Friday, August 7, 2009

Insurance Adjusters

Today's post is, admittedly, a self centered comment.

I, as many others of good moral character, was raised to believe that one should never drive an automobile without proper Insurance Coverage. I have faithfully obeyed that rule for over half a Century.

I have also been assiduous in maintaining a portfolio of other Insurance, Life, Health, Homeowners, Etc. At times, however, I have been given reason to doubt the sagacity of my practices.

This doubt has arisen by virtue in my dealing with an Insurance Adjuster, following an incident involving a fall at a local auto repair shop, due to a slippery liquid being poured or spilled onto an exit ramp.

I sustained among other things; 5 broken ribs, fractured lower spine, a smashed shoulder, necessitating a surgical rebuild, which was only partly successful, due to the nature and extent of the damage, an enduring concussion, bruised lungs and kidneys and so on.

Naif that I am, after the initial Hospital Visits & etc, I contacted the Insurance Carrier for the afore-mentioned repair shop, and made arrangements for them to pay my medical bills, and thought all was well..

The first inkling I had that I was in for a battle was when one of the Adjusters for this Company,( for the sake of a proper identity we'll call this Company......oh I don't know......How about the SCROOM INSURANCE AND VINYL SIDING COMPANY.(. Purely for the sake of an identity you understand.) telling me, "well, Mr. Doe, at your age, you're not worth much!!! I Will gladly take an oath on a Hundred Dollar Bible as to the truth of that statement, as will my wife.

Things have gone downhill ever since that moment. I have been told that Hospital and Doctor bills have all been paid, only to discover, that this was not true, I have been offered the equivalent of 25,000 Congolese shillings ( one dollar and seventy four cents, U.S. ) Because as yet another adjuster told me "Well Mr. Doe, we just can't see where you were very badly injured", in a voice roughly equivalent to scraping a number of four-penny nails across an old blackboard ( I would imagine this particular Adjuster won a competition to determine which employee had the most irritating voice, in order to discourage normal, sentient humans from ever calling again)

At times I have had to beg the indulgence of an Adjuster,for a temporary delay in our conversations in order to seek treatment for a Stroke or to inquire of prices from a local Mortician.

But still, great fool that I am, I persevere . It's the principal of the thing now. I only have about two months until the Statute of Limitations will expire on this accident, which means I will have to reluctantly hire a Lawyer to file a Lawsuit to "Lock In" this case and obviate the above mentioned Statute.

It is a sad state of affairs when a person is injured, through no fault of their own, and in most cases, be obliged to engage an Expensive Lawyer (Is there any other kind?) simply in order to have their Medical bills paid and perhaps receive a small amount for their pain and suffering, but since laws setting a Statute of Limitations on injuries are passed by Lawyers (who else?) and since all Lawyers who couldn't make a living as an Attorney run for Public Office, and are too frequently elected, we as a people are well and truly shafted.

In short, a couple of things to remember when dealing with any Insurance Company, I think, are as follows.

1. Do NOT believe anything they tell you.

2. See rule number 1.

Have a good and safe day, please!

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