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Auto Insurance Claims/truck stolen and under investigation

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Expert: - 3/29/2010


Question
my 2007 suburban was stolen february 16. i bought it february 15. a month before my escalade was stolen and found but deemed total loss. the suburban was found and in a shop that they sent it to. it is now march 28th and it seems im getting the run around on wether my truck will be fixed because they supposedly couldnt get a hold of the witness that saw my truck getting stolen. The investigator twice made an appointment with the witness and never showed up. Is there anything i can do?

Answer
Hello,

There is absolutely nothing you can do at this point. Threatening them with an attorney only antagonizes them and gets you nowhere.

I know a guy right now in which the insurance company refuses to give him his truck back because it is under investigation. They have had it 14 months and he has been making payments on it!!!!

Look, it could be that they are waiting on the cops or it could be more sinister where they are trying to link you to the theft of this unstealable truck.

I deal with these cases on a daily basis, but there is nothing you can do unless they deny your claim.

If they ever get around to paying or denying, let me know either way.

Rob

http://www.autotheftexpert.com
robo14@aol.com

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Rob Painter, Ase, CFEI, CAFATE

Expertise

Please remember. I am not an attorney and cannot legal advice. My answers are based on my experience due to litigation I have been involved in as an expert, for both insurance companies and while oposing them opposing them. I deal with only comprehensive claims on autos related to fire and theft. I have even had the opportunity to rewrite policy coverage language as it relates to vehicle theft and forced entry for insurance defense attorneys.

Experience

Experience in the area: Working with insurance companies and attorneys on these issues for over 20 years. It is very common to have a reported stolen car with a so-called factory anti-theft system to have the theft claim denied. I have served successfully as an expert witness in the courts across the US representing the insured and their attorney revealing that the insurance expert did not take all known theories into consideration before rendering their "Forensic" conclusion. Many insurance carriers us independent "Forensic" experts to examine reported stolen vehicles commonly using flawed methodology implicating the innocent insured with the theft. My job is to determine if the insurance expert reached his conclusions based on accepted scientific principals or just net opinion with no basis other than opinion. My case record against such experts is very compelling.My resume can be seen at the catagory "Auto Theft and Prevention." In "Forensics" the scientific method must be employed. In the forensic locksmith field determining how a reported stolen vehicle was last operated, many processes cannot be duplicated and are conveniently not addressed. If they were, juries would have the opportunity to make a fair and impartial opinion at least about what the expert could or could not prove. There is a purported process determining the last key used. The chances of determining such is very rare uless the key is found in the ignition lock. Experts commonly destroy evidence as well and are rarely questioned on this event. I reveal the weakness in their testimony on such instances.

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