Published by Rose Law
Whose side the adjuster is on
The adjuster who calls after a crash works for an insurance company, whether that company is the other driver's insurer or your own.
Insurance companies are not your friend. Not even your own. They are there to pay you as little as possible.
What you can say on the first call
You can tell the adjuster that you were involved in the crash and that you are getting treatment.
If you must report the accident yourself, keep to the general facts. Do not say that you are uninjured, do not agree to a recorded statement, and do not authorize the release of your medical records.
Three things to slow down on
Early claims most often lose value in three places:
- A recorded statement. Be careful about giving one to the other side before you have talked to a lawyer.
- A broad medical authorization. Be careful about signing one, and do not authorize the release of your medical records.
- A quick offer. Claims generally are not resolved until treatment has stabilized enough to understand the full extent of the injury, because settling early can leave real costs uncovered.
Property damage is a separate conversation
Property damage and injury are handled as separate tracks, so getting your vehicle repaired does not hurt your injury claim.
Have the at-fault driver's insurer handle the property damage, not yours, so the repair does not become a claim on your own policy. Keep the conversation with the property-damage adjuster to the vehicle, and do not discuss your injuries or the facts of the accident.
Photograph the damage thoroughly before repairs begin. The vehicle itself is often the clearest evidence of the forces involved.
When the adjuster works for your own insurer
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is the part of your own auto insurance that responds when the at-fault driver has no coverage or not enough of it. A UM/UIM claim is made against your own insurer, which means the company evaluating your injury is also the company paying for it.
Your own insurer usually treats you fairly as its customer, but not always. When that arrangement produces unreasonable delay, underpayment, or a denial, it can cross into an insurance bad-faith issue, which is work Rose Law does.
Slow is common, and unexplained is the signal worth looking at. The patterns worth a second look are:
- Shifting reasons for a denial
- Requests for documents you have already provided
- Long silences after a complete proof of loss
- An offer that ignores documented losses
Keep a record of every call
A clear timeline is the backbone of an insurance dispute. Keep everything from the claim, and keep it in order:
- The policy and declarations page
- Every letter and email
- The adjuster's name and every claim number
- The date of each call and what was said
- Your proof of loss
- Any estimates or invoices
This guide is general information about how claims usually work in Nevada, not legal advice about your situation. Every matter turns on its own facts. A free consultation is the way to get an answer specific to yours.