Occasionally, our insurance company may not live up to our expectations. If you are dissatisfied with your insurance company’s processes you may issue a complaint against them. There are several ways in which you can file a complaint and achieve a resolution with an insurance company. The most common complaints faced by insurance companies include adjuster delay tactics; claim denials; unsatisfactory settlement offers; increased premiums; and unexpected cancelations.
When filing a complaint you should keep copies of any and all correspondence between yourself and the insurance. This precaution will help you if your complaint escalates to mediation, arbitration, or a civil lawsuit.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Phone Call
Contact your insurance agent or company by phone to notify them of your dissatisfaction. You can ask your insurance agent for help resolving your concerns. However, if they cannot assist you, you can request the name and number of the head of the claims department. If you call the insurance company, note the date, who you spoke to, and the details of the conversation.
Written Letter
If you prefer, you can send a written complaint to the insurance company. You may also do this if your phone call wasn’t as effective as you had hoped. When writing a letter of complaint include the following: the date, your name and policy number, clearly describe the circumstances of your complaint in detail, include supporting documentation/evidence, and state your preferred resolution.
Provide Evidence of Your Complaint
When you submit a complaint you may be required to submit evidence pertaining to your claim. For example, if you think that your claim offer was absurdly low, you could submit photos of the damage, along with a detailed report/opinion offered by a professional mechanic. You can also request a detailed report from your insurance adjuster regarding their repair estimates and compare this itemized list to one you got from an experienced mechanic; using this comparison as evidence of your complaint.
Read Your Policy and Other Content Published by Your Insurance Company
Every insurance company is required to publish a formal complaints procedure that you can reference and follow to resolve your complaint. These publications should inform you of who to contact, and when you can expect a response.
Typically insurance companies offer arbitration or appraisal services in order to settle disputes between themselves and the insured. Your insurance policy will explain your insurance company’s specific type of conflict resolution.
Review Your Policy for Future Protection and Update Accordingly
After an accident, you should review your insurance policy and decide if it has the coverage you need or want for future incidents. If you find that you are lacking certain protections, you can and should add coverage to your vehicle. Additionally, you can switch insurance companies after an accident. However, your claim will be processed by whichever company you were with at the time the incident occurred.
Involve a Mediator or an Attorney
If your complaint isn’t resolved by the insurance company after you have made several attempts to resolve it, you can request a dispute; entering into mediation with the insurance company. Mediation will be far less expensive than filing a lawsuit against the insurance company. However, if you cashed any checks written by the insurance company, or signed your acceptance of their settlement offer, you may not be able to raise a dispute; some insurance companies consider these actions as acceptance of their proposed resolution.
If mediation fails, you can hire an attorney and proceed with a civil lawsuit, or you can file a complaint with your state’s department of insurance. Filing a complaint with the state’s department of insurance can put your case into arbitration. If your case goes into arbitration, the arbitrator will act similarly to a mediator. However, at the conclusion of the arbitration, the arbiter will make a legally binding decision which both sides must uphold.
File a Complaint with Your State’s Insurance Department
Auto insurance is moderated by each individual state, meaning if you have an unresolved complaint you can complain to the state’s Insurance Department. However, they can’t resolve, nor handle every complaint they receive. They will collect the information and details of your case and will notify you if your case will be reviewed by the state.
If you still feel as though your case has not been properly resolved, and you have a strong case, you can hire an attorney and pursue litigation.
Were you or someone you know involved in a recent auto accident? Call Auto Accident Care Network now at 801-683-1948 to connect with a live care advocate. Our team at AACN can connect you to trusted attorneys and doctors to schedule a free legal consultation, a free thirty-minute massage, and a no-cost medical exam!
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