Search
 

The LIST Claim and the Auto Adjuster: Part 1

Having recently spent some time in a claim factory cranking out routine bodily injury claims in a major urban area, your image-breaking correspondent has an ever-increasing appreciation for the modern auto insurance claim adjuster.

By Ken Brownlee | Updated on October 30, 2006

Having recently spent some time in a claim factory cranking out routine bodily injury claims in a major urban area, your image-breaking correspondent has an ever-increasing appreciation for the modern auto insurance claim adjuster. If auto is the major or only line an insurer writes, these bright, friendly, mostly young men and women working as staff adjusters and unit managers must live with a daily regimen of disasters. Those range from drunk drivers committing mayhem on the highways, a confusion of foreign-language-speaking insureds and claimants, indecipherable medical and police reports (penmanship is a lost art), claims involving smashed fenders, interrupted plans, and ill tempers.

They also deal with a regular dose of what has become known in the industry as LIST claims. These are low impact soft tissue auto injury claims where the damage was barely visible to either car. The police report — and maybe the insured’s initial report — might even state that nobody was injured, but a week or so later along comes a letter from an attorney alleging that so-and-so and her seven kids who were in the back seat were severely injured and are under the care of an expensive physician. The claims may be third-party or first-party uninsured or underinsured motorist, or a combination of both. This is common when liability is not crystal clear. (Some insurers may refer to these as “MIST” claims — minimal impact, soft tissue.)

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free
PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader.

INCLUDED IN A DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP:

  • All PropertyCasualty360.com news coverage, best practices, and in-depth analysis.
  • Educational webcasts, resources from industry leaders, and informative newsletters.
  • Other award-winning websites including BenefitsPRO.com and ThinkAdvisor.com.

Already have an account?

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Dig Deeper

Recommended Stories

PropertyCasualty360

Join PropertyCasualty360

Don’t miss crucial news and insights you need to make informed decisions for your P&C insurance business. Join PropertyCasualty360.com now!

  • Unlimited access to PropertyCasualty360.com - your roadmap to thriving in a disrupted environment
  • Access to other award-winning ALM websites including BenefitsPRO.com, ThinkAdvisor.com and Law.com
  • Exclusive discounts on PropertyCasualty360, National Underwriter, Claims and ALM events

Already have an account? Sign In Now
Join PropertyCasualty360

Copyright © 2024 ALM Global, LLC. All Rights Reserved.