Tuesday, January 21, 2014

How to Choose a Claims Management Software System

You can find a variety of claims management software systems on the market, but how do you decide which one is the best one for your organization?
Tips for Choosing the Right Claims System:
Whether you are a self-insured, a third-party administrator, an insurance broker or a regional insurer, here are a few tips to help you as you explore vendors offering claims management systems.
  • How long has the vendor been in business? Software developers frequently enter the lucrative insurance marketplace, so be sure your vendor has been in business long enough to ensure their software is client tested.

  • Is the vendor servicing other system users in your niche? For example, if you are a self-insured group, you may need different data and indicators than you would as a worldwide insurance broker. Be sure your vendor can provide the specific types of data you need to appropriately manage your risks.

  • Will your claims data system integrate with underwriting and allow access by other departments? Data integration across departments and when adding lines of business is critical in claims management.

  • Does the system feature all the data categories you need? The ability to build your own data fields is a necessity as your organization grows and risk becomes more complex. If you venture into a new line of business, can the claims system provide support for that endeavor?

  • How easy is the data to review and manipulate? Can you track your data in one single snapshot yet also pull data into a spreadsheet for more concentrated analysis?

  • How effective is the vendor's documentation and customer support? In today's 24/7 world, risk management and claims professionals often need specific data in minutes. If you need data beyond your normal reporting needs, can your vendor respond quickly?

  • Is your software cloud-based and easily viewed on a browser? Effective data retrieval and customizable reports allow your team to make superior real-time decisions. Search for software-as-a-service (SaaS) architecture, which provides state-of-the-art, browser-based access to your data.

  • Will your vendors help you survive the data conversion process? From initial bid design to final implementation, changing your RMIS system is a very time-consuming process. How effective is your vendor at ensuring the conversion process goes smoothly no matter what data conversion issues you face?

  • Can your Claims Management System provide expert litigation management support? Managing today's complex litigation projects requires extensive expertise and increasing sophistication.

  • What will your system cost? These costs include first-year costs, annual use costs, any "per-user" costs, data storage costs and charges for custom reporting. You do not want to lock into a system and then find additional charges that are not in your budget.

  • How secure is your data? With frequent data breaches, how safe is your data? What additional steps does your vendor take besides passwords and encryption to ensure your data remains in the hands of authorized users only?
The task of choosing the risk management system that best fits your needs is important. Choosing the wrong RMIS will be costly. In addition, you may not be able provide your clients with the best possible service or have the instant access you often need to effectively manage your risks. You will be living with the system for a long while, so make sure the vendor you choose can provide flexibility, scalability and stellar customer service.

Tips for Picking the Right Motor Trade Insurance Policy

If you have just gone into business in the motor trade, then you will need motor trade insurance. This can be a daunting task because you will not know what you need exactly. You might get snowed under and you will just pick any old policy whether it is relevant to you or not.
You don't want to get stuck paying for a policy that is no good for you, so you need to take your time and do your research. Don't be rushed into making a decision before you are ready and have a list of questions that you want to ask the insurer before you sign on the dotted line.
What type of policy do you need?
It is best if you know what type of policy that you need before you have contacted your potential insurer. The type of policy that you need depends on what business that you have.
If you are driving vehicles that you don't own, then you will need a Road Risks policy so you can drive the cars off your car lot. Most traders combined policies can be tailored towards the needs of the policyholder. When you phone up to get the insurance policy, you should ask if you can add cover for business interruption, money loss, road risks, material damage and even public liability.
You just have to tell the insurance company what type of policy you are looking for and they should be able to tell you which policy would better suit your needs.
You do have the choice of just buying a policy that is 'off the shelf.' This means that you buy the policy as it is listed. You don't have to add anything and it is just as simple as phoning up and getting the insurance.
The problem with these types of policies is that they don't necessarily cover everything that you need. You might find yourself in trouble down the line and try to claim on your insurance, only to find out that you aren't covered.
That is why you should find out what is included on all policies and make sure that you are covered for everything that you need from the moment that you contact the insurers. Just make sure that all the covers are relevant to your business.
What is the value of whatever you are covering?
You have to make sure that all your values are correct. This is because you might have an insurance policy that only covers you for so much. If you have incorrectly valued something and something goes wrong, then you might have a policy that is useless to you.
Health and Safety
With your motor trade policy, you need to make sure that you are covered for health and safety issues. First, you should make sure that your place of work is up to the standards of health and safety policies. Then you should make sure the policy will cover you if there is an accident and one of your workers is hurt.
This is one of the most important things you should have cover for because if there is an accident and you don't have the correct policies in place, you could be liable for prosecution.
Shop around
When you are picking your insurance policy, you should get some quotes from more than one insurer and then you should pick the cheapest one as long as it covers the areas that you need it to. There is no point getting the cheapest policy if it is useless to you.

How to Research Insurance Companies

Before you subscribe an insurance you need to understand how insurance companies work. To help understand that we have provided a detailed explanation of Insurance Companies Business Model based on internet research and talking with some friends that are experts and work on the insurance professional field. Let's breakdown the model in components:
  • Underwriting and investing
  • Claim
  • Marketing
Underwriting and investing
On raw terms we can say that the Insurance Companies business model is to bring together more value in premium and investment income than the value that is expended in losses and at the same time to present a reasonable price which the clients will accept.
The earnings can be described by the following formula:
Earnings = earned premium + investment income - incurred loss - underwriting expenses.
Insurance Companies gain their wealth with these two methods:
  • Underwriting, is the process that Insurance companies use to select the risk to be insured and chooses the value of the premiums to be charged for accepting those risks.
  • Investing the values received on premiums.
There is a complex side aspect on the Insurance Companies business model that is the actuarial science of price setting, based on statistics and probability to estimate the value of future claims within a given risk. Following the price setting, the insurance company will consent or refuse the risks using the underwriting process.
Taking a look at the frequency and severity of the insured liabilities and estimated payment average is what ratemaking at a simple level is. What companies do is check all those historical data concerning losses they had and update it on today's values and then comparing it to the premiums earned for a rate adequacy assessment. Companies use also expense load and loss ratios. Simply putting this we can say that the comparison of losses with loss relativities is how rating different risks characteristics are done. For example a policy with the double losses should charge a premium with the double value. Of course there is space for more complexes calculations with multivariable analysis and parametric calculation, always taking data history as it inputs to be used on the probability of future losses assessment.
The companies underwriting profit is the amount of premium value collected when the policy ends minus the amount of paid value on claims. Also we have the underwriting performance A.K.A. the combined ratio. This is measured by dividing the losses and expenses values by the premium values. If it is over 100% we call it underwriting loss and if it is below the 100% then we call it the underwriting profit. Don't forget as part of the Companies business model there is the investment part which means that the companies can have profit even with the existence of underwriting losses.
The Float is how insurance companies earn their investment profits. It is amount of value collected in premium within a given time and that has not paid out in claims. The investment of the float starts when the insurance companies receive the payments from the premiums and end when the claims are paid out. As it is this time frame is the duration from which the interest is earned.
The insurance companies from the United States that operate on casualty and property insurance had an underwriting loss of $142 Billion in the five years ending on the year of 2003, and for the same period had an overall profit of $68 Billion consequence of the float. Many professionals from the industry think that is possible to always achieve profit from the float not having necessarily a underwriting profit. Of course there are many thinking streams on this matter.
Finally one important think you should consider when subscribing a new insurance is that in economically depressed times the markets have bear trends and the insurance companies run away from float investments and causes a need to reassess the values of the premiums which means higher prices. So this is not a good time to subscribe or renew your insurances.
The changing on profit and nonprofit times is called underwriting cycles.
Claims
The actual "product" paid for in insurance companies industry are the claims and loss handling as we can call it the materialized utility of insurance companies. The Insurance Companies representatives or negotiators can help the clients fill the claims or they can be filled directly by the companies.
The massive amount of claims are employed by the claim adjusters and supported by the records management staff and data entry clerks within the Companies claims department. The classification of the clams are made on severity criteria basis and allocated to the claim adjusters. The claim adjusters have variable settlement authority according to each ones experience and knowledge. After the allocation, follows the investigation with collaboration of the customer to define if it is covered by the contract. The investigation outputs de value and the payment approval to the client.
Sometimes a public adjuster can be hired by the client to negotiate an agreement with the insurance companies on his behalf. On more complex policies where the claims are hard to manage the client may and normally uses the a separate policy add on for the cover of the cost of the public adjuster, called the loss recovery insurance.
When managing claims handling functions, the companies tries to steady the requirements for customer contentment, expenses of administrative and over payment leakages. Insurance bad faith usually comes from this equilibrium act that causes fraudulent insurance practices which are a major risk that are manage and overcome by the companies. The dispute between the clients and insurance companies often leads to litigation. The claims handling practices and the validity of claims are the escalating issues.
Marketing
Insurance Companies use negotiators and representatives to initiate the market and underwrite their clients. These negotiators are bond to a sole company or they are freelancers, which mean that they can rules and terms from many other insurance companies. It is proven the accomplishment of Insurance Companies goals is due to dedicated and tailored made services supplied by the representatives.

Set Up For Failure In Sales Career

There are those who aspire to a career in Insurance sales. This choice can lead exceptional financial rewards, prestige and a solid profession. There are many benefits with a career in Insurance sales.
Yet when people apply to become an agent I find that the depiction of the new career tells only one side. New agents hear about the money, freedom, positions and benefits of the position. Yet there is always another side to any story. That story not only shares the positive but the negative aspects to the decision to pursue this career.
I am not a negative person. But it is time to share the story so that people know exactly what they are getting into before they make the decision. Consider the following;
1) This is not a job, but a career choice to become self employed - when you are looking for a job you should not consider a career in Insurance sales. With a job you work and get a check after a few weeks. With insurance you have no guarantee of a check even if you go to work, prospect as they tell you to and do all that is required. The average income for a 1st year agent is under $25,000. Yes there are some high producers but that is the exception, not the norm. For most self employed businesses it takes years to earn a profit.
2) Consider this position from an accounting perspective - On a balance sheet it lists the assets (things you own) and liabilities (what you owe) along with owners equity and it all must balance. In sales you have your assets(benefits from your new position) and that is where most managers stay when they are interviewing. But the liabilities (expenses) associated with this position are not offset by income initially. You have to pay to keep your car running; gas to get to appointments; lunch money; money to pay your household bills; money to cover expenses that need to paid in order to work. These expenses must be covered by someone and it typically is not the insurance company.
3) Great rewards involve great risk- you can get great rewards from taking great risks. If you are willing to handle all the risks associated with succeeding big in Insurance, you can see great rewards. The key is to see where you want to be and then pay the price to get there.
This is a great career for the person who is prepared to cover all expenses until income starts to come in.

The Insurance Loopholes That Public Adjusters Maximize On

Insurance companies have always marketed themselves by portraying their companies as honest, 'charitable' organizations ready to help you in case of any peril. Although they are helpful in protecting assets, they are still businesses. That means their main goal is making profit and staying in business. The only way they can do this is ensuring that the pay outs are far much lower than the overall premiums being paid.
One of the tricks insurance companies use to do that is introducing loopholes to help them avoid compensating some of their clients when claims are filed. Fortunately for them, most people do not pay attention to the 'fine print' before signing insurance papers. They therefore willingly commit themselves to insurance contracts without a comprehensive understanding of the terms and prospective 'loopholes'.
So, what happens when you file for a claim and you are shocked to find out that you cannot be compensated because of a particular loophole? That's exactly where public adjusters come in. They challenge the insurance companies on the loopholes to negotiate for a fair compensation. Some of the common loopholes they deal with include:
Double Tragedies
Some people lose their property through double tragedies. For instance, your house may be hit by a hurricane and still get swept up by floods. In such a case, some insurance companies can only compensate you if both tragedies are covered regardless of the sequence in which the tragedies occurred. Therefore, if you were covered for hurricanes but not floods, your claim will probably be turned down. Public adjusters however, can negotiate your claim to help you avoid falling victim to such a loophole.
Pre-existing Conditions
Many insurance companies will not compensate you if you file a claim for a condition that existed prior to being insured. For example, a cancer patient may not benefit from his health insurance if the insurance company discovered that he had already been diagnosed prior to applying for the insurance cover. Many times insurance company adjusters mistakenly associate new damage to a pre-existing condition, when they are actually unrelated. In other words, a homeowner might have their claim wrongly denied under a pre-existing condition. Public adjusters are very helpful especially in cases where the victims were not knowledgeable on the existing condition, and how damage is evaluated.
The best way to avoid falling victim to such loopholes is comprehensively reading the policies on the respective insurance covers. Do not sign anything without comprehending the terms and conditions. In addition, if you think you are thinking of filing an insurance claim, contact a public adjuster.

Effective Workers' Compensation Using Claims Management Software

No matter how many health and safety measures an employer implements, industrial jobs are still vulnerable to workplace injuries and deaths as they deal with heavy machinery and work in hazardous conditions. Insurance providers are liable to pay employees the compensation benefits in case of occurrence of any such incidents.
It covers all the medical bills, compensates lost wages, compensates for loss or death of an employee to his/her dependents, etc. So, processing these claims accurately is very crucial to the insurance company as well as the employer as it directly impacts the revenue and growth of the organization.
Workers' compensation software is an application that helps insurance providers in managing and settling the claims effectively, compensating the insuree with accurate amount and avoiding fraudulent claims.
Workers' compensation system helps insurance providers in many ways. It
Enables fast reporting of an incident
It is important that the incident must be reported immediately after the occurrence (reporting doesn't mean that the claim is accepted). But, immediate reporting is critical for both claimant and the employer as claimant receives compensation quickly and employer saves additional cost that he has to pay towards late settlement. It provides template to report the claim making it easier and faster to report the incident immediately after the occurrence.
Records, maintains and tracks the previous claims
Workers' compensation software and its claim management software records all the critical information of the claim and saves them. The critical information of the claims will be useful in settling them. Claims manager of workers' compensation system avoids tedious paper work, effort and time of recording, updating and verification of the claims. It is also helpful in tracking and retrieving the records easily.
Measures the claim settlement amount accurately
Settling claim is the key phase of claims management. With the help of all the critical information stored, claims management system calculates the premium or settling amount fairly and accurately. This avoids headache for the insurer to calculate the settling amount manually or worry about over or under-payment. Workers' compensation software itself calculates the accurate amount.
Helps in avoiding fraudulent claims
Avoiding fraudulent claims is the most critical factor that determines the growth and respect of the organization. Fraudulent claiming is commonly a single employee claiming for compensation frequently. Workers' compensation software avoids the fraudulent claims by verifying previous records every time a claim is made to identify if the same employee have claimed before or how frequently the claims are made.
By using effective workers' compensation software, claim performance of the organization can be improved. By effective claims management and settlement you can not only compensate fairly and quickly but also save operational costs.

The Importance of Vaccinations When Travelling

It is quite likely that you spend considerable amounts of time planning your yearly holidays. You probably consider the merits of different hotels and research the kinds of activities that can be enjoyed in various parts of the world. However, it is important to remember that there are quite a number of holiday risks: your flights could be unexpectedly delayed; you might require medical attention after a nasty fall; there may even be a chance of contracting serious diseases. If you were worried about such scenarios (and you should be), it would be worth investing in single trip travel insurance and following the advice in this article.
Planning Ahead
It is worth pointing out there is some variation in the types of vaccinations required before travelling to different countries. It is possible to obtain information from specialist medical websites, however you should visit your local doctor for further clarification regarding the necessary ones. This visit should be made at the earliest possible opportunity, as the medical practitioners may have to arrange a course of immunisation. Your single trip travel insurance provider may reject claims if you haven't taken the advised precautions.
Different Kinds Of Inoculations
There are three kinds of vaccinations required by those travelling abroad. The routine immunisations are given as a means of protection against common diseases such as measles and rubella, and doctors may recommend others depending upon the countries visited. People planning trips to India are advised to take precautions against hepatitis A and polio, while rabies shots are recommended to those planning trips to Thailand. Others may be required before travellers are allowed to enter some foreign countries; for instance, it is necessary to provide proof of yellow fever inoculation before entering Anguilla and Angola. Travellers may also take tablets and other medical provisions to reduce the chances of having to make single trip travel insurance claims against the costs of medical care.
Serious Travel Risks
Those who have scheduled trips to the more developed countries may mistakenly believe that immunizations aren't required. However, it is worth pointing out that there is a chance of contracting influenza and tick borne encephalitis in certain parts of Scandinavia, for example. People travelling to the UK or America for the first time may also be surprised by the need. Of course, the risks are far greater in the developing countries of Latin America, Africa and the Middle East and it is also worth noting that the levels of medical provision are fairly poor in these regions - travellers may even have to be airlifted to quality medical establishments in other parts of the world. The costs of foreign medical transfers are particularly high and travellers may be glad of the financial protection guaranteed by single trip travel insurance.

Some Important Insurance Coverage Concepts You Should Know

Coverage and Limits:
• Liability: Any type of insurance policy that protects an individual or business from the risk that they may be sued and held legally liable for something such as malpractice, injury or negligence. Liability insurance policies cover both legal costs and any legal payouts for which the insured would be responsible if found legally liable. Intentional damage and contractual liabilities are typically not covered in these types of policies.
• Bodily Injury: Damages to third party when insured is at fault: Medical bills, loss of income, pain and suffering, and other results of the physical harm incurred.
• Property Damage: Physical injury to tangible property (third party) when insured is at fault: including loss of use of such property. This coverage is mandatory in the state of Florida. (Damages to another vehicle, house, electrical poles, a fence, etc.).
• Medical Payments: Pays expenses incurred for necessary medical and funeral services to persons injured by accident, without regard to fault or legal liabilities.
• Uninsured Motorists: This coverage is a form of coverage to pay compensatory damages for bodily injuries, under one's own policy, for amounts which would otherwise have been recovered from the liability insurance of another (when the injured is NOT at fault). Uninsured Motorists is not intended to duplicate payments otherwise available.
• Stacked or Non-Stacked: Stacked coverage means the coverage limits provided for two or more vehicles are added together to determining the limit of insurance coverage available to an injured person in any one accident; while the Non-Stacked is available to a person injured while occupying a motor vehicle is only the limit applicable to that motor vehicle.
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP): Personal injury protection (PIP) can cover expenses related to injuries you sustained in a covered accident. These expenses can include medical and hospital bills as well as expenses not covered by your health insurance. Coverage will vary depending on the state you live in, and it can be a great supplement to your health insurance.
>> The law requires that PIP insurance be carried by the owners of motor vehicles, and imposes penalties for failing to do so.
• Comprehensive: Cover the damages to the insured's vehicle for Other than Collision like: fire, theft, vandalism, falling objects (hail), explosion, windstorm, flood, contact with animal or bird, breakage of glass.
• Collision: Upset (overturn) or impact with another object.
Eligibility:
• Eligible types are a private passenger auto and a pickup or van that has a Gross Vehicle Weight of less than 10,000 pounds and is not used for work. The eligible vehicle may either be owned by the insured or long-term leased for a period of six month or more.
Insured:
• To insure the vehicle under a Personal Auto Policy, the vehicle must be registered under a person's name; not all insurance companies accept vehicles under a corporation's name under a Personal Auto Policy.
• For some companies the insured must be registered owner(s) of the vehicle, and the policy cannot be written under one of the driver's name.
Rating:
• Determined by the address (zip code) where the vehicle is garaged.
• If there is more than one vehicle on the policy, they can be rated in different territories depending on the garage address. i.e.: Students away to college.
Driver Classification:
• The age, sex, and marital status of the operators, and how much they drive the vehicle(s) determine the driver classification.
• Rates are highest when the principal operator is a youthful unmarried male and lowest when they are no youthful operators.
• All drivers of the household have to be listed on the policy and are considered to rate it; or they can be excluded, but a premium will be charged.
Driving Record:
• Points are assigned for at fault accidents and major (serious) traffic violations during a prior three year period. Points are counted different then in the Driver License.
• Drivers with their License Under Suspension are not acceptable by some companies, and a License with Suspension (already Reinstated) are also considered to determine the premium of the policy. They lose the entire safe driver discount.

The Importance of Life Insurance

When we are young, we think that we are invincible. Because we think we are invincible we don't think too much about what would happen after our passing. If you have a family you need to be thinking about what would happen if you suddenly passed away, even if you are young and you assume that you will live to an old age. This is what life insurance is for. While most of us don't like to think about our death, we should all think ahead in think about how we can ensure that the people we love will be able to continue to live the lifestyle to which they are accustomed even after our passing.
Life insurance is like all types of insurance, you pay for it and hoping that you will never need to use it. While you don't plan to have to use it anytime soon, it is a nice safety net to have in the event that you did pass suddenly. The idea is that you will pay life insurance premiums over the course of your life. This will allow you to have a sum of money that will be available to your beneficiary. The purpose of the money will be to pay for any end-of-life expenses such as the funeral, as well take care of any debt that you may have in your name. Many people also like to take it a step further and ensure that they have enough coverage for their loved ones to make housing payments and continue to live in the way that they have been. This is especially important if you are the main provider for your household.
Life insurance is particularly valuable for those who have children. When you have children, you need to think about how they will be taking care of over the course of their life. While most parents hope to be alive to see their children into adulthood, accidents happen. Life insurance will be there with an accident happens. It will be funding that will allow your spouse to be able to continue to care for your children even in your absence.
Because we never know what is going to happen tomorrow, it is better to take the time today to plan for what could happen. Life insurance is available in many different types and you can choose how much life insurance you would like to buy. If you have older children that will not require a spouse to care for them through childhood into adulthood, you can choose to have a less life insurance. You can choose just to have a policy that will cover basic end-of-life expenses. If you want to ensure that your spouse or your children will be comfortable even upon your passing in terms of finances, you can elect to have tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in life insurance coverage.
Planning ahead today will give you peace of mind for tomorrow. No one likes to think about their desk, but thinking about it now and applying those thought to life insurance, will help to ensure that even upon your passing yourself and your children will be well taken care of. It is worth the time and consideration now as it will be an invaluable asset in the event of your death.

Sale Your Way to Financial Success

It is possible to sale your way to financial success. That is the good news.
It is highly improbable you will sale your way to financial success. That is the real news.
Why would I say it's "highly improbable". you will sale your way to financial success? Because the way most sales programs are set up through insurance companies a new agent has to break free from the pack in order to find financial success.
Let me explain. Almost every company has some type of training in place. This is essential to being successful. However, if all an agent needed was to be trained, then companies would be filled with productive agents. However that is not the truth. No matter what you chosen field of endeavor, you will need a lot more than training if you want to become a star in your career.
Common misconceptions to finding financial success as an agent include;
1) All you need to do is memorize and deliver our sales presentation- there is a lot of truth to that but each client you meet is different. You must be flexible enough to adapt your presentation to meet your clients needs. This thought that every situation requires the same presentation will cause a new agent to fail.
2) If you fail, it's because you are not following our system - this is a very arrogant statement. It assumes that the system in place is foolproof. Anyone who has watched what has happened to big businesses over the years can tell you otherwise. Ask Enron, Circuit City and Lehman Brothers if doing things in the way they worked before has worked out for them.
3) Many companies have not entered into the 21st century - companies have to change if they hope to be successful. Some companies don't have their presentations on laptops or IPads, they still use paper sheets to figure rates and insist on using one method to get new clients. Clearly over 50% of the population searches for insurance online and if you fail to have a presence there, you are missing the boat.
4) Most sales trainers don't produce productive agents -lastly, the way to tell if your trainer is any good is to see how many productive agents they have produced. If you are not able to sale at a consistent high level yourself how can you reproduce that in other agents. Trainers must be able to show new agents how to get off to a fast start and make money as fast as possible.
Take control over your sales career. Don't allow anyone or anything to stand in the way of your dream of becoming a productive agent. Become an agent that cares for his clients.

Personal Accident Policies

We are always told that accidents happen, there is nothing we can do about it, and it's simply something we have to deal with as a part and parcel of our existence. Do we know for sure if it will ever affect us? No. If we do meet with an accident do we know how it will affect our lives? We cannot. So what can we do in the face of all these variables? We can ensure our families future by obtaining a personal accident insurance policy.
What is personal accident insurance you ask? Like most other insurance policies it is an agreement that is reached by two parties, the insurer and the insured, where the insurance provider or insurer, agrees to provide the insured or his family with financial compensation. In the case of accidental insurance, this recompense is offered in case the eventuality that the insured passes away or is permanently disabled due to an accident by external and visible means.
There are different kinds of personal accident policies that are offered by a number of financial institutions and insurance firms. One type of policy is to provide the insured with cash to cover the expense of medical treatments caused by an accident. In some the cases it may even cover the cost of the period you are unable to go to work, thus allowing a normal environment at home. A number of policies also cover death caused by accident. This means that in the event that the accident causes the death of the insured, his beneficiaries would receive the pre-arranged sum. The third and final policy available is for disability caused by an accident. Here, if the insured is rendered unable to continue a job due to a disability caused by an accident, then the policy will provide him with a certain amount of his insurance amount every month as a kind of income.
As always, there are terms and conditions that need to be read before applying for and beginning to pay the premiums. What must be kept in mind is that while everyone applies for life insurance and health insurance, they do not consider the fact that there are certain accidents and events that these policies will not cover. So, take a look at your current situation and see if there are any eventualities that you need to protect yourself and your family from. You can check policy as per you and your family needs and then only select a particular plan.

Things To Avoid When Taking Out A Life Insurance Policy

A life insurance policy serves as a means of providing for your family a livelihood after your passing. It is also there to settle most of your debt should you have any at the time of your death. The insurance companies have rules in place that would ensure that the moneys they pay out are for a legitimate reason. It would therefore be to your advantage to avoid certain things when you take out a policy.
It is often necessary to consult with a broker to get the best deal for your life insurance. He or she can guide you around the potholes to give you the best options. There are some things to avoid when you apply for insurance. A focal point that you should look at, to avoid, is what the life insurance would and would not cover. Insurance cover is there as a means to ensure financial security for family members, especially. Strict rules therefore apply to the cover that the insurance company would allow for you to have.
In most countries, it is unacceptable to participate in a dangerous lifestyle if you want to take out a life insurance policy. These include:
  • Dangerous activity: Dangerous activity deals with the many different types of extreme sport. The participation in this type of activity would put you in harms way and could result in death. The death would not be a natural death, and this makes it difficult for the insurer to insure your life.
  • A Dangerous Job: Another thing to avoid when applying for life insurance is to work in a high-risk environment. Such workplaces often provide what is called worker's compensation and you do not necessarily need an independent life insurance. However, if you do want to have extra insurance, you will pay more on your premiums.
  • Another most important thing to avoid when taking out a life insurance policy is to avoid lifestyle choices such as smoking, heavy drinking, being overweight and unfit. Smoking is considered a vehicle to illnesses such as cancer, emphysema, and other physical ailments. The insurance company would therefore think twice before allowing you to have cover, as it would be costly to them should you become ill. The same applies to any other type of negative aspect that could cause damage to your physical body. Again, it is possible to get the life insurance, but it will be at great cost to you.
It is important to always keep in mind what things to avoid when taking out an insurance policy. Just a few of these are mentioned here. These are, a dangerous job or activity, and lifestyle choices such as smoking. However, you are able to get the insurance at a higher premium. At the same time, should these circumstances change in any way, such as a healthier lifestyle, a reassessment could allow the premiums of the life insurance to be lowered.

4 Ways to Tailor Holiday Cover to Suit You

The highlight of a holiday is never insurance! In the middle of all the frenetic yet eager planning, no one gleans great joy from plotting the numbers and filling the forms required to build ideal protection against possible mishaps.
Yet these days there is a great deal of freedom in this process, and while this by no means wins you any thrills, it can please you when you are spoilt for choice. It is important when faced with such choice to, of course, choose wisely, and to know how exactly to mould and shape your options to insure yourself and your trip in a fitting fashion.
Family versus singles insurance
On of the first decisions to be made when wading through the options available for holiday cover is whether you will need a family package or if you will insure individuals. It can seem an easy choice based on if you will travel as a family or as an individual. But when you travel with extended family, or as a couple, or with friends, you will need to work out which type of insurance suits your needs best. These days, solid providers pride themselves on adjusting the scope of insurance to match your needs.
Short-trip versus repeat travel insurance
The next option worth considering is based on duration and frequency. Your holiday cover should take into consideration whether or not you will travel many times over the course of the year, if you will travel for long periods at once or if you intend only to take one simple and short trip. There is no need to pay unnecessary insurance or spend on extravagant premiums when good providers allow you to tailor your plan to suit the exact quantity of time you will spend away from home.
Standard insurance versus the extras
Many people prefer the bread and butter version of holiday cover. Eschewing the bells and whistles, this insurance focuses on protection against the common mishaps and ailments that can befall travellers. But these days, the extras are quite often more than just frills and decorative incentives: 24-hour emergency call services, kids' protection, golf and cruise protection, and protection against acts of terror can be genuinely useful bonuses that are often added for very little cost.
Simple quotes and payments online
As mentioned, there is no delight in planning your holiday cover, so simplicity is key. This is why it is important to consider quote and payment options. Many top budget travel insurance companies not only give you a fine range of options for plans and extras, but also allow you to do your paperwork and assessment online. The ability to get simple quotes, online medical assessment and pay via the web makes the entire process so much easier to manage.

How To Save Time When Taking Out A Life Insurance Policy

There are many ways that you could use to save time when taking out a life insurance policy. It would also depend on the type of policy in which you would invest. Whichever one you choose, the point is that it runs for a period. Some of these are: a term life policy or a whole-of-life policy. The term life policy would ensure that you get some money out of the deal before you die. It usually has a period of five, ten or fifteen years. The whole-of-life policy that will pay out at any time you pass on. However, there is always a need for a life insurance policy.
You need to find the right tools to make your life insurance policy a possibility. How do you save time when taking out a life policy? Some of the tools you could make use of are:
  1. The many websites that would gather information for you from various sites and compile the information so that you can compare it.
  2. These sites are able to calculate your insurance cost and cover for you, as well as your premiums. You would also be able to see what cover you would be able to get for the premium you would be paying.
  3. You need to consider what kind of life policy it would be: a term life policy or a whole-of-life policy.
Following ways to ensure that you save time when taking out a life insurance policy, is vital. Some of the ways that you could do this is to do the following:
  1. Ensure that you get quotes from as many places as you can. These include banks (especially if you already have a mortgage in place), comparison sites, and other existing lenders with which you already have policies, brokers, or independent financial advisers.
  2. Make sure that you read the fine print, so that you have all the information on what is enclosed in the policy.
  3. Do not create time wasting opportunities. An example would be to lie regarding your medical fitness. If you do have something to declare, you will save yourself and your family great deal of time when it comes to the pay out of the policy. More importantly, it will save you time lost should they find out that you have an ailment or that you have been smoking.
  4. Check your existing documentation, as this will indicate whether you already have life insurance cover. It would therefore be a waste of time and money if you look for and take out more insurance.
  5. Make use of the thirty day cooling off period, in order to make doubly sure that you are making the right decision.
A vital aspect of life insurance, though, is that you should ensure that you keep it up to date. You might want to check what the value of your cover would be should pay out, and add to it at that point.

4 Best Tips for Insuring Your Holiday at Christmas

However you may celebrate or observe it, Christmas is a busy time. The presents, the preparation, and the people - all of these do bring joy but also carry a degree of stress. In the midst of this time, many families plan a break away, and juggling this planning along with all the other obligations of the season can make time a very valuable commodity indeed.
Some families may thus be tempted to cut time out of preparing and researching the ways to cover their trip against mishaps or illness. But it is important to put some time into thinking about the best way to get cover.
Christmas is risky - don't avoid cover
The first thought that should enter your mind is avoiding avoidance. If you do not have regular cover and you are planning a small trip in the midst of this manic time, it is tempting to avoid insuring your holiday at all. But simply because you don't have time to imagine the potential problems that could arise, even on a short trip, does not make them any less real or likely. It is important to realise that if you have time to book and plan a trip you should have time to plan your cover.
Make time to do your research
This plan invariably involves a degree of research. Luckily, most quality companies give you comprehensive information on their web pages and through their call centres. In the middle of rushing around to do your Christmas shopping or planning your Hanukkah festivities, it is useful to set aside a few hours to compare different ways of insuring your holiday. Consider the various providers and packages and ask them how they can tailor cover to suit all the needs of your family and particular trip.
Budget insurance amongst the presents
This season can be a hit to your bank account. But this does not mean you should look only at the cut-price options when insuring your holiday at Christmas. While there are many fine providers who offer low rates on services, it is essential that you choose the cover for you that suits the needs of your family rather than simply picking the cheapest option. The best way to do this is to actually budget for this cover when you are budgeting for your presents and trip earlier in the year.
Look for short-trip family packages
These days, you are spoiled for options when insuring your holiday. The flexibility can be overwhelming and, since you will no doubt be pressed for time during this period, it is useful to focus on short-trip family packages that cover spouses and children for the specific duration of your stay rather than individual or annual cover. This is especially relevant if you don't plan to travel regularly over the course of the year and if the cover offers useful bonuses and extras your family can take advantage of.

A Checklist For Taking Out Life Insurance

This checklist would make it easier for you to see and cover all that you need for your life insurance. With it, you can make sure that you do not miss any detail that should be a necessary part of your policy. You should go through the checklist carefully, as this is a contract and you might not be able to change it at a later stage.
You should have the checklist handy, and read carefully through the list to tick off what you should be doing and what you have completed. This will help you a great deal in finding the life cover that is right for you. The checklist here contains some of what you need to check for, but it will be a great help.
1. Decide what type of policy you require
  • The decision you make will depend on:
    • Whether you want a term policy.
      • A term policy takes you over a certain period such as five, ten, fifteen or even twenty years.
      • When you do die, it does pay out as well
      • It is also for when you do not have too big a budget to work with

    • The other option is to have a lifelong or permanent policy. This means

    • This means that the policy will pay out on your death.

    • It will provide for your family in a time of great need.
2. Decide how much cover you need
  • The first step is to make the calculations - preferably with a broker or an independent agent.
    • It needs to fit your current budget as well.
    • Shop around for the best deal
    • Choose what you need and do not spend unnecessary time and money on what you do not need.
    • Check all the avenues of legitimate cost cutting and savings.
3. Decide who your provider will be 
  • You should check and decide whether the best deal would be to deal directly with an agent. You could do this if you know exactly
    • What you want and need.
    • Have done all the research necessary
    • Have read all the fine print and have
    • Looked at all the pros and cons of that particular policy.

  • If you have any doubts, the best is to see a broker to:

  • Sift through all the details for you and help you make the right decision

  • Make use of their network of service providers in order for you to get the best deal.

  • Choose what you need and do not spend unnecessary time and money on what you do not need.

  • Check all the avenues of legitimate cost cutting and savings.
You should use this checklist as a guideline. It does contain enough information for you to make a start in your investigation as well as in making the decision on the type of life insurance you would need to sign up for. The best is to follow the points as it is given so that you do not end up missing any important matter.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Need of Policy Administration System (PAS) for Insurance Companies

Policy administration system (PAS) is meant to help insurance carriers - life and non-life insurance carriers by enabling them to operate efficiently so that they will get optimal results. This article emphasizes the need of PAS for insurance companies.
Customer information is a lifeline to any insurance company
Customer's information is critical to every insurance company. They literally run on customers' information. Therefore, managing and maintaining the information is the key responsibility of the company. Even a very minor issue in that information will cause an irreversible damage to the reputation of the company.
Software systems to manage records
Earlier, creating, updating and deleting the records was done manually, which was cumbersome because the task was tedious, and required several workers and consumes a lot of time.
Another big challenge for insurance companies at that time was to verify and rectify the mistakes that occur in manual operation. But with the latest developments in the technology, insurance companies started using software packages to operate effectively, and today, they provide better service to customers and save resources.
PAS is an insurance software that manages customer records and do other activities like billing, invoicing, claim settlements, etc. So, it is beneficial for the insurance company to have PAS. It has become essential need for insurance companies today.
PAS is cost effective and error-free system
• PAS could manage high volume of customer records effectively. It reduces paper work involved by electronically maintaining the records.
o 'Record manager' of PAS records and saves the information of every new customer. It updates records with timely changes and deletes records as soon as the policy is settled. At the same time, PAS makes sure that no data is lost in the process.
o PAS validates the data of customers as it goes through the workflow, and alerts the company about compliance issues and warnings, if any.
o Effective record management enables accurate functioning.
• PAS provides interface, that is easy for any employee to enter the data or find information to serve customers. Programming skills are not required to work on PAS.
• PAS makes settlements easy. It accurately calculates the settling amount using the stored data.
o Settling claims is a major aspect of an insurance company because any mistake while settlement will damage the reputation of the company. PAS can avoid this all.
• PAS is also capable of doing billing and invoicing activities of the company. It comes with built-in tax calculator, that accurately calculates the tax and do billing fairly.
PAS not only manages and maintains the records effectively, but it also helps in reducing the workload, avoiding loss of data and saving cost for the company by cutting down use of resources.

Things to Look For in An Insurance Company You Want to Work For

There are things we need to look for in an insurance company we want to work for. Insurance sales is a very hard position and if you want to enter into a place where you can earn regular, consistent income which is enough to support your lifestyle, you cannot just work anywhere.
Look at some of the characteristics you should pay close attention to when seeking employment;
1. Train as possible and read every book you can find on risk management, human life value, how insurance works, qualified plans, retirement planning, estate planning, Social Security, investment planning, and how life insurance improves and enhances these items. The more you understand these concepts the better you will be at your job.
2. Read everything you can about marketing, sales, how to attract clients, communication skills, body language and making presentations. The more you can learn about how this business of sales works the better you will be at performing it. If you read just one book a month over a 5 year period on the same subject, at the end of that time you will know more about that subject than 90% of the general public.
3. Think of all the reasons you would or should not buy insurance and then develop responses that overcomes these objections before they come up. Hearing no, I want to think about it, can we do it later, etc is customary in insurance sales. In order to do well in Insurance you must be able to handle objections.
4. Join every organization you feel you can contribute to. By being an active member you will not only make friends and meet potential associates but you will increase your exposure as an expert in your field. Nothing carries a career farther than being regarded as an expert in your field.
5. Work in an office that exudes positive mental attitudes. The more you can experience a positive atmosphere the higher you will climb. Negative people produce negative thoughts that can kill your dreams. Instead let the positive perspective of others propel you to heights not thought of. You can soar as an agent once you really believe its possible.
This is a very rewarding field, but it is also very difficult. On average, 75% of those who start do not last more than a few years. That is because of little to no training, limited knowledge and communication skills. Don't be a casualty.

It Is Never Too Late to Get Life Insurance

Life insurance is an issue worldwide. This issue is that people's thoughts are always focused on matters of what is necessary in the present. Young people are especially prone to not think about what might happen in the future. Life insurance would therefore be last on the list of their life planning. The good news, though, is that it is never too late to get life insurance.
What they do not realize is that it is a vital part of life to make provisions for loved ones. This is especially true for those who have already started with a family. Even if there is no nucleus family of his or her own, there is perhaps the need to provide for a parent. Most importantly, it is a matter of knowing, and realizing that there is the availability of life insurance for the elderly.
Many life insurance companies have realized that it is important to provide for those who have neglected this aspect in their lives. They have therefore made provision for these people through:
  • This is simply a means of reducing the cover to a smaller amount than for the younger candidate.
  • This coverage can be obtained without medical approval or doctor's reports.
  • The cover is meant as a means to cover any outstanding debt, medical bills, and any other expenses, should you pass on.
  • It will offer a small reprieve if you leave a spouse behind, even if you do not have debt or medical bills to pay.
Most insurers can help you with calculating life insurance to benefit your family once you have passed on. Each of the many insurance companies offers a different insurance. Hence, the best is to make sure that you find one that would meet your specific needs. These insurance companies have realized that, even if people are older, they do have a need for insurance as well. In offering these packages, it is important that young people are informed that this does not mean that they too would reach old age too. They should therefore be more prepared than those who have neglected this aspect in their life plan.
The point of life insurance is that you should have cover for most of your life no matter how old you are. It is more beneficial if you do take the cover at a much younger age, than to wait for your old age. There is no guarantee that you would reach old age. It would therefore benefit your immediate family when you should pass on. Should you be a little older when taking out the insurance, there would at least be coverage to pay off all your debt, medical bills and for your spouse to have some extra funds to have a reasonable life in his or her twilight years. Most of the insurance companies have started making provision for the older people to obtain benefits. All you need to do is find the one that would suit your needs.

About Risk Management and Asset Protection

Risk management other than being regarded as one of the most important business tools also plays a big role in the life of everyday consumers. Predicting risks and taking necessary actions for eliminating them are important for consumers as well as business owners. This article will educate you about different facets of risk management and will also provide information on asset protection, one of the most effective ways of managing risks associated with real property.
Let us begin the discussion by explaining what risk management actually is. It is basically a process that businesses use for identifying risk, assessing its impact on the company's performance and creating business strategies or financial plans for preventing ill-effects of the identified risks. Risk management holds a significant position in almost every realm of business. Thus you should learn about this special business tool irrespective of the type of business you own.
Businesses use different kinds of strategies or methods for assessing risks involved in their daily operations. They may do so by performing thorough research on rival companies to find out the kinds of mistakes they have performed and how they have managed to prevent those mistakes from hindering the company's overall performance. Some companies, on the other hand, analyze market trends for gauging whether consumers will like to spend more or spend less in the future. Market trend analysis is also often used for determining the kinds of consumer requirements that will compel spending during the coming years.
Now, let us discuss about asset protection. This tool is used by individual consumers as well as businesses for reducing the effects of risk on real properties like homes, business buildings and automobiles. Experts often refer to asset protection as a risk mitigation tool; this is because this tool successfully reduces the amount of harm the identified risks can cause to the property of the consumer or business owner.
The asset protection type that is used most frequently by consumers and businesses is insurance. You can use insurance in different forms for protecting your assets. You should pick the insurance type depending on the kind of property you want to protect; for example: for protecting your home, you should opt for homeowner's insurance, for protecting your business building, you will need to buy business insurance and for protecting your vehicles, you will need auto insurance. Insurance policies can also be categorized based on the type of coverage they offer. There are too many options to choose from; thus you should always consult an experienced financial adviser before making any decision.

How To Become an Insurance Adjuster in a Non-Licensed State

If you're looking for a new income stream to add to your current job or as replacement income, becoming an insurance claims adjuster can prove to be quite lucrative. This is especially true for CAT adjusters. CAT stands for Catastrophe and refers to insurance adjusters who work the claims from tornadoes and hurricanes.
Most states require a license, but about 15 states such as Colorado have no licensing requirements for adjusters. If you live in a state that doesn't require a license, working in your home state is not an issue. However, when you want to work in other states that require licensing, such as Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, or Florida, it is important to lay the proper foundation. You want to be ready to accept assignments without last minute delays.
First get a Non-Resident license from another state such as Texas. Then you can simply get most other states' licenses through reciprocity. Reciprocity means that the states which require a license will recognize your home or designated home state testing, and issue you a license for their state with only a simple application and small fee. They won't require you to go through their testing requirements to get licensed.
Here's an example:
John lives in Colorado, which has no license requirements. He takes a Texas All-Lines Pre-Licensing course approved by the Texas Department of Insurance. He then applies for his Texas Adjuster License and states on his application that Texas is his 'Designated Home State'. This can only be done if you live in a state that has no licensing requirements for insurance adjusters.
Once he receives his Texas Adjuster License, he can immediately apply for his license in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida using reciprocity. He only needs to fill out the application and pay the application fee to receive licenses in each of those states.
Texas is by far the most popular place to get a non-resident license. It's also the easiest place to get Continuing Education credits to maintain your license. Keep in mind that even if you hold 5 different state licenses, you are only required to meet the continuing education requirements for your 'Designated Home State' license, such as Texas.
Other states such as Indiana allow you to get a non-resident license, but unfortunately it's harder to find Indiana CE classes to fulfill license renewal requirements.
Remember, though, if your state has a licensing process for insurance adjusters, you almost always must get your home license first. There are also a small handful of states that do not allow reciprocity and require everyone to go through their licensing process to work as an adjuster in their state.
Here's the simple guideline:
  1. If your state has a licensing requirement for adjusters, get your home state license first.
  2. If your state does NOT have a licensing requirement, get a Texas Non-Resident license with Texas being your 'Designated Home State'.
This will save you time, money and keep things simple. Becoming a claims adjuster can be a great part-time or full-time career. Now is a good time to take your licensing training and get ready for income generating assignments.

Benefits Of Getting Multiple Insurance Quotes All At Once

Looking for the lowest health insurance quotes? Consumers can derive an added advantage of getting multiple insurance quotes for each line of insurance. By getting multiple insurance quotes from different companies you will dramatically increase your chances of saving money on insurance premiums. Also, the importance of getting a good company with a fair price cannot be stressed enough. Here's how you can do it by following a few easy steps.
Identify Plans That Fit Your Requirements
There is a wide array of insurance companies and insurance plans available in the market today. However, only a limited number of insurance plans will actually meet your needs. This is where the challenge arises. You will have to identify those plans that will fit your policy requirements and budget perfectly. The disparity in rates between insurance companies can often vary significantly. Simply shop around and compare multiple insurance quotes for each line of insurance. This will help a consumer save a considerable amount of money on insurance premiums.
Check What The Competitors Have To Offer
Finding a good company with integrity that offers a fair price, is crucial. Always compare what the competitors have to offer. Through an online quote comparison service, several people have been able to save greatly on their health insurance quotes. Inquire whether the insurance plan has any out of network coverage? If yes, how do the benefits differ from the in network benefits? Does it cover accidents? Find the relevant coverage that will suit your needs at the best possible rates.
Consider Multiple Line Insurance
Another easy way of saving up to 10% on your insurance premiums, is by getting multiple line insurance discounts. You can get various insurance policies such as health, life, car, property etc, under one insurance company's roof. This will typically lower your aggregate rates if you let the insurer underwrite multiple coverages. Cheaper rates can be obtained by getting multitude quotes from a single company. In other words, if you are seeking multiple line of business with your insurance company, such as life and auto insurance, then you can easily save money by getting coverage from one company. Keep this in mind while comparing rates for getting multi-line savings.
It is important to sign up for an insurance policy only after comparing insurance quotes of several insurers. When you compare quotes, you can be rest assured that you are saving both money and time. This is because you are guaranteed to instantly receive the lowest insurance quote. A single form that has been filled out into a multiple quote comparison website, will fetch several estimates immediately!

Three Stages in the Auto Insurance Claim Process

The first few hours-and days following a vehicle accident are stuffed with stress and honest confusion for most insured drivers. Many yearn for someone to take over the entire process for them. An insurance claims adjuster employing the right approach can provide a calming effect, the needed expertise and sound advice.
Every insured driver that is involved in an auto accident needs to understand that there are commonly six elements of proof that most insurance carriers review and three stages in the auto insurance claims process:
1. what the insured tells you, the insurance company
2. the other driver's perception of how the accident occurred
3. what the police report states happened
4. the eye witnesses testimony
5. the physical damage at the scene
6. medical records for the treatment of any related injuries
How your insured handles an auto accident from immediately following the incident, through the First Notice of Loss (FNOL), to the final settlement will be critical in contributing to a quick and fair solution.
Stage 1: At the Accident Scene
The dynamics at the accident scene typically precede the adjuster's involvement and are more likely to be influenced by the insurance agent or the police. The first step is to report the accident. The insured driver should always call their insurance company from the scene if possible to report the accident even if they think the other party is at fault. This First Notice of Loss (FNOL) will help to establish proper coverage, the extent of damages and liability.
Stage 2: Immediate Follow Up - Gathering the Facts
As soon as possible after the accident the insured best options are to make notes of the time of the incident, the directions each vehicle was traveling, the speed they were traveling and any other details while they are fresh in their mind.
Once reported to the insurance company an adjuster will most likely advise the insured when they will be coming out to see the insured vehicle to assess the damage and the insured should be advised if the insurance carrier you represent has a direct repair program and how it works.
This is the best time to take pictures of the damaged auto from various angles and snap shots of any areas of injury to themselves and their passengers.
Stage 3: Management & Settlement Resolution
To create a smooth workflow from accident to a resolution, make sure to have these items in order:
• Suggest to the insured that they keep a daily journal on injuries, the extent of the pain and any medical treatment that has occurred.
• Keep on top of the insured to track travel expenses to and from all medical appointments and maintaining all medical receipts including any prescriptions, equipment and health insurance co-payments is also wise.
• Documenting any lost time from work related to accident injuries and reminding the insured to share all related documentation, receipts and correspondence with an adjuster is important.
Once you have completed your review of the incident and you are ready to offer a settlement, you should be prepared to detail how you reached the proposed amount, explain what the settlement includes and encourage questions and comments from the insured regarding any missing items or remaining issues.
Finally if you are unable to agree on a settlement, you should advise the insured driver that they have the option of filing for arbitration or filing legal action.
Conclusion
With more than 220 million cars on the road, the odds are that sometime in their driving lifespan an insured driver will be involved in an auto accident. Dealing with the unexpected is an emotional time that produces high anxiety. It is critical during the early aftermath of an auto accident that an insurance adjuster is perceived as an important ally who can provide a calming influence and assist the insured in understanding the stages of the claims process and the proper steps to follow to clear up their confusion and minimize their stress.
Three important tips that will assist an adjuster to be seen as the solution rather than an adversary or part of a seemingly overwhelming problem are:
1. To establish yourself as a calming influence and not the adversary you should exhibit good listening skills, express empathy for the insured's situation (including emotional stress, medical injuries and assistance in dealing with vehicle repairs) and outline the steps that will lead you and the insured to a resolution.
2. An adjuster who checks to follow up on vehicle repair progress, rental replacements and medical treatments weekly will maintain the best opportunity to achieve amicable closure.
3. Finally, it is particularly important to communicate frequently and thoroughly with the insured all the way through the claim and settlement process to instill confidence in them that you are working toward a fair and reasonable outcome.