If you car meets with an unfortunate event; then you are supposed to inform the insurance company. You will also have to submit all the needed documents. Then, the insurance company will send insurance surveyor, who will submit the report to the insurance company for the settlement of the claim. Insurance surveyors are people who investigate even in situations where you get paid less. It is always the insurance surveyor, who decides how much amount should be paid towards a claim.
So, you should know how to talk with the insurance surveyor regarding the claims. It the total calculation is less than what you anticipated, and then you should ask the company to review the entire process. If you get refused by the company, then you can appoint your own insurance surveyor and calculate the claim value. If still the company rejects the claim value, then you can approach the ombudsman of your city.
And, whenever any kind of car accident takes place, you should never tell certain things to the insurance surveyor, when they are investigating your case. Those things are as follows –
Sorry – You can say sorry, which may be your habit, but admitting your fault and telling ‘Sorry’ or ‘It was my fault’. And, if you are trying to make a strong claim, whatever it may be, then you shouldn’t use such kinds of phrases or words. Always remember that insurance surveyor’s are very active listeners. They can pick up your minor words and use it against you. You should always remain calm and straight forward.
I am Fine or OK – If you downplay your sufferings and injuries, then one of the things that can happen is that the insurance surveyor can reduce your settlement offer and limit the responsibility i.e. liability. So, no matter how calm you might be never use these words like I am fine or OK.
Accident happened out of nowhere – As per the department of insurance 90% of the cases of claims comes from accidents, which has been caused by driver error, i.e. because of distracted driving. When you use this statement or the other driver came out of nowhere, then it can happen that the insurance surveyor may ask you whether you were paying attention to the road or not. And, hopefully you don’t want the insurance company to doubt at your claim or doubt whether you were involved in distracted driving.
Another Word is I Think – Whenever the insurance surveyor questions you, make sure that you answer all the questions straight forward and do not use the word, I think. It can make the insurance surveyor doubt on your answers and this can lead to a problem, in the settlement of the claim. So, make sure that your answers are apt.
Yes, You Can Take My Statement or Record – You are not legally obliged to give a recorded statement. It can happen that the insurance company would pick up statements from your recorded statement and then, it can act against you, like when refusing your claim. One of the things that you should know is that insurance companies can use tactics to take out information and then they will use it to limit their liability.
So, these are some of the words and statements that you should never use when you are talking with an insurance surveyor. So, make sure that you speak the right words when talking to any insurance surveyor about claim, because the surveyors will find out plethora of ways to refute the claim or limit their liability.
There are total 10,000+ only working independent insurance surveyors in India –
In India, there are only 10K independent insurance surveyors. Insurance surveyors are attached with some or the other insurance companies or offices, providing aid to the people who need surveyors for their insurance claim process and others. These independent surveyors are also licensed ones. Without having any valid license these independent surveyors cannot work on their own. But there is one thing that people should know and that is that different insurance companies will have different set of responsibilities and duties set for the surveyor or the loss assessors. Apart from that, before jumping into such role of a surveyor, the insurance surveyor needs to have years of experience and give exams as per the IRDA, to qualify the same i.e. to get the license.
The IRDA exams for the insurance people are tough and not many are able to pass the exam and get a license. Another reason as to why there are so less people as surveyor is because this work is full of hassles, responsibilities, and lot of documentation work. There are many reasons as to why there are only 10,000 independent surveyors in India who work like a one man show. So, the independent surveyors have their own charges that they take from the people. Apart from all of these, the insurance surveyors in India need to be more tech-savvy. Many of them are there who are still stuck with a lot of documentation work, rather than taking the help of technology like that of a good smartphone with a good camera and transforming all their work into paperless work.
Insurance companies have good packages for the insurance surveyors and other people working in the insurance company. The only criteria is that people applying should be qualified and licensed and should have thorough knowledge about the insurance-subject. Surveyors are appointed in an insurance company after they have given the exams and after filling an application process. Apart from that, you can be qualified field like surveying, engineering and similar fields and join the insurance. You will be eligible to apply for the license with your line of qualification. All you need to do is be an associate member of insurance institute of India. Either the insurer or the insured can appoint the surveyor. Apart from that, the insurance surveyors submit reports that are binding and also not binding. It depends on you to affirm with it or not.