Dealing With an Unresponsive Claims Adjuster
When you pay for car insurance, you’re paying for a service you hope you never have to use. When you actually do need it, however, it’s reasonable to expect timely service. But what happens when your insurance claims adjuster is unresponsive, leaving you in the dark about your claim? Learn more about why this happens and what you can do.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Florida, it’s time to talk to an attorney about fighting for the compensation you deserve. Call Whibbs, Stone & Barnett at 850-500-1111 to set up a meeting now.
What to Expect from an Insurance Adjuster
Florida is a no-fault state, which means that your own insurance company will pay for some or all of your damages after an accident. As a result, your communication will likely only be with your own insurance company unless your injuries were more severe.
However, this does mean that you may have a hard time getting ahold of your adjuster. When you have to work with the other party’s adjuster, they have a vested interest in getting you to settle before you find out how bad your injuries are. If your insurance company has to pay for your damages regardless, they may keep you waiting.
This usually isn’t malicious or intentional. Insurance claims adjusters generally have unrealistic targets to hit every month, with most companies requiring adjusters to close out 50 to 100 claims on a monthly basis. This means that at any given time, your adjuster could be juggling calls and emails from dozens of accident victims. Plan on being persistent if your messages are returned late or not at all.
Keep Your Expectations Reasonable
It’s important to be reasonable when you are communicating with a claims adjuster. You aren’t the only claim on their to-do list, so you shouldn’t expect immediate access to them. Whenever you call or email them, give them a few business days to respond. Be clear and concise in your messages so they know exactly what information you need. This saves you both time and makes it easier for them to reply to you in full. If you expect too much from an adjuster and become demanding, they may limit their communication with you further.
When You Get Ghosted
Of course, no matter how patient you are, sometimes you just end up with a bad claims adjuster. You’ve given them time to answer your messages, limited your messages to urgent matters, and remained polite and friendly. You still get no response. It’s time to become a bit more assertive in your approach and push for better communication.
Start by reaching out directly to the claims adjuster. Note that you have had a hard time getting ahold of them, providing dates and times for attempts that have not been answered. Tell them that you would like to know what to expect going forward and ask if there’s anything they need from you.
If there is no movement on your claim, recognize that your claim may be assigned to an adjuster who is on vacation or no longer working for the company. Your claim may also have been reassigned and fallen through the cracks in the process. Call your insurance company’s general customer service line and stay on the line until you talk to a human being. Once they see that there has been no change in your claim, they may move to get it reassigned or push your original adjuster to move.
Finally, if there is still no help from your insurance company, it’s time to talk to a supervisor or manager. You can speak to a supervisor by calling the main claims line and asking to speak to someone in charge.
How an Attorney Can Help
An attorney is also very helpful in promoting an unresponsive insurance company to get moving on your claim. Your attorney can take over the handling of your claim and save you further stress, and in many cases, they can negotiate a significantly higher amount of compensation than you may be able to obtain on your own.
Call Whibbs, Stone & Barnett Today for Help with Your Claim
Not sure what to do after an auto accident in Florida? The team at Whibbs, Stone & Barnett is committed to getting you the full and fair compensation you deserve. Call our team at 850-500-1111 or contact us online to take the first step.
