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Neighbor dumped local agent and got one of these companies because he "saved" money. Got into a fender bender on his 2 year old pickup truck. The Blow/Lizard insurance company stated he had to get used parts for the grill bumper and headlight and ordered him to go to one of their "authorized" body shops.
Ya, he saved money.
I have had a couple of situations with insurance companies. I had someone hit one of my cars and they had Allstate. Allstate is the worse company I have ever had to deal with. I got my attorney to take over after they jacked me around for a few weeks. They decided to pay up all of the sudden when my attorney sent them a demand letter and gave them 10 days to pay or we were suing. I let a friend borrow one of my cars once and someone rear ended them at a red light and totaled the car. That person had Nationwide. Their adjuster started his song and dance trying to low ball me and then dicking me around for a couple of weeks. I called him and told him to write me a check for the full value of the car by Friday or I was handing it over to my attorney and that I would not be discussing it with him anymore after that phone call. Friday morning rolls around and he is trying to call me and finally left a voicemail offering me $200 more than his previous joke of an offer which was about half the value of the car. Like I told him, I didn't answer his calls and never returned his calls. I didn't have a check at the end of the business so 9:00 AM Monday morning, I called my attorney and turned it over to him. I had a check 3 days later for the full value of the car. I paid my attorney, I believe it was $50, for one phone call to the adjuster. I had a tree fall on one of my vehicles in a storm and I had Geico at the time. I called them right after the storm passed and I had gone out and looked at it. The next day they had someone come look at it and they had me take it to the dealer's body shop the next day. It was fixed and back at my house the next week. Geico was the best service I have ever had out of an insurance company and they were also the best rate I could find at the time.
My point in telling you all of that was just to make it clear that pretty much all insurance companies care about one thing and one thing only.....their profits. All of them from Geico to the most expensive Travelers or Nationwide and Allstate will try to jerk you around if you ever have a claim. After having a few run arounds with the various companies out there, I now have a policy of talking to them 3 times and 3 times only. The third time, I clearly tell them my policy and that the next time they talk to someone, it will be my attorney. I have found that it speeds the process up.
Wrong. If you hire an attorney he has a legal duty to represent you and do certain things that guarantee you a fair result. If you do not hire an attorney, the at-fault carrier has NO duties to you at all. They can choose to drag things out and refuse to offer a reasonable settlement. Their duties are to their insured, not to YOU.
You’re not reading my post accurately Mark. I was saying that if your ins co hires you an attorney, then you don’t need to hire one as well privately, that’s nonsense, unless there’s a coverage problem.
The attorney your ins co hires to represent you has a duty to you to protect your interests, including settling within your policy limits if feasible.
You’re not reading my post accurately Mark. I was saying that if your ins co hires you an attorney, then you don’t need to hire one as well privately, that’s nonsense, unless there’s a coverage problem.
The attorney your ins co hires to represent you has a duty to you to protect your interests, including settling within your policy limits if feasible.
My apologies. If you are named in a lawsuit for causing a crash indeed the insurance company will hire an attorney to defend you. In that situation, yes, you would not need to hire your own attorney. The exception to this rule might be if you had low policy limits. You might want your own attorney if there was a chance of a verdict exceeding those limits.
A friend of mine is a founding member of a big personal injury law firm in twin cities. As friends asked on Facebook, he listed the only worthwhile insurance companies and the absolute worthless ones his company takes money from non stop. One of the worst has a tv character that rhymes with Blow.
One question I do have, if I ever have to hire him via vehicle accident, will my insurance company drop me? I have what he considers the top company.
In CA, an insurance company can't drop you if you have a claim. Check your laws.
You’re not reading my post accurately Mark. I was saying that if your ins co hires you an attorney, then you don’t need to hire one as well privately, that’s nonsense, unless there’s a coverage problem.
The attorney your ins co hires to represent you has a duty to you to protect your interests, including settling within your policy limits if feasible.
Insurance companies are not attorneys. And they don't hire attorneys for people who buy insurance from them, unless it's in their best interest. Their profit comes first. They don't hire attorneys for insureds in order to make sure insured customers get the best settlements possible for the insured.
People really need to understand the difference. Insurance companies are in it for profit. They make more money by limiting what they pay out. They aren't ever going to work harder for you - if it means more cost for them.
It's entirely possible that you will have to sue your insurance company, just to get what they are required under your policy to pay you. If it's within small claims court limits, you can sue them without a lawyer. I just successfully did this against AARP/The Hartford, as my claim was under the limit. It was cheaper for them to give me what I wanted - and was also fair - than have their legal team coach an employee who isn't a lawyer, since none are allowed here in CA at small claims court, and pay that employee to show up in court, and probably pay for their gas and parking and lunch, etc., too. So, they paid up.
Point being, I had to sue my insurance company just to get what was covered under my policy. These guys aren't going to spend any more money than absolutely necessary to take care of your losses.
So, unless you get what you think is fair from your insurance company, or you are comfortable taking the matter yourself to small claims court (and the claim is under the limits) - you're going to be way better off hiring an attorney to represent you, if you can.
Insurance companies may tell you, don't worry, we've got you covered. But, people really need to understand where their interests and profits lie, and understand that sometimes your insurance company is not really on your side.
Insurance companies are not attorneys. And they don't hire attorneys for people who buy insurance from them, unless it's in their best interest. Their profit comes first. They don't hire attorneys for insureds in order to make sure insured customers get the best settlements possible for the insured.
People really need to understand the difference. Insurance companies are in it for profit. They make more money by limiting what they pay out. They aren't ever going to work harder for you - if it means more cost for them.
It's entirely possible that you will have to sue your insurance company, just to get what they are required under your policy to pay you. If it's within small claims court limits, you can sue them without a lawyer. I just successfully did this against AARP/The Hartford, as my claim was under the limit. It was cheaper for them to give me what I wanted - and was also fair - than have their legal team coach an employee who isn't a lawyer, since none are allowed here in CA at small claims court, and pay that employee to show up in court, and probably pay for their gas and parking and lunch, etc., too. So, they paid up.
Point being, I had to sue my insurance company just to get what was covered under my policy. These guys aren't going to spend any more money than absolutely necessary to take care of your losses.
So, unless you get what you think is fair from your insurance company, or you are comfortable taking the matter yourself to small claims court (and the claim is under the limits) - you're going to be way better off hiring an attorney to represent you, if you can.
Insurance companies may tell you, don't worry, we've got you covered. But, people really need to understand where their interests and profits lie, and understand that sometimes your insurance company is not really on your side.
You’re mixing up a lot of issues. Some relevant, some not. If you’re sued and it’s covered under your liability policy your insurance company hires an attorney to represent you. So long as they settle the claim within your limits your interests are protected.
You’re mixing up a lot of issues. Some relevant, some not. If you’re sued and it’s covered under your liability policy your insurance company hires an attorney to represent you. So long as they settle the claim within your limits your interests are protected.
You must work for an insurance company.
Your interests might be "protected," but will they fight for pain and suffering, etc.?
An insurance company will only do (if you're lucky) the minimum required under the contract (policy). They are a for-profit business, and the less they pay out, the higher their profits are.
They are not advocates for insureds, making sure insureds get maximum possible for any claim.
Your interests might be "protected," but will they fight for pain and suffering, etc.?
An insurance company will only do (if you're lucky) the minimum required under the contract (policy). They are a for-profit business, and the less they pay out, the higher their profits are.
They are not advocates for insureds, making sure insureds get maximum possible for any claim.
If it’s within your policy you pay nothing so who cares?
Any attorneys representing your insurance company are doing just that. They are looking out for what is best for that company, which may or may not coincide with what is best for their customer. The customer needs its own representation to be assured that what is best for the customer is being presented, represented and protected.
The attorney hired by the insurance company represents you, not the company, and has to act in your best interest. The attorney will have to get approval for offers and payouts, but they represent you.
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