09-03-2019, 02:46 AM
Sorry to year about your accident, but speaking as a former claims adjuster, very good on you for taking pictures of the wreck with the car still lunched into the back of your bike, before they were separated. That is good documentation on your part!
Not sure if you mentioned whether or not the adjuster came from your insurance or the insurance for the guy who hit you. But, if it was for the other guy's insurance, unless the somewhat shifty practices of some insurance companies have changed (notice I said "former" claims adjuster? There's a reason), it is not uncommon at all for an adjuster to try to visit you shortly after the accident and to try to cash you out as soon as possible.
You didn't mention injuries, but if you're typing this, assuming you're somewhat upright and moving. One of the reasons an insurance company will try to pay you as soon as they can is to make you feel happy and satisfied enough to sign a release of liability, so that you can't come back and file a personal injury claim, or a suit against them if you feel that the case is dragging on too long, or if you start to feel soft tissue injuries that may develop days after the accident.
The adjuster can take a look at your bike and make a list of the parts that appear to be damaged and need to be replaced. There's no way that he can make a call on something like frame damage, so the initial estimate will either be padded to cover the cost of additional labor and parts that may not be visible, or, it will just cover the basics, and the insurance company will negotiate on the final repair costs with the shop directly. In either case, they get you off of their books.
If the repair cost nears the cash value of the bike, despite its rarity, it makes more financial sense for the insurance company to total it, which opens another chapter which may not be pleasant. At that point, you are negotiating on the value of the bike with the insurance company, and they may not offer to pay you as much as you'd like. I've seen that go both ways - high or low, based on who is making the decision and what they know about the rarity of a particular vehicle.
As far as lawyers, I have my personal opinions there, based on years of dealing with them, and knowing how much they make, and what the claimant receives when the dust settles, and I'll hold my comments to myself.
Good luck, and hope you get her back on the road soon!
Not sure if you mentioned whether or not the adjuster came from your insurance or the insurance for the guy who hit you. But, if it was for the other guy's insurance, unless the somewhat shifty practices of some insurance companies have changed (notice I said "former" claims adjuster? There's a reason), it is not uncommon at all for an adjuster to try to visit you shortly after the accident and to try to cash you out as soon as possible.
You didn't mention injuries, but if you're typing this, assuming you're somewhat upright and moving. One of the reasons an insurance company will try to pay you as soon as they can is to make you feel happy and satisfied enough to sign a release of liability, so that you can't come back and file a personal injury claim, or a suit against them if you feel that the case is dragging on too long, or if you start to feel soft tissue injuries that may develop days after the accident.
The adjuster can take a look at your bike and make a list of the parts that appear to be damaged and need to be replaced. There's no way that he can make a call on something like frame damage, so the initial estimate will either be padded to cover the cost of additional labor and parts that may not be visible, or, it will just cover the basics, and the insurance company will negotiate on the final repair costs with the shop directly. In either case, they get you off of their books.
If the repair cost nears the cash value of the bike, despite its rarity, it makes more financial sense for the insurance company to total it, which opens another chapter which may not be pleasant. At that point, you are negotiating on the value of the bike with the insurance company, and they may not offer to pay you as much as you'd like. I've seen that go both ways - high or low, based on who is making the decision and what they know about the rarity of a particular vehicle.
As far as lawyers, I have my personal opinions there, based on years of dealing with them, and knowing how much they make, and what the claimant receives when the dust settles, and I'll hold my comments to myself.
Good luck, and hope you get her back on the road soon!