You think your insurance company is on your side? Think again.
I learned this lesson on a rainy Tuesday night on the Kennedy Expressway. I was driving home, about 9 PM, dark, wet roads. A truck merged into my lane without looking. I swerved, clipped the barrier, spun around, and ended up facing the wrong direction. No airbags deployed, but the front end of my car was smashed. The truck kept going. Never stopped.
I was fine – shaken, but fine. Called the police, filed a report, got a tow. Then I called my insurance company to start the claim.
The adjuster was polite. She took my information, asked me to send photos, and said someone would inspect the car. A few days later, she called with an offer: about $6,200 for repairs, minus my $500 deductible, so around $5,700. She said the car was repairable. She said I could take it to any shop. She said they’d pay for a rental for about 30 days.
Sounds fair, right? I almost said yes.
But I used to work in underwriting. I know how the game works. I asked for a copy of the adjuster’s estimate. She emailed it. I reviewed it line by line. There were several problems. First, they listed used parts instead of new OEM parts. My car was only three years old. Second, they missed damage to the suspension that my mechanic had pointed out. Third, they underestimated the labor hours. I called her back and asked for a re-inspection at a shop of my choice. She resisted. “Our estimate is standard,” she said. I said “then you won’t mind if my shop takes a look.”
She agreed. I took the car to a collision repair center I trusted. They did a full tear-down estimate. The real cost: about $11,400. Plus the hidden suspension damage: another around $1,800. Total about $13,200. Plus the rental would need to be about 45 days, not 30.
I sent the new estimate to the adjuster. She came back with about $9,800 – still low. I escalated to her manager. After two weeks of back and forth, they agreed to about $12,500. I paid my $500 deductible, and the car was repaired properly.
The adjuster never told me that I had the right to choose my own shop. She never told me that I could request OEM parts. She never told me that the first offer is almost always low. She did her job – she protected her company’s bottom line. My job was to protect mine.
That experience taught me a lot about how auto claims work – and how to fight for a fair settlement.
Let me share what the adjuster didn’t tell me.
First: you are not required to use the insurer’s preferred shop.
They’ll say “we have a network of approved shops that guarantee the work.” That’s fine. But you can take your car anywhere. Independent shops may give you a more thorough estimate. And they’re not incentivized to cut corners. If you use a preferred shop, the insurer may pressure them to use aftermarket parts or reduce labor hours. You have the right to choose.
Second: you can ask for OEM parts.
Most policies cover “like kind and quality” parts – which can mean aftermarket or used parts. But if your car is new or you want to maintain its value, you can request original equipment manufacturer parts. You may need to pay the difference, but you can negotiate. In my case, I argued that aftermarket parts would reduce my car’s resale value. The adjuster eventually agreed to OEM for the major body panels.
Third: you can claim diminished value.
If your car is repaired after an accident, it’s worth less than a car with no accident history – even if the repairs are perfect. You can file a “diminished value” claim to recover that loss. Most people don’t know this. The adjuster won’t mention it. In Illinois, you have the right to claim diminished value, but you need to prove it. Get a diminished value appraisal from a third party. I filed one and received an additional about $1,200.
Fourth: the first offer is a negotiation starting point.
Never accept the first offer. Get a second opinion. Document everything. Be polite but firm. If you get stuck, escalate to a manager. If that fails, file a complaint with your state insurance department. Most companies will increase their offer rather than deal with regulatory headaches.
The Auto Coverage Optimizer can help you understand what coverage you have before an accident.
Now, let me tell you about someone I worked with – let’s call him Kevin. He was rear-ended by a distracted driver. His car was totaled. The at-fault driver’s insurance offered him about $8,000 for his car. Kevin thought that was fair. I asked him to get a valuation from a third-party source. He pulled NADA and Kelley Blue Book. The car was worth around $10,500. He also had receipts for new tires and a recent transmission service – $2,000. He went back to the adjuster with evidence. They raised the offer to $10,800. He accepted. He told me “I almost left about $2,800 on the table.”
That’s the pattern. The adjuster’s job is to pay as little as possible. Your job is to get what you’re owed.
The Coverage Gap Calculator can help you see if you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage – critical if the at-fault driver has no insurance.
Another thing adjusters don’t tell you: medical payments coverage. MedPay is a small amount – typically $1,000 to $10,000 – that pays for your medical bills regardless of fault. It’s cheap. I have $5,000 on my policy. After my accident, I went to the ER for whiplash. The bill was $3,200. My MedPay covered it, no deductible, no questions. I didn’t have to wait for the other driver’s insurance. If you don’t have MedPay, you’d have to pay out of pocket or use your health insurance, which might have a high deductible.
So here’s your post-accident action plan.
First, stay calm and check for injuries. Call 911 if needed.
Second, document everything. Take photos of the cars, the damage, the license plates, the scene. Get witness contact info.
Third, file a police report. Even for minor accidents. This creates an official record.
Fourth, contact your insurance company. Do not talk to the other driver’s insurer until you’ve talked to yours.
Fifth, get a copy of your policy and know your coverage – deductibles, rental, MedPay, diminished value.
Sixth, get multiple repair estimates. Don’t rely on the adjuster’s estimate alone.
Seventh, negotiate. If the offer seems low, push back. Provide evidence – comps, receipts, independent appraisals.
Eighth, if you’re injured, see a doctor. Don’t wait. Some injuries take days to appear.
Ninth, keep a log of every phone call, email, and letter. Write down names, dates, and what was said.
Tenth, consider hiring an independent appraiser or public adjuster for large claims.
After my accident, I also learned about rental coverage. I had rental reimbursement for about about $30 a day, about 30 days maximum. My repair took about 45 days. The extra 15 days cost me out of pocket – about $450. I raised my rental limit to about $50/day and 60 days after that. Cost me an extra about $20 a year. Worth it.
The Auto Coverage Optimizer would have caught that gap. I used it after the fact and kicked myself.
I remember a young woman – let’s call her Jasmine – who was hit by an uninsured driver. She had no uninsured motorist coverage. She was out about $12,000 in medical bills. She had to declare bankruptcy. She told me “I didn’t know that coverage existed.” It does. It costs about about about $30 a year. Every driver should have it.
Here’s the bottom line. After an accident, you are vulnerable. You’re stressed, maybe injured, and you just want your life back. Insurance companies know this. They exploit it. They make low offers hoping you’ll accept. They delay, hoping you’ll give up. They use jargon to confuse you.
Don’t let them.
Know your rights. Document everything. Get second opinions. Escalate. Use the tools. And if you’re not comfortable negotiating, hire a professional – a public adjuster or an attorney – especially for large claims.
My accident was stressful. But because I knew the game, I ended up with a fair settlement. The adjuster didn’t tell me anything. I had to learn it myself. Now I’m telling you.
P.S. Kevin – the one with the totaled car – he used the extra about $2,800 as a down payment on a newer car. He also added uninsured motorist and MedPay to his new policy. He said “never again.”
By Marcus
