If an insurance adjuster refuses to negotiate with you about the liquidation of your claim, you'll need to take action. Writing a letter confirming the refusal is a good first step, as it will become part of your claim file. Additionally, all insurance policies have an obligation to cooperate clause, which states that anyone covered under the policy must cooperate with the insurance provider's investigation and defense of a claim. If the at-fault driver refuses to cooperate with their own insurance company, they could eventually be denied coverage. If you don't have full coverage, you'll need to work with the adverse insurance company to manage damage to the property and rental vehicle.
To get the adjuster's attention, you can use the squeaky wheel strategy by calling often or ask a supervisor to step in and help push your claim forward. If the appraiser used by the insurance company has not conducted a full and thorough investigation and denied your claim, you can hire a public appraiser to investigate your claim properly. If the insurance company still refuses to settle or continues to deny your claim, you can present the public adjuster's findings in a lawsuit. Your lawyer will have the names or contact information of public appraisers in your community. It's also important to remember that insurance adjusters are not your friends; they are trained to be friendly and approachable but ultimately work for the insurance company's profit. If you believe that an insurance adjuster is not conducting a full investigation, such as waiting two or three weeks to talk to you about what happened or verify damage caused to your car or home, it may be time to hire a competent attorney with experience fighting insurers.
The lawyers at Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana know how insurance companies work and the tactics that appraisers use to unfairly deny claims.
