Dang, Having to settle with a insurance company again

[Venturous Randy]

I think you have the title of this thread all wrong. It should be more like; "I am so fortunate that I get to settle with someone else's insurance again".

You need to give Yammer Dan some lessons.

RandyA

[Yammer Dan]

I could use some!! My Insurance Company sent a adjuster out for the deer damage and his report came back existing damage!! WTF??? This truck didn't have a scratch and thats the way I want it back!!!

[etcswjoe]

I could use some!! My Insurance Company sent a adjuster out for the deer damage and his report came back existing damage!! WTF??? This truck didn't have a scratch and thats the way I want it back!!!

 

Exsisting damage? I kept having to tell my adjuster "that was already there", then he would say "are you sure" and write it down anyway.

[Dragonslayer]

Exsisting damage? I kept having to tell my adjuster "that was already there", then he would say "are you sure" and write it down anyway.

 

I never considered teaching a course in insurance settlement because there are licensed and degreed professionals that do it as a career. Like any profession some better than others. I'm not a lawyer and am not quallified to offer legal opinion. However throughout my personal and professional life I have had to defend myself and my interest in court on more than my share of occassions. My success ratios have been about 90% in my favor in doing so. Like a lot of things in life, having to depend on others to protect, defend, and fight for my best interest has been far, far less successful. Anything that i might say is strickly based on my personal experience and should not be construed or relied on as quallified legal opinion.

 

But, this has worked for me best in the past.

 

Cardinal rules:

1. Document everything with photos (before and after), receipts and documentation of all improvements, add-ons, customizations and modifications. Correctly done modifications, customizations and modifications should be worth dollar for dollar on settlement of what you paid for them.
   
2. Collect examples of best case scenario sales comps on the same model as yours.
   
3. On the older bikes there is a wide range between kelly blue book used vehicle value and Antique, collectable and unique one of kind values.
   
4. Do your homework, show up prepared, state your case and stand your ground. It is the insurance companies job to settle for as little as possible. When it comes down to the cost of defending their position in court their cost goes up dramtically. If your position is strong and well documented they would rather settle before it goes that far.
   
5. I also go into great detail showing how each part was damaged specifically by the scenario of how the accident happened from point of impact throughout bike.Have bike partially disassembled enough to show clearly all damage both visable on the surface and hidden. Keeping in mind that your explainations have to reasonable make sense. If the adjuster smells that your milking it he will probably start moving the other way.
   
6. When pricing parts use original manufacturer's suggested retail price for new parts. You know how proud Yamaha is of their parts. Never use used part prices found on ebay even if the parts are no longer available.
   
7. When evaluating your labor don't sell yourself short. Figure your labor rates at what a professional shop would charge you to do the same work. Currently around here it is 85.00 per man hour.
   
8. In final negotiations, don't blink. The first one to blink loses. Make it clear that you are willing and determined to defend your position untill they offer a satisfactory settlement. If you prevail in court it is routine for you to be awarded attorney fees and all associated cost such as court cost in the judgement.
   

[Dragonslayer]

Hey Bob, clear out your PM box, it's full! The best thing is to delete all your sent messages...

Done did it, watching for your PM