How long do insurance claims take?
Insurance claims are not a one size fits all. We wish we could tell you that after you file a claim your insurance company will come out to inspect and issue a payment for all the damages and then your claim will be closed in 3-6 months and you’ll never have to think about it again. The truth is, you could accept that payment and be done with your claim but that could mean leaving money on the table or not having all the repairs done correctly.
The duration of your claim can also depen...
Coverage Outside the Policy Due to Insured’s ‘Reasonable Expectations’
As an adjuster, I don’t talk to judges but I do “measure and document” the valuation of insurance claims and present those claims to insurers. I was recently asked by an attorney to present a claim that demanded coverage be applied outside of the policy.
We see demands all the time to “reform” the policy and sometimes we see insurers rolling over as well and paying those claims as well; although, this is not something that is common.
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The Umpire’s Role in the Resolution of Insurance Valuation Disputes
Insurance policies provide a method of dispute resolution called “appraisal”. When an impasse in the determination of the amount of a loss is reached, one party will demand (or request) appraisal and will name an appraiser. The other party will do so as well. The two appraisers will appoint a third appraiser to serve as an umpire and two of the three can render an award that will bind all parties.
This simple explanation of the appraisal...
Does Insurance Cover Mold in Your Car?
Is There Such a Thing as; Automobile Mold Insurance?
I recently had a friend tell me that she had returned from a vacation to find that her car was full of mold and the resulting damage was extensive. Her car has a T-Top which was a likely source of the water entry into her car.
She had planned to submit a claim to her insurer to address t...
Civil Authority Insurance Coverage
It wasn’t that long ago when a distraught man called 911 and told the person who answered that he had a gun and was going to commit suicide. “Come and get my body before my discovers it”, he begged.
The police quickly stormed his house with bull horns telling him to “Come out, come out! We know you are in there!”
When he didn’t come out, the police fired tear gas into his mobile home. &nb...
