Monday, April 18, 2011

How Can an Insurance Claims Specialist Help?

Generally, most people have a misconception about their insurance agent. They believe that because they have been paying their annual premiums that the agent is concerned about doing what is right for them. While that may be true for a small number of agents, most agents on the other hand know their loyalty is to the insurance company for which they work.

When the adjuster comes out to examine your damage, he or she wants to save the boss as much money as possible. And that means they will do whatever it takes to minimize the value of your claims.

Of course, you won't be thinking about all of these issues at the time. You will be worried and stressed because of the accident, the fire, the storm, or whatever may be the cause of your claim. And that is why it is important for you to use an insurance claims specialist.

What Does an Insurance Claims Specialist Do?
Insurance claims specialists work with people like you who need assistance in filing their claims and in handling all of the other responsibilities that may entail. The specialist can come into the picture and help you answer questions from the insurance company and deal with all of the other professionals who will be involved in making you whole again. You won't have to deal with the phone calls, emails and letters from the insurance company, the contractors, or anyone else. All of that will be handled by your claims specialist. You just work on getting your life back together.

Another important service is that an insurance claims specialist can help you interpret the fine print of your policy. Most of us don't understand the jargon insurance companies use to explain our coverage, the policy exceptions and other elements. They can step in and help you make sense of all the details so you will be armed with knowledge.

Specific Services from Insurance Claims Specialist
As soon as you need to make an insurance claim, you should call in your specialist. Because you will need to make sure your story is coherent, you can work with the specialist before you start answering questions from your agent. Additionally, if you need a temporary place to live or a rental car or even cash to hold you over until you can begin receiving funds from your policy, your insurance claims specialist can take care of all of these areas for you.

Once your basic needs are taken care of, your specialist will start assessing your damages. He or she will be able to provide a true estimate of what you have lost as a result of the accident, fire, or other destructive event. They can also examine your policy and decide what you can expect to receive based on those damages.

After the wheels of the claims process are set in motion, your representative will work with the professionals on your behalf and will help to negotiate the type of settlement you desire and for the amount you deserve. Remember they will be working for your interest not the insurance company's.
Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For Loss Assessor Consultants and Insurance Claim Specialists, he recommends Morgan Clark.
 

Making House Fire Insurance Claims

Are You Prepared if the Worst Should Happen?
The recent house fire at the Buckinghamshire home of broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan highlights the risks we all face of an outbreak of fire in our home. Even when every precaution is made to avoid such a disaster, house fires can still be unavoidable. Will your insurance cover you if your home and possessions are destroyed by fire? Making a house fire insurance claim may not be as straightforward as you expected.
Sir Terry Wogan's house fire was caused by a faulty tumble dryer in a utility room. Fortunately there were smoke alarms throughout the building, alerting residents to the blaze very quickly. All internal doors in the house were closed which prevented the fire from spreading to any other rooms of the house. It still took two firefighters in breathing apparatus two hours to contain the fire. Sir Terry praised the firefighters on his radio show.

Claiming House Fire Insurance
While the damage to Sir Terry's home could have been a lot worse if the fire prevention measures had not been so good, it's certain there will still be a claim to make on home and contents insurance. It's likely there was a great deal of smoke damage to some of the contents of the house, and of course the tumble dryer and possibly some of the other equipment in the utility room has been damaged.
If you were to fall victim to a house fire, would you be able to make an insurance claim? Fire does not just cause damage to replaceable property and possessions . A serious house fire could destroy personal belongings which cannot be replaced. What price can you put on these items? Whatever value you give them, your insurance company may not agree.

Getting the Right Settlement in Your House Fire Insurance Claim
Your insurance company are in the business of making a profit, and they don't do this by giving out vast sums of money to their claimants. Insurance companies employ experts, known as loss adjusters, to review the details of insurance claims and make sure the insurance company pay out as little as possible. An insurance loss assessor will visit the property, taking photographs and making notes on the damage the fire has caused, and will present a report to the insurance company suggesting the lowest possible settlement to cover the cost of fire damage.
You may find that this amount does not adequately cover the loss that you have suffered in a house fire. Unfortunately, most people making insurance claims are not experts and don't have the time, knowledge or experience to put forward a good case. But expert help is available to those making house fire insurance claims.

An insurance loss assessor works in much the same way as an insurance adjuster, compiling detailed evidence of the damage the fire has caused and assessing what the insurance settlement should be. The difference is that loss assessors work for the claimant, not the insurance company. A loss assessor will make a fair and honest appraisal of the damage and present the strongest case for you when making your insurance claim for a house fire. The cost of using such an insurance expert is more than covered by the final settlement they are able to get you.

How to Make a Successful House Fire Insurance Claim
The most important thing to do, as soon as the fire has been taken care of, is to contact an insurance loss assessor as quickly as possible. The sooner they can visit your home and assess the damage, the better the chance they have of getting you a fair and appropriate settlement from your insurance company.
Of course, before any of this happens, you should take every step to avoid the risk of a fire in your home. But if the worst does occur, make sure you use an insurance loss assessor to avoid a disappointing payout from your insurance company.
Truman Associates is a firm of insurance loss assessors in the UK. If you need to make a house fire insurance claim, they can get you a settlement that fairly reflects the loss and damage you've suffered.