Marine Insurance Adjuster Disputes

Marine insurance adjusters process claims for offshore injuries. They are employees of an insurance company or an outside adjustment firm hired by an insurance agency. They investigate claims through interviews with witnesses, examining potential evidence and then they along with the insurance company, determine if a claim should be paid and what amount of compensation should be offered.

As employees of an insurance agency, it is a marine insurance adjuster’s job to attempt to find information that benefits the employer and not the claimant.  As a result, marine adjusters will search for information that will dispute the version of events as described by the injured party. Along with investigating the circumstances of the injury and the seaworthiness of the vessel, the insurance adjuster may ask a claimant to get another medical opinion or recommend doctors who have been chosen by the insurance company in the hope of disputing the opinion of the claimant’s doctor.

Once an insurance adjuster has done some research on the claim, they are authorized to offer a settlement to the claimant. The settlement offer will be an amount the insurance agency feels appropriate to the situation, and that will favor the company and the employer.

The claimant is not required to follow the adjuster’s recommendations or accept their settlement offer. The injured party should have representation when speaking with an adjuster to be certain he or she knows all his or her rights under Federal maritime laws. It will be of assistance to have someone who knows the laws as well as the adjuster when making decisions about a claim or before signing any documents.