After a claim (fire, theft, water damage), your insurer appoints an expert. Their role is to assess the damage and calculate the compensation. But never forget one thing: the expert is mandated and paid by the insurance. Although they must be impartial, they often indirectly defend the financial interests of their client.
If you feel the expert's proposal is vastly undervalued, you don't have to accept it. Here is the procedure.
1. Refuse the initial offer
Never sign the expert's report or the compensation acceptance letter if you disagree. The signature acts as final acceptance. Respond by registered letter detailing why the estimate seems wrong (relying on facts: excessive depreciation, items « forgotten » in the calculation).
2. The key to leverage: your inventory and proofs
The expert's word is authoritative... unless you have material evidence to the contrary. If you can produce original invoices, certificates of authenticity, and photos proving the excellent condition of your goods before the claim, the expert will be forced to revise their copy. This is where the PDF file generated by SafeInventa is your best asset. Structured, cryptographically proven, and including invoice scans, it impresses the expert and shows you won't be pushed around.
3. Request a counter-expertise
If the disagreement persists, the law allows you to appoint your own expert. Their role is to defend your interests. Both experts will meet to find an amicable agreement.
Good to know: The fees for this counter-expertise are sometimes covered by your insurance if you have an « expert fees » option in your contract.
4. Judicial expertise (as a last resort)
If the two experts cannot reach an agreement, a third expert is appointed, either by mutual agreement or by the court, to settle the dispute definitively.
Fighting an insurance company is a battle of patience and evidence. By anticipating the management of your inventory with SafeInventa, you tip the balance of power in your favor from the very first day of the claim.