How to Negotiate a Car Accident Injury Claim with Germania Insurance

Germania’s Evaluation Process

Following the revelation of Allstate’s “COLOSSUS” program, it is now common knowledge that most insurance companies used some type of standardized approach when calculating the settlement amount to be offered on a particular claim. While some of these approaches take a variety of factors into account, they often do not take individual expenses, emotions and mental suffering into consideration. Therefore, while this process of using standardized procedures may appear fair, you, as a car accident victim, may not be fully compensated if you just accept the amount Germania Insurance offers.

While the standardized amount is what most adjustors will initially offer, this is not necessarily what you must accept. You may be able to negotiate a more favorable settlement by doing the following:

Incur necessary but reasonable expenses.

You should not forego medical treatment that is necessary, nor should you feel it necessary that you take your car to the cheapest repair shop. But neither should you claim extravagant expenses. Medical procedures that are not necessary, or repairs that go beyond restoring your car to good working order, may convince your claim adjuster that you are not negotiating in good faith. This can result in a complete breakdown of the negotiation process.

Know what your bottom-line is.

While you should not start a negotiation by demanding your “bottom-line” number (that is, the least amount of money you need), you should not feel compelled to go below your bottom-line number without good reason. If you demand a reasonable settlement amount to Germania’s claim adjuster, you should be able to justify the amount by explaining the losses and expenses you experienced. If you feel like taking a settlement below your bottom-line amount, you may wish to speak with a personal injury attorney first to gain an outside perspective on your situation.

Have your own evidence to support your settlement amount.

Be sure you keep important documents, like repair estimates and medical bills, safe and accessible in case your adjustor needs to see them. You should also keep notes as to how much time you miss from work, as well as what your treating doctor says regarding continuing treatment. Take pictures of the accident scene and your injuries, if possible. All of these documents and photographs may be useful in convincing your Germania claim adjustor that the “standard amounts” are not enough given the circumstances of your case.

Contact Experienced Austin Car Accident Attorneys Today

The days and weeks following a car accident injury can be painful and stressful. You may not have the strength, attention, or patience to argue with the claim adjuster over a settlement amount and may feel tempted to accept their amount “just to get it over with.”

At Zinda Law Group, our Austin car accident attorneys understand this and are here to help. We can help you negotiate a fair and appropriate settlement with the claim adjuster and ensure he or she takes your unique situation into account. Where we cannot reach a settlement, or if the settlements being offered are not in your best interest, we can help you pursue other avenues for recovering compensation.

Contact us at (800) 863-5312 to schedule a free consultation and learn how our Austin personal injury lawyers can help you negotiate with a Germania Insurance claim adjuster.