#1: If your agent can't solve your problem, get the name and phone number of the Claims Department at your insurance company. Most of the time, it's an 800 number. Call and ask if they have a department for customer complaints. Most do. If so, you might be able to get help from them if you talk to them. Don't hang up until you know the name of the person you spoke with. (Make a note of who you talked to and keep that information until your dispute is over.)
#2: Be ready to back up your case by sending a cover letter to the person you spoke with that includes all the proof you need to back up your case.
#3: All insurance companies have either a "Appraisal Service" or a "Arbitration Service" to help settle differences and/or disagreements. Your policy should tell you what these choices are. (If you can't find either of these, ask your agent to help you)!
- If, after talking to people from your own insurance company, you feel like you haven't been treated right, you should call 1 800 942-4242, which is a toll-free number set up by the insurance industry.
- If you've followed their rules for solving your problem and you're still not happy, the insurance department in your own state should be able to help.
There are trained people who can help customers who have complaints. This "help line" is open from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday through Friday, Eastern Time.
- MEDIATION: Most of the time, the mediator doesn't have the power to make a decision that is binding or give an award to one side or the other. The mediator only suggests a way to solve the problem.
- ALSO: An "Independent Arbitrator," who supposedly has experience with insurance problems, can decide if what you've been told or offered to settle your claim is fair. You can get in touch with them by calling THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION at 1 212 484-4000 or by going to their website.
Mediation is a good first step because it can stop both sides from having to spend more money. The first thing you should do is read your auto insurance policy to see who will mediate (and/or arbitrate) a claim. You should send a DEMAND FOR ARBITRATION FORM to the person on your policy's list. On that Demand for Arbitration Form, you can write "MEDIATION" or "ARBITRATION" to say whether you want to talk or fight.
DEMAND FOR ARBITRATION You can get FORMS from the Department of Insurance in your state, or you can print a copy of a Demand Form from the American Arbitration Association's website, which can be found (as I said in #6) at.
As you work your way through the above, you must never forget these two important facts:
A. Arbitration is a lot more expensive than mediation.
B. The Mediation Decisions are only thought of as suggestions. But The Arbitration Rulings have to be followed!
Disclaimer: This article, "YOUR AUTO ACCIDENT INSURANCE LOSS: DEALING WITH YOUR COMPANY ON A CONTESTED CLAIM," is only meant to help people understand how to file a claim for a car accident. Dan Baldyga, Peter Go, and ARTICLE CITY don't make any kind of guarantee. They also don't claim to provide any kind of legal service or to be a replacement for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster, a claims consultant, or someone like that. When professional help is needed, IT IS UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL TO GET SUCH SERVICES.
