Auto Insurance Claims/stolen suv

Advertisement

Expert: - 9/19/2010


Question
The suv was stolen and recovered by the police the following day in a crime ridden area with $7000 of damage done. Does the insurance company have the right to repeatedly question if the suv owner, stating they are not convinced the suv was stolen.  The owner of the suv is my 22 year old daughter and it is to the point that all she is getting physically ill over this.  The police were called immediately when the discovery of the suv missing.  

Answer
Hello,

This is a subject I am well versed on. I work for and against insurance companies and perform unbiased examinations of the claim and of the vehicle. if the insurance expert can base his conclusion on fact, fine. that is rarely the case however.

Many insurance experts are paid by the insurance company to determine fraud on the part of the insured.

Call me at 866-490-1673

Auto Insurance Claims

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

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.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.