Insurance – Auto, Life, Home Owner, Health

If you're in the midst of filing an insurance claim, you're likely ready to accept a check from your insurance adjuster and move on. After all, filling out forms and living in a state of chaos is no fun. You want the stress to end and the ability to make the necessary repairs.

However, insurance companies don't always pay you in full so it pays to take your time during this process. Remember that insurance companies are businesses, not non-profit organizations. They are in business to make money, not spread goodwill. This means that they have to make wise decisions, charge premiums for their service, and look for ways to minimize their losses.

Now, you have paid for your coverage through your premiums and you deserve to get the service that you paid for. Unfortunately, unless you are vigilant, you may not be fully reimbursed for your insurance losses.

This doesn't mean that your insurance adjuster is out to get you or is dishonest, but it does mean that you have to be proactive. Insurance adjusters are often extremely busy and don't take the time to thoroughly inspect your home for damage. You must insist on it. For example, if your home was battered in a hail storm, insist that the adjuster physically inspect the roof for hail damage or have a roofing company's inspection report in hand detailing the recent hail damage found.

Keep in mind that the insurance adjuster's estimates may be insufficient. The adjuster may authorize carpet cleaning after a pipe bursts in the home when in reality the carpet will need to be replaced. Another concern is when the insurance adjuster is unfamiliar with actual building costs in your area. In addition, adjusters often use software to calculate repairs. If these calculations were based on an incorrect entry, the results will be wrong. For example, if the adjuster meant to enter 100 square feet but accidentally entered just 10, the dollar amount calculated will be way too low.

Because of all of these factors alone, you must scrutinize every detail. Compare your insurance adjuster's settlement offer with actual estimates. You may need to sit down and negotiate with the insurance company, pointing out mistakes, omissions, and estimates that are too low. This is not unreasonable, nor is it unexpected. However, very few homeowners are willing to take these actions. There's no reason to be intimidated. So long as you have documentation and approach these negotiations professionally, you should be able to work with your insurance company and get paid for the whole thing.