How to Negotiate Car Accident Insurance Settlements

Over the years many people have reported about getting unfair accident settlements by dealing with difficult and dishonest auto claims adjusters. Many people have felt like they were taken advantage of by the insurance companies and did not receive fair compensation from their car accident claims.

Since settlements for accidents can be so difficult, below you will find several tips that can help you avoid making mistakes and suggestions on how you can increase your car accident claims.

How Do Negotiations Begin?

Negotiations with an auto claims adjuster begin shortly after the insurance company has received your demand letter. The adjuster will give you a call to discuss your claim and possibly meet with you.

You may also receive a “Reservation of Rights” letter from the insurance company. The reservation of rights letter lets you know that, your accident settlements claim investigation has begun and that the insurance company will not pay you anything, if it discovers that you are not under a policy or if the accident was your fault.

Don’t worry; the purpose of the reservation of rights letter is just to protect the insurance company. The letter just makes it clear that you are not entitled to a settlement simply because the insurance company is reviewing your claim.

How Does the Negotiation Process Work?

Negotiating a high car accident settlements claim, with an auto insurance adjuster, is just like bargaining with anyone else. You know what you’re willing to accept from the insurance company and the claims adjuster knows how much the insurance company is willing to pay you. However, both of you don’t know what the other party is willing to accept.

So you go through a typical negotiation dance that looks something like this:

• You start off by asking for a high settlement in your demand letter
• The auto claims adjuster tells you what’s wrong with your demand letter e.g questions about medical treatments, issues of liability, lack of witnesses etc.
• You respond to these arguments.
• The adjuster gives you a low settlement to see if you will jump at the first offer.
• You lower your initial high demand.
• The adjuster slightly raises the initial low offer.
• You and the adjuster go back and forth until you come to an agreement.

The process is usually that simple.

However, there will be times when you are dealing with an extremely difficult claims adjuster, who simply refuses to give you a fair car accident settlement.

Here are several articles that can help you handle these stressful situations and increase the amount of your car accident compensation claims.