Personal Injury Insurance Claim - The Insurance Process, Strategy and NegotiationBy Hector Quiroga, J.D.
A personal injury insurance claim can be settle without anlawyer. As a matter of fact, the majority of personal injury insurance claim do not involve attorneys. The reason for this is the high legal fees and cost that will be tackled to your settlement. So learning the process and handling your claim can save you a bundle and increase your injury compensation.The personal injury insurance claim process starts when you go to the doctor. Most insurance companies will try to settle the personal injury insurance claim (as oppose of your personal injury "legal" claim) as soon as they think they can get a settlement and release form from you. If you do not settle, then the personal injury insurance claim will continue. You will follow a treatment schedule and your medical bills will be paid by your insurance company by your Personal Injury Protection Coverage. Both insurance companies will send you a Medical Authorization From. This form entitles them to ask for your medical bills and records. You insurance company will not pay the medical bills until you give them the form. This is perfectly legal. Courts have ruled that if the insurance company is required to pay the medical bill, they are entitled to see the reports.
After your insurance company pays, they will be reimbursed by the responsible party's insurance company but only when you settle. This can take up to three years, depending on your state's bodily injury statute of limitations. The personal injury insurance claim process will focus in your medical treatment. The insurance carrier will be sending you letter and asking you to report your medical condition. If they believe that you are over treating, they will send a letter to your own insurance company telling them that if they pay for your medical bills, they will not reimburse them. This is a technique to put pressure on your own insurance company to review the medical records and decline payment in anything that does not appear to be accident related.
Once you feel better, you are back to "pre accident condition", or you are release from treatment, the other person's insurance company will be asking you for the medical authorization form again.Most people will just sign the medical authorization from, giving the insurance company the right to see every record in your medical history.
The next step in a personal injury insurance claim is the evaluation process. Once the insurance company receives all medical records and reports, they will "compare" your injuries and treatment to similar cases in your area and find the average jury award. Once there is an agreement, the insurance company will send you a settlement of any and all claims form. Once you returned signed, they will issue you payment and the claim will be settled. At that point, your insurance company will be reimbursed for your medical bills.
