuster does

You and your lawyer will probably be sitting down with the defendant and his or her personal injury lawyer in Menifee and negotiating a settlement (out of court!) An insurance adjuster from the defendant’s insurance company will also be present. In some rare instances, your claim may be handled by a group of independent insurance adjusters. This is usually done when the defendant’s insurance company doesn’t have offices in your geographic area.

If you are suing a state or other government entity, keep in mind that they probably have their own claims adjuster offices. While the adjustment and negotiation process is the same, keep in mind that there is a key difference. Your settlement will probably not be very high if and when you win. In fact, it tends to be 10-25% lower than settlements done with private parties.

If the defendant’s insurer is a self-insured corporation, chances are you’ll be negotiating your settlement with another personal injury lawyer. If this is the case, rest assured that the lawyer must follow the same steps and procedures in negotiating your case or claim as the insurance adjuster.If you file a claim or case with your own insurance agency, you will never meet with an insurance adjuster. Instead, your case will be referred to the claims department and an independent decision will be made there.

How adjusters settle claims?

Insurance adjusters have one goal: settle claims as quickly as possible while ensuring that the settlement amount given is as low as possible. They are evaluated on how quickly they settle claims, how many claims they settle each month, and how many claims they can settle on their own each month. Keep in mind that the negotiations process will be quick and, on your side, if the insurance adjuster knows that you know what your claim is worth.

You will probably know more about your claim or case than the adjuster. This puts you at a huge advantage when negotiating the best settlement. Insurance adjusters can settle cases with you over the phone. Also, keep in mind that experienced adjusters tend to have higher limits. Adjusters are tight-lipped about their adjustment limits. The only instance when they disclose these is when they know you will get a higher offer. When they know this, they will refer to their supervisor. You can indeed win if you know the information presented in this article.