Negotiating

• You will probably want to negotiate the first settlement offered to you by the insurance company of the offending party. Ask plenty of questions about their policies, and take notes on the language they use. If your claim settlement is denied, you can request a letter to show to your insurance company or a lawyer to determine the best way to pursue a new settlement.
  
  Save all correspondence between you and the insurance companies. By no means should you ever accept the first settlement offered; the insurance company expects to negotiate the terms of the settlement, and you should be prepared to do the same.
  
  

Warning Signs

• Sometimes insurance companies won't play fairly. If the insurance company does not respond to phone calls or letters in a timely manner, or if it denies your settlement without providing you with written justification, consider requesting arbitration to work out the settlement. If your documentation demonstrates a certain expected amount and insurance company is attempting to pay dramatically less, contact a supervisor and explain to her why you feel the amount offered is inadequate. Be vigilant, and get to the bottom of any issue that nets you less money than you're owed.
  
  

Seeking Help

• The two kinds of help you may want to seek are arbitration and legal counsel. Arbitration is an attempt to settle any disputes between you and an insurance company when you cannot reach an agreement. Injury and accident attorneys go to bat for you against insurance companies that are unwilling to compensate you fairly. Attorneys will negotiate in your stead and may even advise you to pursue a lawsuit if the insurance company continues offering you significantly less than what your lawyer deems suitable.