Many claims result in an insurance claim dispute. For many claims the Appraisal Umpire may be the policyholders only real chance for a fair claims settlement. Unfortunately, insurance claim disputes occur every day of the year. What causes such disputes? The first and most obvious reason is that almost all policyholders believe that they are entitled to a larger settlement than what their adjuster has provided. Others occur because many insurer’s goals are to pay as little as possible on claims. Another common reason is that claims that should be covered are often denied by insurance companies. Many other reasons as well can result in a dispute.

There are various ways to deal with your insurance loss. First, is the aggressive approach, which I do not encourage. Too much aggression will cause further delays. I also believe that everything can be settled in a peaceful and civilized manner. There are actually several peaceful options which a policyholder may undertake depending on the degree of the insurance claim dispute.

Some claims reach an impasse and there is no way the two parties can resolve the dispute themselves. In such a situation, it’s recommended to first obtain the name and number of the adjuster’s manager. This can be obtained by simply calling the company directly or asking your adjuster for this information. Call and speak with the manager and/or the company’s complaint department. Notify them of your problem and situation. In some cases they may be able to assist you right away. If they agree with your argument they will usually advise your adjuster to do what you’re asking for. Policyholders can also request a “reinspection” of the property damages. A reinspection will be conducted by a different adjuster or supervisor. It’s recommended to request that a “General Adjuster” be the other person to reinspect the claim damage. General Adjusters usually have 15+ years experience in insurance claim damages. Their knowledge may assist you in receiving a fair settlement. It is also recommended to obtain the name and extension of anyone you speak with from the complaint department as well.

If you are in a dispute that involves repairing a structure (home, building) that has suffered a large amount of damage, you could hire an engineering firm to provide an analysis and report of the damages suffered. If such a report does not provide a satisfactory result for you, you can file a complaint at Department Of Insurance in the state where the loss took place.

Unfortunately, you may find yourself in a position where you still cannot ascertain a fair settlement for your claim, even after all this. It can be very frustrating, however, you still have options. Options that are located directly in your policy that protect you. For more information and to have all your questions answered, call (919) 669-9111. The consumer information hotline can answer all your questions for claims and disputes related to flood, water, fire, smoke, tornado, wind, hail, even hurricanes and theft. The trained personnel are available to assist you with all the available options you are entitled to under the policy.

Nevertheless, if you still feel that after you have applied all the above-mentioned options and you still believe you have not been provided a fair insurance settlement, you can always turn to a clause buried in your policy called APPRAISAL. The Insurance Appraisal Clause allows each party of a dispute to settle the differences out of court. It’s similar to an arbitration. (For a complete explanation of the Insurance Appraisal Clause by visiting What Is The Insurance Appraisal Clause).

The process calls for an unbiased, impartial, and competent Insurance Appraisal Umpire to work with two appraisers to settle the differences. Having such an individual can go a long way for a policyholder that is requesting a fair shake. The Appraisal Umpire has no interest. In turn, they base their decision on the facts.

(C) Joseph Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Get Appraisal Umpire Help, by visiting http://www.insuranceclaimsgroup.com or http://www.insuranceappraisalumpire.com