Training Course Syllabus:

Insurance Claims: Investigation and Adjuster Negotiations Insurance Seminar

Get Practical Skills for Resolving Insurance Claims Quickly and Efficiently

Insurance litigation is long, laborious and complex. Bad faith litigation burns the bridges you often spend years to build. Sometimes it is inevitable, but what if you could realistically minimize the number of such cases without any detriment to your clients' claims? This practical legal guide combines the knowledge of experienced insurance attorneys and claims professionals to provide you with a step-by-step playbook for selecting, researching and resolving insurance claims constructively. Explore available resolution options, demands and concessions to consider and powerful precise wording to use. Get your clients the claim settlements they deserve and build lasting working relationships with the insurance professionals you'll have to deal with for your next claim – register today!  

• Resolve insurance claims quickly and efficiently with time-tested negotiating strategies.
• Improve your early investigation/claim evaluation technique to avoid time-wasters.
• Get practical tips for writing demand letters that spur cooperation.
• Set the tone for the negotiations from the start: find the most productive balance between hardball tactics and building a relationship with the insurance company.
• Don't miss any vital steps: make certain all the proper documentation is provided.
• Find easy and efficient ways of documenting the negotiations.
• Learn to recognize when the negotiations are likely to fail and quickly and accurately determine your next course of action.
• Maintain an impeccable reputation with clear guidance on the legal ethics rules and their application.

• Investigating the Claim – the Claimant's Perspective
  9:00 - 9:30, Leonard D. Zaccagnino
• Researching the Facts of the Case
• Identifying Key Issues
• Incident Scene Investigation
• Witness and Client Interviews
• Requesting Documents
• Researching Insurance Coverage
• Valuing Your Claim - Key Factors to Consider
• Diminished Value Claims
• Investigating the Claim – the Insurance Claims Specialist's Perspective
  9:30 - 10:30, Warren B. Seifert
• Common Claim Evaluation Rules and Software
• Reviewing Incident Reports
• Analyzing Coverage
• Recognizing Fraud and Using Investigators
• Claims Representatives' Tips for Productive and Efficient Negotiations
• Drafting the Demand Letter that Gets Results
  10:45 - 11:15, Earl K. Cantwell
• Key Elements of an Effective Demand Letter
• Length, Style, Tone, “Drama” Level
• Sample Letter Review/Critique
• What to Include in the Settlement Package – Documentation and Exhibits
• To Document the Claim
• To Incentivize the Claim – Enhance its Value
• To Enhance Credibility, Prevent Bottlenecks, Close Gaps
• Negotiation Techniques that Work
  11:15 - 12:00, Audrey A. Seeley
• Determining the Adjuster's Settlement Authority
• Using Documentation/Exhibits Effectively
• Building a Record of the Negotiations
• Addressing the Weak Points of Your Case
• Going Beyond the Adjuster's Settlement Authority
• Re-Starting Stalled Negotiations
• Making the Most of Mediation
• Negotiation Mistakes to Avoid
• Get to Know Your Adjusters – Building Credibility and Lasting Relationships
• What to Do When the Negotiations Fail
• The Role of Medical Evidence in an Insurance Claim
  1:00 - 1:45, Adam C. Ferrandino
• Obtaining Medical Documentation of Injuries, Treatment, Diagnoses, Expenses, etc.
• Independent Medical Examination
• When Does Treatment Cross Over into Maintenance?
• The Role of Pre-Existing Conditions
• Arbitration: Procedure and Tactics
  1:45 - 2:30, Leonard D. Zaccagnino
• Legal Ethics
  2:45 - 3:45, Eileen E. Buholtz
• Clearly Communicating Absence of Attorney-Client Relationship to Non-Clients
• Effective Retainer Agreements
• Managing Client Expectations
• Identifying and Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
• Confidentiality
• Attorney Fees
• HIPAA Compliance in Handling Medical Records
• Ethical Attorney Advertising and Solicitation of Clients
• Bad Faith – Causes of Action
  3:45 - 4:30, Jennifer A. Ehman

Seminar Summary:

Get your clients the claim settlements they deserve and build lasting working relationships with the insurance professionals you'll have to deal with for your next claim. (see full course description)

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