How do insurance adjusters determine value?

Asked by: Brenden Kuhlman  |  Last update: July 9, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (55 votes)

The insurance adjuster will estimate the value of your vehicle based on the total value of other similar vehicles in your area. This is called the true market value. The insurance adjuster determines this value by checking the actual sales that took place in the area.

What not to tell a claims adjuster?

Some key phrases to avoid saying to an insurance adjuster include: “I'm sorry.” “It was all/partly my fault.” “I did not see the other person/driver.”

Do insurance adjusters try to lowball?

To Protect Their Profits

Insurance adjusters are often given bonuses or other incentives based on how much money they save the company by getting claimants to accept low settlements. Making lowball offers is a key way insurers try to minimize payouts and protect their bottom line.

How do I haggle with an insurance adjuster?

Here's how to negotiate with insurance adjusters like a pro:

Prepare thoroughly by knowing your policy details and the value of your claim. Gather all evidence, including photos, medical records, and repair estimates. Stay calm, be polite, and firm in your communications.

How do you calculate insurance value?

A total insurable value (TIV) is calculated by adding together the total physical property, equipment, inventory, tools, etc. at each location and combining it with the final number calculated on a fully completed business income worksheet.

Easiest Way to Get Paid Big for Your Car Accident

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How is insurance value determined?

When paying for the loss of your vehicle, insurance companies will typically utilize actual cash value, also known as market value, which takes into consideration the replacement cost of the vehicle minus depreciation. This is what you would receive for the vehicle if you sold it on the market today.

How to negotiate total loss payout?

To get the most money on your total loss settlement, come prepared to prove that they car is worth more than what you've been offered. The more evidence you can provide, and the more detailed that evidence is, the better your odds of winning a higher settlement.

How to get a higher insurance settlement?

  1. The Personal Injury Settlement Process.
  2. Have an Injury Settlement Amount In Mind.
  3. Don't Jump at the First Injury Settlement Offer.
  4. Get the Adjuster to Justify a Low Injury Settlement Offer.
  5. Emphasize Emotional Points.
  6. Put the Settlement in Writing.
  7. Getting Help With a Personal Injury Claim.

How do you beat claims adjuster?

What Is the Single Best Way to Scare an Insurance Adjuster?
  1. Write a convincing demand letter to your insurance company.
  2. Carefully review any settlement offers you receive.
  3. Reject a settlement offer in writing on your behalf.
  4. Counter your lowball settlement offer.

How to respond to a low settlement offer?

How Should I Respond to a Low Settlement Offer?
  1. Try to remain calm and examine the offer. After receiving a low settlement offer, the most important thing to do is to stay calm. ...
  2. Provide a formal, written response. ...
  3. Formulate your counteroffer. ...
  4. Settle after you've recovered.

Why is the first settlement offer so low?

Why Do They Always Lowball On The First Settlement Offer? If the insurance company is lucky enough that you accept the first low offer, it's better for them. The less money the insurance company gives you, the better their bottom line.

How do adjusters determine value?

The insurance adjuster will estimate the value of your vehicle based on the total value of other similar vehicles in your area. This is called the true market value. The insurance adjuster determines this value by checking the actual sales that took place in the area.

Should I trust an insurance adjuster?

That said, it's always prudent to use caution when you're speaking to an insurance adjuster after an accident. These individuals have the tough job of thoroughly reviewing your case to determine an appropriate payout, and they may not always have your best interests at the forefront of their minds.

What are insurance adjusters looking for?

Adjusters inspect property damage or personal injury claims to determine how much the insurance company should pay for the loss. They might inspect a home, a business, or an automobile. Adjusters interview the claimant and witnesses, inspect the property, and do additional research, such as look at police reports.

Should I talk to my insurance adjuster?

One of the most consequential things you'll do in the aftermath of a car crash is speak with an insurance adjuster. Take this conversation seriously because it will set the foundation for your claim and could affect how much compensation you can recover.

What should you not say to a loss adjuster?

Understand that everything you say whether in person or over the phone, can be used against you in their final assessment. Avoid providing incomplete or potentially detrimental information that could be used to lower the settlement offer, like failing to mention pre-existing damage.

What do insurance companies fear the most?

It's simple: Insurance companies' legal teams hate having to go before juries. Naturally, it's up to juries to apply the law in a fair and even-handed manner. However, it never helps insurance companies to be seen as the villains who are trying to get one over on people in genuine need.

Do insurance adjusters get bonuses for denying claims?

Insurers are driven to increase their profits. In that vein, some of them give bonuses to adjusters who successfully and consistently deny claims. Adjusters who pay too many claims may find themselves without a job.

Can you ask for a different adjuster?

Even if you don't hire a private claims adjuster, you can still work with the insurance company's adjuster. If you're not pleased with the initial adjuster that your insurance provides, you can contact them and request a new person.

What is a reasonable settlement figure?

A reasonable proposed settlement figure is one that takes into account the amount of awards juries in your area have made in recent, similar cases. Your initial settlement demand should be a number that's high enough to leave you room for negotiation.

How to get more money for pain and suffering?

Work with An Experienced and Knowledgeable Attorney

You need to work with a personal injury lawyer if you want compensation. They know how to increase a settlement value and will handle your entire legal process. The attorneys at Silva Injury Law have decades of experience representing victims in California.

Do insurance companies prefer to settle?

Avoiding a Lawsuit or Trial

When an insurance company offers you a quick settlement offer, it wants to avoid a lawsuit or going to court. Insurance companies usually want to avoid getting involved in lawsuits and lengthy trials. Litigating a personal injury case can be expensive. Additionally, lawsuits are uncertain.

Can you ask for more money when your car is totaled?

In some cases, you may get more insurance money for a totaled car than for repairs. In addition, it is possible to negotiate a higher settlement by providing evidence that your car was worth more than the insurance company's initial valuation.

How do I reject a low settlement offer?

If you choose to reject the low settlement offer, you must communicate your decision to the claims adjuster. Your legal representative can help you write a letter that states your intentions. Within the letter, you can indicate that you reject the offer and highlight why you deserve a higher settlement amount.

What happens if you don't agree with a total loss adjuster?

If you do not agree with the settlement offered by the adjuster, you have the right to request that the adjuster sends to you in writing the amount of the offer along with the specific policy provisions or legal basis the adjuster is relying on in support of the offer.