Aren't independent insurance claims adjusters expensive? It depends on the claim. There are some base charges that make the cost for a small inspection a little prohibitive, but if the claim is over $1,500.00 even our base charge is reasonable and a good value for the dollar, as you do receive a fully documented and photographed recommendation. In fact we do even better. If we are assigned an inspection that turns out to be small, instead of charging the base fee we charge a flat $75.00 + photos. We also screen claims to see if they should be seen or if they are small enough to be settled over the phone for a fast-track fee of $35.00. On the larger claims the fee becomes a small fraction of the total claim and most times the value added by having an accurately adjusted claim far outweighs the fee.
How do I know my customers will be treated properly? In this business you are only as good as your last claim settlement. We are vendors and the carriers are under no obligation to use us. They can stop for any reason. As your representatives, we strive for the highest levels of customer service. Treating customers well is just good business. It makes the claim process go smoothly. Many of the claims we get are problems or complaints to begin with. We are good at righting derailed claims and bringing them to a favorable conclusion. We want to establish long term relationships and that doesn't happen without exceeding the expectations of you and your customers.
This claim has fallen through the cracks, the customer is irate. Will I exacerbate the situation by giving it out to an independent? Not if you give it to us. We will get in touch with the insured or claimant immediately and see what course of action will get this claim back on track. We do it over and over. More than half of the claims that we handle are problem losses, complex claims, or complaints. It is what we do best!
We need to control loss adjustment expense and the use of independents will increase those costs? This is true but all claim coverages are balancing acts. If you have a specialty claim like a utility loss or some heavy commercial damage what you spend on LAE can save you on your coverage severity. It is part of the balance. We help you to control expenses. On complex claims severity exposure can be very high. Our expertise to control a complex claim, and pay what is owed makes our fees cost effective.
How do I know that the adjuster handling the claim will do it the way my company requires? No claim leaves this office without being reviewed by the principle who has 30 years of automotive, construction, and claims experience including management and claim office start up. We know what you require and we know how to do it seamlessly. One comment that we get most often, is that the rep. just give us the claim and forgets about it, because he or she knows that we always process in a timely fashion, and when we can't statuses are regular and detailed, to the master file, and the claimant or insured.
How do I make an assignment? Just press on go to assignment here or go to the assignment button on the home page. Follow the instructions. You will be prompted to supply enough information so the claim can be properly addressed.
How do I know you have the expertise to handle the claim that I am sending? The great thing about being in the claims business is that you meet people from all walks of life because most everyone, in some way, either carries insurance or has been in an insurance related situation. The longer you are in claims the more you can learn about different businesses and their operation. We are doing it a long time. If we don't already know the solution to properly adjusting your claim, we certainly know where to find it. We are different from other adjustment firms because we can back our figures with actual companies who will perform the work.
Why does SME emphasize seeing claims whenever possible? Because of technology and the need to centralize large claim operations claims can now be settled from long distances over the phone or the internet, and we do take advantage of those options when it is appropriate and cost effective for the carrier. However, there is no substitute for physically visiting a claim site or a damaged piece of equipment, especially in third party loss situations. If a claimant lives in NY and is dealing with someone across the country, the potential for abuse is apparent. This needs to be weighed against the efficiency of centralizing claims which of course is a huge plus. Our customers can have it both ways. You can settle over the phone when appropriate and still have access to an inspection and a thorough investigation when claim dollars or other factors warrent same. Also, we settle a very large amount of utility claims each year. Usually a utility pole loss will involve 3 different claimants: the electric company, the telephone company, and cable TV. It may also involve a property owner, and a data cable company. With one visit all the claimants can be addressed and their demands compared to one another for overlap of operations, and billing. We have many losses in our files where it turns out the insured was billed in error and does not owe the demand at all or owes a significantly reduced amount. These types of things cannot be determined from a desk. You have to go out and see the loss! We make seeing the loss cost effective every time.
If you have more questions please e-mail us: office@smeservicesny.com