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FOR
AUTO BODY PROFESSIONALS
Thank
you for visiting. We hope that you find this information
helpful. We ask that you pass along this web site
to all of your customers. We think they will find
it extremely valuable and will appreciate your referral.
The
following free information is for those who have had an
automobile accident and wish to get all they are entitled
to. For more comprehensive information including
a way to calculate EXACTLY what the value of your claim
is worth, please purchase "Auto Accident Personal
Injury Insurance Claim (How To Evaluate and Settle Your
Loss)" available for sale by download within
this site.
A
WORD ABOUT LAWYERS
Your
customer does not have to be a law school graduate to
successfully handle his or her accident and personal injury
claim. If they engage an attorney to represent them,
that lawyer is going to reach in and scoop 33 1/3% to
50% right off the top of the settlement (where the cream
floats!) - - for doing little or nothing - - when they
could have handled it themselves.
A
WORD ABOUT ADJUSTERS
Insurance
adjusters are employees of the insurance companies.
They do as they are told. Insurance companies, by
their very nature, are structured to pay the least amount
of money on a claim they can get away with.
What
do insurance claims adjusters look for when examining
a repair invoice?
Typically,
an insurance adjuster is going look for (1) replacement
of parts that were not damaged by the accident (2) replacement
of parts where damage was caused by ordinary wear and
tear (3) charges made for new parts, although used parts
were actually installed (4) overcharge on parts (5)
duplication of parts and labor items (6) inclusion of
previous damage into the new damage estimate and (7)
incorrect addition.
If you are an Auto Body Shop, you are welcome to print
these pages and post them on the wall of your shop.
To find even more in-depth information go to the book
for for sale at this site.
Question 2
Does
your customer need to accept the claims adjusters settlement
value for a "totaled" automobile?
Absolutely
not. The figures in guide books such as the Kelly
Blue Book are not written in stone. There is no
law that requires a person to accept the figures the
adjuster came up with. If the price that's stated
seems too low, they may refuse to accept it. In
a property damage settlement, depreciated values are
reached by using common sense, negotiation and mutual
agreement. Your customer must not be hesitant
to bargain, dicker or argue with the adjuster.
More on this can be found in the book available for
sale online here.
Question
3
How
does my customer make sure they have obtained all the
proper information necessary regarding the property
damage estimate of their vehicle?
As
you well know, in the vast majority of motor vehicle
accidents, there is an "Agreed Cost To Repair"
arrived at between you and the adjuster. That
should be more than sufficient and acceptable to your
customer.
An
important note: There are other property losses
that may have occurred such as damage to clothing, jewelry,
wrist watches, etc. (These are covered so be sure
to advise your customer to obtain written proof of the
cost of each item plus the date it was purchased)
They
have Medical Payments Coverage. How does that
work?
This
type of converge will pay your customer, up to certain
limits, for all medical bills rising out of the accident
- - regardless of who is at fault! (They must
read this coverage carefully because so many people
are covered in so many different ways).
A word about health insurance plans: In
certain instances it may be possible to have your medical
bills paid, and yet avoid any repayment, by using their
non-automobile health insurance policy, or some other
health plan they have. ("Yes" this means
it's possible they may collect twice for the same medical
bills).
Question 5
What
about the threat of obtaining a lawyer?
 This
is always a wake up call to the adjuster for three big
reasons: (a) The cost to his company immediately
skyrockets the minute lawyers are brought into the picture;
(b) Adjusters often feel it is a black mark on their
record to have a case taken from them and put into litigation;
(c) Their insured (the person who caused your damages
and injury) won't be happy to be involved in a lawsuit.
Please
note: If they do hire an attorney, it is reasonable
for your customer to ask that attorney to waive any
fees subtracted from the amount of money they have already
negotiated, up to that point. (Especially the
figure arrived at with you to repair their motor vehicle).
How
do you negotiate a fair settlement for yourself?
 They
must always show the adjuster that they are willing
to negotiate in "good faith". The first
rule of bargaining is that they never lower their demand
until the adjuster makes a counter-offer. Negotiating
a settlement for personal injury is much like any other
negotiation. Your customer is the "seller"
and the adjuster is the "buyer".
ADVISE
THEM TO BE BE PATIENT: A claim settled in
haste is rarely paid its fair and full value.
What
is the single greatest thing I can do to increase
the value of my claim?
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