If you have ever been involved in an automobile accident, you probably had to work with an insurance claim adjuster.  But, what exactly is an insurance claim adjustor and what can you expect when a claim adjustor comes to inspect your damaged vehicle?

Exploring the Job of the Insurance Claim Adjustor 

The insurance claim adjustor is responsible for working closely with you and with your insurance provider in order to assess the damage of your vehicle.  He or she must then determine a fair estimate for the repairs necessary to fix your vehicle or the cost for replacing your vehicle if it has been totaled.

While some insurance companies have claim adjustors that work on their staff, others may hire independent adjustors to perform their assessments.  This can be advantageous to you, as you can be more certain the adjustor will not be biased when assessing the damage and filing a report.

Contacting the Claim Adjustor 

It is not your responsibility to contact the claim adjustor.  Rather, when you file a claim with your insurance company, a representative from the insurance company will then contact an adjustor on your behalf.  Once an adjustor has been selected, he or she will contact you in order to determine when and where to go to inspect your vehicle. 

Determining Your Benefits 

After the claim adjustor inspects your vehicle and determines the extent of the damage, he or she will then contact various garages in order to determine how much it will cost to repair the damage.  You will then receive a detailed report from the insurance company that describes the evaluation that the adjustor made.  If the repair cost is more than the value of the vehicle, your vehicle will be considered totaled and you will receive payment in the amount of the vehicle’s worth before the accident. 

If the damage does not exceed the value of the vehicle, the adjustor will need to determine a fair payout for the repairs.  Generally, adjustors get two different quotes.  One quote is from a top-of-the-line garage and the other quote is based on how much it would cost you to complete the repairs yourself if you decided to take a cash settlement and have someone you know make the repairs.  You may then get to choose between arranged repairs with a garage, in which case the check will be made out to the garage, or receiving a settlement and a check in your name that you can spend as you please. 

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