Experienced Michigan personal injury lawyers know that, as a general rule, adjusters who work for mid-sized insurance companies are easier to deal with than adjusters who work for very large (or very small) insurance companies. At Christopher Trainor & Associates, our Michigan personal injury lawyers operate under the following general assumptions, unless and until we are given reason to think otherwise:
• National, big-box insurance companies that offer low rates and advertise a lot tend to be conservative and to employ adjusters who are loyal to the conservative ideal. In most cases, it is not worth arguing with these companies about their conservative philosophy; they are hardcore
• Any settlement authority granted to low-to-mid-level adjusters will be reviewed by claims supervisors and managers, which means even if you convince that adjuster of your case’s merit, your work is not done. The adjuster does not have final settlement authority.
• Conservative adjusters do not cut corners to save time; they will investigate your claim to the nth degree—e.g., by checking medical records, tax returns, criminal history, etc.—in the hopes that something will turn up to weaken your case.
• Adjusters from small, local companies also can be conservative, but for a different reason. These companies tend not to sell as many policies; and a claim up to $40,000—which might seem small to a big carrier—seems large to them.
• Any conservative adjuster is concerned primarily with hard figures, e.g. how much your medical bills totaled. They are more likely to try to write off subjective items, like pain and suffering.
• Mid-sizes insurance carriers with low profiles usually employ adjusters who are less conservative and more in favor of a settlement.
An experienced Michigan personal injury lawyer will know how to interpret these signals and work toward a favorable settlement for you. If you would like us to review your case, please contact us.