Talk about a bad day. You’ve had a long run and some idiot just cut you off and in order to avoid hitting another car you’ve run off the road and into a bridge. (Could have been worse, you could be over the bridge and in the river below.)
Thankfully you’re not hurt but your unit is badly damaged. You reach into the glove compartment for your insurance card and call the number. The Claims Rep you are assigned makes all the difference in ending that bad day or dragging it into weeks.
When an insurance company uses their own “inside claims adjusters” you are receiving help from someone specifically trained on Expedite claims including how units are valued with permanently attached equipment vs ACV and also how Loss of Use applies in our niche of trucking.
When an insurance company uses “outside claims adjusters”, your claim is assigned to someone who does not work directly for that company. That outside claims adjuster may or may not have ever handled an Expediting or Long Haul Trucking for Hire loss at all. It’s possible their only experience is with personal auto or local delivery which will inevitably extend the process time length of your claim.
What happens when that adjuster comes back with a ridiculously low offer to repair or replace your unit? How do you challenge the insurance company for better compensation?
Take the time to ask your insurance agent if the company they are placing you with uses Inside Claims Truck Insurance Professionals, and what kind of turnaround time you can expect in the event of a loss.
It’s also a good time to ask how they plan to help you with Loss of Use reimbursement when the accident occurs and the idiot who ran you into the bridge WAS caught and ticketed, but their insurance company doesn’t want to pay your Loss of Use. Can they help you get money for Loss of Use while your unit is being repaired?
