understanding your insurance policy

understanding your insurance policy

What To Expect From A Claims Adjuster After An Accident

by Tuĝba Van Den Heijkant

When an insured driver is involved in an accident, the insurance company sends out a claims adjuster to review the damage and assist with the processing of the claim. For some people, this already stressful time is made more stressful, as they do not know what to expect from the process. Although all auto insurance policies are different, there are some standard practices you can expect from the adjuster.

Damage Origination

One of the things that the claims adjuster will investigate when they inspect your damaged vehicle is the origination of the damage. By law, your insurance company is only required to consider payment for damage related to the specific incident for which you file the claim. 

For example, if a driver files a claim for damage due to a rear-end collision last week, the insurance company will not offer payment for damage caused by an accident a year prior. The adjuster will look over the incident report and inspect the vehicle to ensure the damage coordinates.

Fraudulent Claims

Your insurance company works to protect your interest in more ways than just providing you with compensation for damage after an accident. They also help safeguard you against fraudulent claims. There are a small number of people who will file a claim fraudulently, such as for an accident that did not occur or by claiming that damage is from a vehicle collision, when in fact, it is from something else. 

Unfortunately, this criminal activity can sometimes cause issues for honest customers like yourself. Consequently, the adjuster will also perform a series of steps to ensure that the claim is in fact true and that what is being claimed is accurate. 

Damage Tabulations

The adjuster will also use their expertise to tabulate the amount of damage to the vehicle. All auto insurance policies have a damage threshold, which is the percent of damage to the vehicle that determines if the vehicle is salvageable or whether it is a total loss. 

If the damage is under the threshold, the insurance company will help cover the cost of damage minus your deductible, but if it is exceeded, you will be compensated for the value of the vehicle at the time just before the accident. Speak with your agent to determine what your policy threshold is.

If you have specific questions about your auto insurance policy, contact a local insurance company directly to learn more. 


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understanding your insurance policy

You keep a copy of your insurance policy in your file drawer, but do you know how to read and understand the policy? Having an insurance policy will protect you from losses, but it won't protect you from all losses. To get a better understanding of what your policy will and will not cover, read through this blog. You will learn about all different types of insurance policies and learn the terminology used in the documents that you have read. Hopefully, by the time you have read through the content here, you will know exactly where your insurance policies are lacking so you can make changes.