How to Negotiate a Settlement for a Car Accident
If you are in a car accident and you are not at fault, you might be entitled to a settlement from an insurance company. When working with an insurance company, they will most likely try to pay as little as possible to you in the form of a settlement. If you know what you are doing, you could potentially increase the amount of settlement that you can receive and improve your financial situation as a result.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Conduct research on the value of your car and any other personal property that was damaged in the crash. You can look up the current market value of your car by looking at the Kelley Blue Book. You need to know exactly how much your car is worth so that you can know whether the offer the insurance company makes is fair.
-
2
Collect any bills that you might have accumulated as a result of the accident. For example, if you had to pay for a rental car or pay for a chiropractor after the accident, you need to keep statements from all of these expenses. Create a folder where you can keep all of the information that you accumulate during this time.
-
-
3
Talk to the adjusters for the insurance companies that you are dealing with. If you are in an accident that is the fault of another driver, you will usually have to deal with two different insurance companies. Your insurance company will pay for the damage to your car and their insurance company will pay for the injuries that you sustained. Most of the time, the adjusters will call you and make the first move when it comes to the negotiation process. They will start out by giving you an offer of what they think is suitable. Adjusters typically have a settlement range that they are authorized to offer. They will start out at the bottom end of this range when making the initial offer. When you receive this offer, you should not accept it right away. The insurance adjusters want to settle the claim as quickly as possible, and if you hold off on settling, they might be inclined to offer more.
-
4
Consult an attorney about the possibility of helping you with the negotiation. Many attorneys specialize in auto accidents, and they can potentially increase the amount of the settlement that you will receive. Most attorneys will give you a free consultation to help you determine if you want to use their services or not. While they could get you an increased settlement, you will also have to worry about paying the attorney's bill. If the attorney is representing you in a personal injury case, the fee will typically be about one third of the total settlement.
-
5
Talk to the adjuster again to try to negotiate a higher settlement. Present the adjuster with all of the bills and information that you have accumulated. Tell them about the value of your car that was damaged. Tell them about the pain and suffering that you have experienced since the accident. If you remain steadfast in your pursuit of a higher settlement, the adjuster may be willing to increase the offer. If the adjuster is unwilling to increase the offer, you can talk to a supervisor and potentially get what you are seeking.
-
1
