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By admin, January 21, 2012 2:00 pm

Jeanine Steele
86

What is Colossus?
Colossus is software licensed to about twenty-five insurance companies to aid in predicting the settlement value of claims. The insurance industry maintains it is a useful tool because it considers a great many factors, and the settlement values are just a range for use in any way the insurer wishes. The claimants?attorneys, on the other hand, maintain that the software is only so good as the data input, and we never know what the adjuster has input; that it does not consider interference with normal life activities, or other valid indications of pain and suffering normally proved by lay testimony instead of medical testimony (as required by Colossus); and that it is NOT merely a beginning point, but is instead the FINAL WORD ON VALUE that the adjuster has to adhere to, or else risk unfavorable management reviews.
How would you like to know that only a part of all you are suffering will be compensated? Unless data are input, how can a computer quantify your emotional distress, or the loss of enjoyment of life because you no longer can take long walks with your spouse, or the pain and despair you suffer each day because your work hurts you and interferes with your healing? Unless all of your circumstances are included, is it fair to quantify all you have suffered and reduce to a dollar value based upon some factors that may or may not reflect your condition?
That is the essence of the Colossus software. It is an attempt by some insurance companies to value claims with no consideration at all given to whether or not a jury might award you more than the “average?claimant. They plug in such things as damage to the vehicles and expected length of treatment and allowable cost of treatment and many other variables and then come up with a number for the value of the claim. No consideration whatsoever is given to the extent of your actual pain and suffering.
Nor is any consideration whatsoever given to the fact that you might have a job where your injuries cause continued pain, or which slows your healing (consider, for example a waitress, or a person who has to stand all shift). They do not know, nor do they care, that you cannot hold your baby because of the pain in your neck and back. There is no room in the formula for such information.
But the problem is that in our system, it is the jury that is supposed to be the basis for determining the value of a claim, and juries do tend to listen to and consider many of the factors that Colossus ignores. Juries do make a distinction based upon whether or not they think the plaintiff is believable, or has attributes we value in our society, such as the virtues of honesty, perseverance, humility, or patience, for example.
Colossus has no way to evaluate those positive traits, so if you are possessed of anything positive that is likely to bring you a larger jury verdict, it will not be included in the Colossus valuation. You will have become a magnetic image, no different in regard to your positive characteristics than the magnetic image of any other of thousands of claimants with injuries similar to yours.
The real problem with Colossus is that the adjuster for your claim is just about stuck with the results that come out of the computer. Of course the insurance company will deny this, and will tell the media and the state insurance commissioner that Colossus is nothing more than an evaluation tool. It just gives a starting point, they say, from which the adjuster can move up if the facts of the case merit it. That is not at all true.
The Colossus result is a position that is increasingly locked in, and the adjuster who wishes to vary from it because of the facts of an unusual case, had better be ready to justify it. Furthermore, how many times do you think any adjuster trying to make the cut at an insurance company is going to go to her boss and ask for permission to exceed the Colossus determination of value? Considering that her evaluation and merit pay will be based upon how “efficiently?(read that to mean cheaply, or “hard-line? she settles her cases, do you think she will ever go to her boss to ask for more money than allowed by Colossus? Not very likely.
Colossus is a well-kept secret by the insurance companies that use it, and they will likely not tell you if they have licensed the software. It is the market leader bodily injury claims-handling software used by an increasing number of insurance companies in the world. According to Computer Sciences Corporation, the company which produces Colossus, it is used by more than 50 per cent of the nation’s claim adjusters and by more than 300 insurance companies. Out of the top 20 US Property and Casualty Insurers, 13 are using Colossus.
Most claims insurance adjusters use computer software to appraise any insurance claim that you make. CSC claims that Colossus can evaluate more than 600 type of injuries based on 10,000 different rules. This way, adjusters will obtain a figure from Colossus software and then offer it to you to settle your claim. Insurance companies claim that their adjusters are not required to settle within the suggested Colossus calculations, but that is truly nonsense, and should be investigated by the nation’s insurance commissioners.
How does it work?
Neither insurance companies nor CSC will divulge exactly how they determine the Colossus baseline value. Most of Colossus’ calculation of your claim is based on insurance data to which you don’t have access, and insurance companies certainly do not want former insurance adjusters to tell anything about it either, see the article from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/93800_insurance01).
However we do know that the value of your claim will differ greatly from one region to another and also by the baseline that your insurance company has set. For example, auto insurers using the software select a number of closed, already-settled claims from each region in which they do business to provide the “baseline” settlement value for each type of injury. For example, an insurer might pick 200 back injury cases from a particular region that previously settled for between $1,000 and $5,000 and enter them into the Colossus program. Based on this past settlement data, Colossus calculates a settlement range for similar claims. Therefore the baseline value will be different for each insurer.
But who is there to ensure that the closed claims selected truly represent the norm? Wouldn’t it be in the interests of the insurance industry to “pad?the research by holding back reports of high value settlements? There is no assurance whatsoever that Colossus represents anything other than what best serves the interests of the insurance industry. No one has certified that the base from which the data are drawn was fairly and objectively constructed.
By using Colossus, most insurance companies will try to lower the value of your claim, and will not take into consideration stress, or emotional trauma, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium (relationship), inability to participate in activities that you used to enjoy, or any number of other things that a jury will consider. These factors are not accounted for by the Colossus software.
What Should You Do?
The first thing to do is to determine whether or not the company you are dealing with uses Colossus for any purpose in its claims process. Here is a list obtained through the media, of companies that will admit to using Colossus for some purpose in their claims valuation process.
The following companies are known to license COLOSSUS:

Aetna
Allstate (since 1997)
American National Property and Casualty (since 1997 in 38 states)
American Family Group of Madison (since 1996)
Arrow Claims Management (since 1997)
AXA Insurance (based in UK, one of the world’s largest insurance group) (2001)
Bishopsgate Insurance (since 2000)
Explorer Insurance Company (1997)
Farmers Insurance Group of Companies (2000)
Federated Mutual Insurance Company (1998)
General Casualty Insurance Companies (1998)
Grange Mutual Casualty Companies (1998)
Great American Insurance Company (1998)
Hartford Financial Services (2000)
Keystone Insurance Companies of Philadelphia
Metropolitan Group, Rhode Island Norwich Union
Motorist Mutual –American Hardware Insurance Group (1998)
Ohio Casualty Group of Insurance Companies (1998)
State Auto Insurance Companies of Columbus (1996)
20th Century Industries (1997)
Travelers/Aetna Property Casualty (1996)
United Services Automobile Association (USAA) (1997)
Utica Mutual Insurance Company (2000)
Zurich Personal Insurance (1998)

Therefore, we recommend that you follow carefully our advice on this topic to avoid allowing the insurance company an upper hand in resolution of your claim. How could this valuation software allow them the upper hand? First, as documented above, this is a software program that will produce a result that is in favor of the insurance industry. It does not include factors that may cause real interference with healing, or which may result in many nights of disturbed sleep.
Be it the tortfeasor’s company or your own insurance company, if the company that you are going to deal with for a general damages award has licensed Colossus, we recommend that you consider that in your negotiations. For example, since Colossus produces only an “expected?result based upon an “average?from input verdicts and settlements, you would want to call to the attention of the adjuster any facts that put your situation outside of the norm.
Let’s say that you are a waitress and you sustained a soft tissue injury to your neck and low back. No matter how good and helpful your medical treatment or no matter how much healing you achieve from a couple of days off of work, your condition will worsen just as soon as you again start carrying those trays full of food or drinks. The weight of that tray on one side or the other will make your injuries worse, and it will be much more difficult for you to obtain healing.
Another example might be a single mother who has to pick up her 11 month old baby frequently. She will suffer continued pain from her accident injuries a lot longer than a person who does not otherwise burden healing tissue. Think of how many times a day she has to pick up that child, and what a strain that puts on her neck and back.
Now do you think there is any way that either of these-or like-situations will be covered or considered in the Colossus result? Of course there isn’t. This is the old adage of: “Garbage In-Garbage Out? Since the computer was not queried or programmed to consider either of these circumstances, then it is your job to provide sufficient information to the adjuster to allow her to modify the result from Colossus by making another set of information inputs to the program.
What you have to do is to think about your situation and come up with some aspect of your case that may be a little different than the norm. Then you will make note of that situation in a letter to the adjuster and ask her to confirm that in her evaluation she will make allowance for your situation notwithstanding the result suggested by Colossus. A good resource to consult to get such a letter would be a website specialized in personal injury claim such as SettlementCentral.Com (http://www.settlementcentral.com)
If she does not respond, or if she does not agree to make allowance for your particular situation, we suggest you warn her that you will write to the insurance commissioner. Again, consult the SettlementCentral.Com website (http://www.settlementcentral.com) as they do provide a sample demand letter. As a next step, we suggest that you write to your state insurance commissioner and complain about the use of Colossus. Finally, we think that your state Trial Lawyers Association may have some information or suggestions on legislation to curtail the total reliance on Colossus.
Another key to working with an adjuster who is using Colossus is to make sure your medical record documents everything in a way that the software will reward. There are three key elements to this requirement, and you control only one of them: the other two are held by your doctor (who may not wish to make adequate documentation) and the adjuster (who may not cooperate to let you know what format is required for information to be understood by Colossus).
You will need the cooperation of the adjuster to tell you what format would be helpful to him in getting you full value for your claim. Ask him about the quality of your medical records. Which records were most useful, and which records were virtually useless. He should be able to tell you. This person is not an actual enemy; he has a job to do in this mission, and so do you; you need each other to ensure the case is settled fairly and amicably.
Solicit the adjuster’s cooperation to let you know the specific injuries and specific complaints used to evaluate the claim. Since each complaint and injury must be documented in a medical report to be considered by Colossus, ask him to help you by telling you which doctor needs to make a supplementary record in this case.
If you don’t have a good medical record, you will have to obtain a narrative report from your doctor, or get him to make specific findings that are translatable to input into Colossus.
Additional information such as a letter to the insurance adjuster regarding Colossus, letter to the insurance commissioner, and other Colossus references are available for free on our website at: http://www.settlementcentral.com

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By admin, January 19, 2012 1:56 pm

Doug Taylor
1188

You have probably seen a huge rise in the number of car insurance companies offering their services. From TV adverts, to leaflets through your door, to radio jingles, the list goes on.
It may seem a little frsutrating when renewal time comes. The choices out there are huge. Do you go for this company because they are offering a free keyfob with every cover – or this one because you like the sound of their jingle. Neither, there are many ways to find the best car insurance policy a few tips we will cover here.
First; a car alarm will not only frighten off the thiefs, but also help lower your insurance. An immobaliser has the same affect and better still an alarm, immobaliser AND garage parking. The safer your car the less chance of theft or damage caused by theft.
Second; when you have passed your test the first thing usually recommended to you by your instructor is advanced lessons or advanced course. You may think ‘I’ve already passed, I don’t need to’ but insurance companies treat your devotion to safer driving seriously. Not only will it help you with your skills, but will save a few pounds.
Third; shop around. There are a number of companies, and with competition comes price wars. Insurers are looking for your business, don’t be afraid to try and haggle on price. If not you could try an online company, e.g. theaa.com, who will contact a number of leading insurers to get you the best quote.
Fourth; buy your car insurance over the internet. Many car insurers are offering discounts of around 10% simply for buying online. If your car insurance is usualy ?00, you save ?0 instantly buying online – well worth logging on for!

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By admin, January 17, 2012 1:56 pm

Michael Trusthold
454

Would you buy a used car–with cash–from someone you just met in the bar, and who walked you down a dark alley to show you the car? Not likely. How about from a well-dressed, friendly, middle-aged man or woman, who placed a classified ad in your local newspaper, and who meets you midday at a restaurant of your choice?
Oops! You may be more likely to be cheated by seller number two. That’s the story of Jennifer Warwa, who bought a minivan and had her mechanic examine it. The mechanic later said how shocked he was that Jennifer had been scammed:
“Because I met the gentleman who was selling the vehicle. Very clean cut. In his fifties. Very soft spoken…. And he went with her to get it inspected. There was just no sign that was the kind of person he was” the mechanic told CBC’s Marketplace.
A few months later, Jennifer got a phone call from the police. They said she had purchased a stolen minivan, and they were coming to seize it. She was so upset, she tried to hide the van from the police. Eventually they caught up with her and she ended up paying for a year and a half for a $5,000 bank loan on a van she could not drive. Ouch!
Jennifer was just one victim in the chain that included the original owner, the insurance company, other consumers whose insurance rates keep rising, and the police, who spend thousands of hours tracking thefts. According to the FBI, a vehicle is stolen about every 25 seconds in the USA, amounting to an $8 billion yearly problem.
Here’s how these scams often work. Thieves target particular cars: for their value, their ease of resale as a whole or in parts, or because they are easier to steal. Years ago, most cars were stripped for parts, including unusual parts such as airbags. But today some thieves are so brash they sell cars through newspapers.
This newer scam is called “VIN cloning”, because the Vehicle Identification Number is stolen from another car. Criminals obtain VINs by copying them from the dash of cars in parking lots–even at dealerships. Some even physically remove the VIN plate from vehicles in auto salvage yards that allow customers to “pick your own parts.” (They do not mean that literally!) The number is used to falsely obtain new ownership documents, or documents are forged. Either way, a cloned VIN allows them to transform stolen cars into pseudo- legal vehicles that can be officially titled and sold. Many thieves work across state lines: cars may be stolen in the East, registered in the Mid-West, then sold in California. Scary!
Here’s what you can do to avoid buying a stolen car:

Check the VIN on the dash against the VIN in the driver’s door jamb, under the hood, and on the paperwork
Use the VIN to get the car’s history at carfax.com for about $20
Ensure title and registration documents match the name and address of the seller
Is the car from out of state?
Be suspicious if you must meet a private seller in a parking lot. Better to see that they live at the address where the car is registered
Has the vehicle recently been transferred?
Does the seller use a home or work phone number, or just a cell?
Is the selling price oddly low?
Be warned that some used car dealers are getting scammed, too
Pay by certified cheque or money order, not cash.

Keep in mind that most private sellers are not thieves, but rather honest, regular folks like you. And prices do tend to be lower with private sales. So if you follow my advice, you can greatly improve your chances of driving away with a “genuine” used car.

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By admin, January 15, 2012 2:01 pm

Philip Franckel
436

Below are some tips to reduce your auto insurance bill, prevent substantial premium increases and avoid becoming assigned risk.
Claim Reports: You know about credit reports, you should also know about claim reports. C.L.U.E.?(Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange), is a claim report service provided by ChoicePoint, Inc. ChoicePoint, Inc. states on their web site “C.L.U.E. is a claim history information exchange that enables insurance companies to access prior claim information in the underwriting and rating process. C.L.U.E. Personal Property reports contain up to five years of personal property claims matching the search criteria submitted by the inquiring insurance company. Data provided in C.L.U.E. reports includes policy information such as name, date of birth and policy number, and claim information such as date of loss, type of loss and amounts paid.”
Tip: C.L.U.E. reports contain information on claims history by a residence address. Just like credit reports, a C.L.U.E. report may have errors. It is advisable to obtain a copy of your C.L.U.E. report at ChoiceTrust.com to check your report for errors.
Credit reports: Insurance companies are now looking at credit reports to determine future premiums. They have determined that people with better credit scores have fewer claims. Consequently, if you have a poor credit report you may find yourself paying more for car insurance.
Tip: Always make at least the minimum payment for your bills on time, particularly your insurance bill.
Glass Coverage: Most auto insurance salespeople recommend “full” glass coverage for an additional premium, when you purchase collision coverage for your car. They remind you how much it costs to replace all your windows if broken by a vandal. What they do not tell you, and it is unlikely that they would even know (I would only trust the answer from an underwriter, not a sales representative), is whether your insurance company will use a previous glass claim to increase your future premium and whether they will report your glass claims to C.L.U.E.
Some insurance companies will report glass claims to C.L.U.E. and then use these claims to raise your premium or even worse, cancel your car insurance policy making you assigned risk with a substantial premium increase. Allstate notified me that after four claims in less than five years, they terminated my auto insurance policy and then offered to sell me coverage in their Indemnity Company with a shocking premium increase. These claims consisted of two claims for a broken windshield, one for a stolen and recovered car and one accident.
I had a sports car and had to endure a total premium increase over a period of four years of approximately $12,000 and remain claim free before I became eligible for coverage outside of the assigned risk pool. I wrote a letter to the president of Allstate complaining that they should not have considered my glass claims when canceling my car insurance because the glass claims were made under a separate part of the policy for which I paid a separate and additional premium. Allstate responded in a letter stating “Although this claim activity does not indicate that you were directly at fault in each loss, the frequency and severity of the above losses was not within our range of acceptability. After careful review, I regret to inform you that we cannot reverse our original decision regarding the above policy. We have however continued to offer coverage in our Indemnity Company.”
Tip: Check with the underwriting department of your insurance company to see if they will consider glass claims when assessing premiums or if they report glass claims to C.L.U.E. If yes, do not make a glass claim. The two windshields which Allstate provided me with were aftermarket windshields which would have cost me less than $300 each. During the last 30 years of my driving history, I have experienced two broken front windshields, one broken rear windshield and two broken side windows. While the financial risk of totaling a car can be substantial, the financial risk of replacing a windshield is comparatively insignificant. It does not make sense to file a glass claim if it will increase your premium. You may even want to decline this coverage altogether and save the premium.
Tip for leased vehicles: Some lease agreements require that the car be returned with an OEM windshield. If you lease a car and replace a front windshield using your “full” glass coverage, insist that the insurance company provide you with an OEM windshield from the manufacturer. If you pay for the windshield yourself, check your lease agreement carefully to see if you must use an OEM windshield from the manufacturer or if you can use an aftermarket windshield. Some people with leased cars who have replaced a windshield with an aftermarket windshield are shocked, when they return their car, to find that the leasing company is charging them $800 for a new OEM windshield, even though the aftermarket windshield is in perfect condition.
Car Rental & Towing Coverage: While it may be a good idea to have this coverage, it is not always a good idea to use it. Some people have realized that this coverage is not just available when an accident has occurred. For instance, some people have used the car rental coverage when their car was in a repair shop or the towing coverage when their car broke down on the road. As with glass coverage, using this coverage may be the same as filing a claim.
Tip: Check with the underwriting department of your insurance company to see if they will consider rental or towing claims when assessing premiums or if they report these claims to C.L.U.E. If yes, do not use car rental or towing coverage unless you have had an accident, in which case it will be part of the accident claim. If you are concerned about towing costs when your car breaks down, you can buy one of the roadside assistance memberships such as the one available from AAA which provides additional benefits not provided by your automobile insurance policy.

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By admin, January 13, 2012 1:57 pm

Viojieley Gurrobat
651

Imagine driving down the highway on a clear Monday morning. Everything was going perfect when suddenly another vehicle came skidding from the opposite direction. You stepped onto the break but it was too late. You tried to avoid the other car but unfortunately you hit your car into a post. Dazed and somewhat unable to believe what just happened, you came out of your car with a few scratches and injuries. People came to help you and the police arrived to investigate. In this instances, when you do not know what to do you might tamper the evidences and risk your chance of getting insurance benefits and auto accident injury claim.
After the accident you would probably ask, is it possible to handle your car accident claim yourself? The answer is yes, it is possible. Besides, if you do not have a lawyer you can save money from not having to pay attorney’s fees. But just the same you will have a hard time proving your claim to the insurance company. Remember that insurance companies are also looking after their interest so they would always find a way to reduce the amount of your settlement.
Probably the only way to get a fair settlement is to have an experienced and reputable lawyer by your side. The intensive training and skill of auto accident lawyers can help you get a positive outcome in your claim. Additionally, when the insurance company knows that you have a lawyer to explain all your legal options, they would be willing to settle without delay to avoid the extra costs. Lawyers always give insurance companies the scare that they need so they would not give you a hard time in processing your claim.
An attorney will also always make it a point to increase your settlement amount to cover his fee. So financially speaking, it’s a win-win situation. So let your lawyer handle your legal case. After all, following the accident your greatest concern is getting yourself medical attention to get back to work as soon as you can. Your lawyer would be more than a legal representative in this case. He can be your friend, confidant, and even your greatest ally. Hence, let your lawyer do all the dirty job and focus most of your energy in doing everything it takes to get your life back to normal.

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By admin, January 11, 2012 1:58 pm

Simon Jacobs
1176

Many motorists have long benefited from the ‘drive other cars?clause most insurers have included in their policies. This means that it is legal to drive a vehicle that does not belong to you, with the owner’s permission, and that you will be insured. Generally you are able to drive another person’s car if you are insured fully comprehensively but will be insured on that car third party fire and theft. A leading insurer, Norwich Union, has now changed its car insurance policy and will not cover people to drive cars for which they are not directly insured. The ‘drive other cars?clause that has been included in most policies for years, has now come under the spotlight and motorists have been advised to check with their own insurance company before they borrow someone else’s car.
The benefit of being able to drive another person’s car depends upon a variety of factors not least whether the individual insurer allows this. Other factors include the age of the driver; they often have to be over 25, and the driver’s record. For example if the driver has made several claims and also has penalty points then they may not be covered to borrow someone else’s car.
Norwich Union is removing this option to drivers as it says that too many people are using it as a scam to reduce the cost of their car insurance. The ‘drive other cars?clause is also seen by police to be a hindrance in overcoming the issue of uninsured drivers. This might be seen as a setback by many law abiding drivers who have been able to use someone else’s car in an emergency, such as taking someone to hospital. However, many dishonest drivers abuse the system by buying low cost car insurance for a small car and then borrowing high powered performance cars belonging to friends. These are cars that they would never normally be able to drive. Because of this new restriction insurers believe that dishonest behaviour will be curbed.
Other car insurance companies thought to be following suit include AA, Cornhill Direct, Royal & Sun Alliance and Axa. These changes are being made as a result of suggestions by the Department of Transport who feel that phasing out the clause will prevent uninsured drivers from getting an easy ride.
Paul Jenson from Hoot Car Insurance Services www.hootcarinsurance.co.uk has this to say to drivers who are worried that they might not be insured:
“It’s always best to check that you are insured on another person’s car before you borrow it. In the past, more often than not, it’s been acceptable to drive your mate’s car but now many insurers are phasing this option out. You can have you name put on another person’s car insurance policy very cheaply so if you want to regularly drive your girlfriend or boyfriend’s car or your Mum doesn’t mind you borrowing hers, then you can do so legally. Insurance companies will also be lenient on people who have a genuine emergency, for example if they need to get to hospital quickly and the only car available belongs to someone else.?

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By admin, January 9, 2012 1:59 pm

Dan Baldyga
21

Here comes the insurance adjuster. Is he overly friendly? If so, watch out! It’s OK to be hospitable. Be good-tempered and cordial – - but beware! Never forget he’s paid to save his company as much money as he can. That’s the name of his game.
DON’T SIGN ANYTHING: Don’t overestimate the good will of the adjuster. They’re trained to investigate accident cases in such a way, if at all possible, to make their insured look good. Many unsuspecting individuals fall prey to the adjuster who seeks to protect his company’s pocketbook at the expense of a legitimate claimant.
If a company calls you and suggests they take your statement over the telephone, tell them you would prefer to meet with an adjuster. Don’t agree to dictate a verbal statement into a tape recorder over the phone, and certainly not when you’re in the presence of an adjuster. Don’t sign a statement when you meet with him. Whatever the circumstance may be, advise whomever you’re dealing with that you’ll be more than willing to provide a signed statement, after your claim has been settled.
HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE ADJUSTER: Be pleasant, but firm. No matter how much in the wrong the person is that hit you, no matter how they acted at the scene of the accident, and no matter what they may have verbalized to or at you, don’t take it out on the adjuster. It’s not the adjuster’s fault if his insured is an idiot.
You must never underestimate the importance of the adjuster’s impressions and conclusions, all of which go into your file. What he feels and reports about you have a great influence on the final disposition of your claim. If he likes you that’s money in the bank. On the other hand, if he gets upset with you he has the ability to twist the facts to make you look bad. Once that’s been done, it will be set in cement, go into your file and, without you’re ever being aware of it and haunt you to the last dollar of your settlement.
THE ADJUSTERS CLAIM LOAD: The job performance of insurance adjusters is judged not only on how little of the company’s money they spend in settlements, but also on how quickly they settle the claims assigned to them. They’re constantly under pressure to settle your claim; to get rid of it and move on. The adjuster will never tell you, but the weight of their caseload comes down on your side of the scale. It’s an advantage people are never aware of.
THE ADJUSTERS SETTLEMENT AUTHORITY: The Adjuster’s authority to settle claims on their own is restricted on how much experience they have. For a less experienced adjuster, perhaps $5,000 to $10,000, but for a more experienced adjuster, their settlement authority may go as high as $20,000. When bigger bucks are involved they usually have to be given permission to settle the case from their immediate supervisor.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Don’t let a sweet talking insurance adjuster manipulate you into feeling good about your relationship with him and the eventual outcome of your claim. In the vast majority of instances that’s not the way you should play the game because if provided with the opportunity, they’ll almost always take advantage of you. That’s a fact of life. Know and understand that they’re only doing their job. Their assignment is to save money for the company who signs their paychecks – - no matter what it takes.
If you have a legitimate claim stay cool and understand what you’re up against. Don’t be impossible to deal with, but remain steady. Remember that the adjuster wants to look good to his company. He doesn’t want your claim to end up in court, plus he wants to reduce his caseload. Be patient. At the end of the day, after the dust has settled, he’ll be forced to do the right thing.
DISCLAIMER: The only purpose of this claim tip is to help people understand the motor vehicle accident claim process. Neither Dan Baldyga nor (name of magazine/newsletter and/or web site) make any guarantee of any kind whatsoever; NOR to substitute for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster, or claims consultant, or the like. Where such professional help is desired it is the INDIVIDUAL’S RESPONSIBILITY to obtain said services.
Dan Baldyga’s latest book AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM (How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss) can be found on the internet at his web site http://www.autoaccidentclaims.com or visit your favoite bookstore.
Copyright (c) 2002 Daniel G. Baldyga. All rights reserved.
Dan Baldyga

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By admin, January 7, 2012 2:01 pm

Joseph Kenny
714

Auto insurance is a form of insurance available to consumers who own cars, trucks and other vehicles. It covers the insured party against the risks involved in owning or driving a vehicle. This may be a car accident, damage caused to other cars or property, loss to passengers in your car, and damage to your car itself.
Optional Covers
There are different levels of insurance available depending on what risks you wants to cover. You can cover against the costs of repairing your vehicle after an accident. You can cover the cost of purchasing a new car should yours be stolen or damaged beyond repair. These are optional covers.
Liability insurance on the other hand is compulsory for all drivers. This will cover the risk of claims being made against you as the driver or owner of the vehicle that caused damage to the property of another, the vehicle of another, for medical expenses of others injured as a result of an accident, including passengers in your car. If you have liability insurance, it will only cover these risks. If you have comprehensive insurance it will cover also the risks to yourself and your own vehicle.
GAP Insurance
However, even comprehensive insurance will not fully cover your risks. First of all there is the issue that, as soon as you buy a new car, its price suddenly drops significantly because it is no longer new. It is used. So if you were to destroy your car the day after buying it, the insurance company would likely assess the value as something less than what you paid for it, even though you may still owe a good deal more than that in payments and financing.
To cover the chances of this happening, so called GAP insurance was developed. This covers the difference in the actual value of your car, and the amount you still owe in payments. The growth of vehicle leasing has also led to GAP insurance becoming more important.
Extra Cover
In the US, the insurance policy will generally cover the owner of the vehicle and any others who drive the vehicle so long as they do not live at the same address. For those living at the same address, you should have them specifically added to your insurance policy for an extra fee. This means that if you crash someone else’s car, while driving it with their permission, you will be covered by their policy, not your own. Non-owner policies are available to cover you on other people’s cars but these will only be available if you do not own your own car.

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By admin, January 5, 2012 1:58 pm

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Car Buying Tips
A ? square?is simply a sales tool used by many car dealers. We will discuss how this works a little later. For now, it is important to understand that buying a car isn’t one negotiation, it’s many: the price, trade-in value, monthly payments, down payment requirements, and the financing. It is important to understand that just because a dealer is making a profit, there are still products and services they offer that are of value to you. Some examples would include: Extended Warranties,
Credit Life insurance & Disability insurance, Gap Insurance, Alarm Systems and other aftermarket products. Be sure to choose the ones that are right for you, but make sure you know how much you are paying for each, and don’t pay too much. The idea behind the ? square?is to help the dealer satisfy you in one area, while maintaining profits in the other. That’s why dealers can sometimes sell cars for “a loss” and still make thousands on each car deal ?be sure to pay very close attention to the entire process. The idea of the ? square?is to get you to focus on only one area of the sale and not look at all four. You must make sure you know what is happening on all four corners of your car deal. Here are the 4 things that make up a car deal.

The price they are asking for their vehicle
The dollar value they are showing for your trade
The amount of down payment you need
The total monthly payment (including all options, Tax, title and fees)

The hard truth is that you will always be at a disadvantage when shopping at a car dealership. You are a part time buyer, and the sales professional is a full time sales associate. If he is a professional, he is likely to win at any “game playing?you get involved in. Arm yourself with as much information as possible before going shopping. This should help to even out the odds a bit.
The first thing you have to understand is what the dealer is trying to accomplish, and why. Games starts even before you visit the dealer, either on-line or in person.
Open a Sunday paper, for example, and just look at the dealer advertisements: They promise super low payments, top dollar for your trade-in, and the best prices in town. But, as with most selling, “buyers beware? The simple truth is that dealers are always having a “Big Sale? That’s because consumers automatically translate the word “sale” into “save.” Dealer advertising is designed to get you to shop today! They want you to drop everything and rush down in a fit of excitement without stopping to think.
Many dealerships have their sales people practice what are called “Word Tracks? Word Tracks are pre-rehearsed statements that sales people learn, that help them respond to commonly asked customer questions. A “Word Track” system is a sales training program designed to put every customer through similar sales steps with the goal of closing that customer for the maximum dealer profit.
The dealers goals are always the same: They want you to pay full sticker for their car. They don’t want to negotiate – only you do. Do you want to spend $300 a month? A savvy seller will get you to pay $400. If you refuse, he will simply switch you to a different car for $300 per month, but it will be a car you could have bought for less. Your job is to negotiate a “fair deal? A “fair deal?is simply a price and payment that you are willing to pay, at a price and payment the dealer is willing to accept. Easy right ?Not quite?
Be aware that car manufacturers control their inventories with the use of incentives such as rebate and special rates. The higher the incentive the more of that product they will sell. This insures that they sell the inventory they sell. These incentives will change throughout the year, depending upon shortages or surpluses of inventory. An incentive is anything that adds extra value to a car. For example of a car list for $30,000 and has a $4000 rebate, then the car is really selling for $26,000. In another example, a car that sell for $30,000 at a 7% interest rate would have payments of around 595.00 a month. The same car at 0% would have payments of only 510.00 a month. This is a huge saving to you. Find out what vehicles have what incentives. This could save you thousands! Check the Edmunds.com Web site for the latest incentives and rebates available for the car you want to buy.

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By admin, January 3, 2012 2:02 pm

Michael Challiner
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When you arrange your motor insurance policy, you get the chance to stipulate how much excess you are willing to pay. This means that if your car is repaired through your insurance policy, you have to pay a certain amount towards the cost. You will usually have to make the payment direct to the garage that fixes your car. If your car is badly damaged and is consequently written off, the insurance company will give you a settlement payment, minus the excess that has been agreed on the policy.
If the accident was no fault of your own, then the other driver’s insurance company will reimburse you for the amount of the excess payment. However, not all situations are that simple, because what happens if the other driver does not have any insurance?
It is illegal for any driver in the UK to drive uninsured (see the 1988 Road Traffic Act, section 143), all drivers must be insured so as to cover the costs if they cause damage to a third party. Unfortunately, many drivers take the law into their own hands and choose to drive uninsured. It’s impossible to make an accurate estimate of how many people are driving uninsured, of course, most uninsured drivers aren’t going to publicise that fact.
The Department of Transport has used its own information and records to make an informed estimate, and they suggest that as many as 1 in 20 drivers are driving without insurance. Because of these people, drivers who have insurance are paying more on their premiums, and many road users are being put at risk on a daily basis. The fact that many drivers have no insurance is being considered as a growing problem in our society.
Why does it matter so much if you have an accident with an uninsured driver? Well, if the accident is their fault, the money to pay for your damages will come out of the Motor Insurers’ Bureau funds ?they get all their money from the industry, which is why you’re paying more on premiums. The other disadvantage is that there will be no-one to refund you the excess, so you will be out of pocket too.
What does Compulsory Excess mean?
When you sign up for your car insurance policy, you will have to choose an excess, but the insurance company will stipulate the minimum amount that they are prepared to offer you. This will be based on your driving record and your personal details, and if you are an experienced driver with a clean record, you may be offered a minimum excess of ?0. The average for most drivers is ?00. On the opposite end of the scale, young drivers or those with convictions or accidents that were their fault may be faced with a compulsory excess of ?00.
What does Voluntary Excess mean?
You may have the opportunity to lower your premiums by agreeing to a higher excess. Your voluntary excess is the additional amount over the compulsory excess that you are prepared to pay if you need to make a claim. Because you are promising to pay the insurance company more in the event of a claim, they are able to pass on some of the savings to you, so you pay less on premiums.
My car has just been prepared but until I pay the excess, they won’t give me my car back ?is this normal?
Yes, all garages operate in this way. To protect yourself, give the car a full inspection when you pick it up to ensure that all the repairs have been carried out to a good standard. You also need to make sure you keep the receipt for the excess payment because you will need to show this to the third party insurer to get the money back. In case the money ends up being disputed, also get a copy of the repair schedule so the insurer can see exactly what work was carried out on your car.