The Art of Adjusting® Podcast

Episode #98: How Insurance Adjusters Get The Full Story With Recorded Statements

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1984111/fan_mail/new] People hear “recorded statement” and assume it’s a trap. We don’t see it that way, and if you work in claims adjusting, you shouldn’t either. Bill Auten (Auten Claims Management) and Chantal Roberts (CMR Consulting) lay out what a recorded statement is really for: a clear, professional record of what happened that helps you investigate the claim, preserve evidence, and make the right call on liability, coverage, and damages. We get practical about preparation before you ever hit record: knowing your claim file, planning your roadmap without clinging to a script, and using photos or simple exhibits to lock in details. We also talk through how to set expectations with insureds, claimants, and witnesses so they understand why you’re recording, what “name, rank, and serial number” questions are for, and why “I don’t know” is a perfectly acceptable answer. You’ll hear tactics for managing real-world problems like background spouses chiming in, distractions, and the awkward pauses that happen when you’re typing notes live. We also cover what changes when an attorney is present, how to keep the tone calm and factual, and what to do when someone refuses to provide key information. Along the way, we reinforce the core skills that keep statements clean: open-ended questions, timeline prompts like “what happened next,” avoiding leading questions, and staying unbiased even when people assume adjusters are trained to deny. We finish with one of the most useful close-out questions you can ask and how to set next steps so everyone knows what comes next in the claims process. Subscribe for more real-world insurance adjuster training, share this with an adjuster friend, and leave a review if it helps you run better recorded statements. For more insights, you might consider a career in liability adjusting or if you're searching for reliable adjusting services, visit Auten Claims Management [https://auten.claims/acm-blog/]. To explore more about Chantal Roberts and her contributions to the industry, visit CMR Consulting [https://www.cmrconsulting.net/]. Promotions: * Once Upon a Claim: Explore the magical world of claims adjusting through fairy tales. Get your copy now [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?QyGNpf8BnCgojjIKIpQg3CrA64GdFdxS9dYhJ1Xqyo3]. * The Art of Adjusting®: Master the art of claims adjusting with practical insights and expert advice. Purchase here [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?hX7DTMY1JJB2jitQhT6BxCwMlA9NSwhSNpxXTk4JP6z].

Episode #97: CMS Reporting And Medicare Liens For Liability Claims

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1984111/fan_mail/new] A “quick” injury claim can turn into a compliance puzzle the moment Medicare or Medicaid enters the picture and if you miss it, the consequences can be expensive. We get practical about CMS, Medicare Secondary Payer rules, and what adjusters actually need to do on day one so a settlement does not blow up later. We walk through the Big Five identifiers we ask claimants for, why people understandably get suspicious, and how to explain the request without sounding like a scammer or hiding behind acronyms. Then we translate the jargon: Section 111 reporting, conditional payments, Medicare liens, Medicaid liens, and what “Responsible Reporting Entity” really means when carriers use vendors and automated reporting behind the scenes. From there, we talk settlement reality. Why you may need to wait for a conditional payment letter and a final demand, how the $750 small settlement provision fits in, and why these steps feel like a delay tactic to the average person even when you are trying to close fast. We also cover risk controls like paying first and disputing later, using hold harmless and indemnification language when attorneys push back, and protecting PII so your file stays clean. If you work property, auto, GL, workers’ comp, or liability claims, this is the kind of “unseen” process that can make or break a smooth close. Subscribe, share with an adjuster friend, and leave a review with the toughest Medicare lien question you have right now. For more insights, you might consider a career in liability adjusting or if you're searching for reliable adjusting services, visit Auten Claims Management [https://auten.claims/acm-blog/]. To explore more about Chantal Roberts and her contributions to the industry, visit CMR Consulting [https://www.cmrconsulting.net/]. Promotions: * Once Upon a Claim: Explore the magical world of claims adjusting through fairy tales. Get your copy now [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?QyGNpf8BnCgojjIKIpQg3CrA64GdFdxS9dYhJ1Xqyo3]. * The Art of Adjusting®: Master the art of claims adjusting with practical insights and expert advice. Purchase here [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?hX7DTMY1JJB2jitQhT6BxCwMlA9NSwhSNpxXTk4JP6z].

Episode #96: The Bad Faith Warning Signs

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1984111/fan_mail/new] Bad faith doesn’t usually arrive as one dramatic blow-up. It shows up as a slow drip of little things: the voicemail that never gets returned, the approval that sits in someone’s queue, the vague diary note that makes sense only to the person who wrote it, and the template letter that accidentally says more than it should. We talk through the practical warning signs we see when a claim is headed toward escalation, complaint, or litigation. We dig into how understaffed claims departments force adjusters into triage, why vacation schedules and internal handoffs create gaps, and how stacked authority levels can turn a reasonable settlement into a trust-breaking delay. We also share communication habits that de-escalate fast: acknowledging frustration, picking up the phone, setting a realistic follow-up date, and explaining the “why” behind the timeline without overpromising. Then we get tactical about defendable claim handling. We explain what strong claim notes look like (so another adjuster could take over tomorrow), why “sent letter and cut check” is a dangerous level of detail, and how automation and AI can help with organizing but cannot replace human judgment or protect you from privacy risks. We close with a common landmine: form letters and 30-day status templates that include inapplicable language, creating ammunition for a bad faith narrative. Subscribe, share the show with another adjuster, and leave a review so more claims pros can find it. For more insights, you might consider a career in liability adjusting or if you're searching for reliable adjusting services, visit Auten Claims Management [https://auten.claims/acm-blog/]. To explore more about Chantal Roberts and her contributions to the industry, visit CMR Consulting [https://www.cmrconsulting.net/]. Promotions: * Once Upon a Claim: Explore the magical world of claims adjusting through fairy tales. Get your copy now [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?QyGNpf8BnCgojjIKIpQg3CrA64GdFdxS9dYhJ1Xqyo3]. * The Art of Adjusting®: Master the art of claims adjusting with practical insights and expert advice. Purchase here [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?hX7DTMY1JJB2jitQhT6BxCwMlA9NSwhSNpxXTk4JP6z].

Episode #95: How Much Liability Are You Hosting This Weekend?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1984111/fan_mail/new] Memorial Day weekend has a way of turning “just one quick favor” into a full-blown claim file. We start with a simple scenario: you borrow a friend’s car to grab ice and something goes wrong. From there, we unpack permissive use, when auto insurance follows the car versus the person, and why household access to keys can quietly expand who counts as an insured under the policy definition. Then we shift into uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage, where your own carrier can end up acting like the at-fault carrier. That odd setup creates real claim-handling tension, and we talk through how adjusters can avoid treating their own insured like an opponent. We also cover the practical math of UIM limits, why state minimums can disappear fast after a serious injury, and how made whole rules and deductibles should shape subrogation expectations. Finally, we hit the holiday exposures we see every year: delivery driving side hustles that trigger business-use exclusions on personal auto policies, Airbnb and Vrbo “other insurance” conflicts, fundraiser and lemonade stand liability questions under homeowners business pursuit language, and the messy world of boats, jet skis, ATVs, and alcohol. We bring it back to adjuster fundamentals: ask precise questions, verify use and ownership, confirm motor size and policy thresholds, and document the timeline. If this helped you think differently about coverage traps, subscribe, share the show with an adjuster friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. What’s the most surprising coverage dispute you’ve seen from a holiday weekend? For more insights, you might consider a career in liability adjusting or if you're searching for reliable adjusting services, visit Auten Claims Management [https://auten.claims/acm-blog/]. To explore more about Chantal Roberts and her contributions to the industry, visit CMR Consulting [https://www.cmrconsulting.net/]. Promotions: * Once Upon a Claim: Explore the magical world of claims adjusting through fairy tales. Get your copy now [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?QyGNpf8BnCgojjIKIpQg3CrA64GdFdxS9dYhJ1Xqyo3]. * The Art of Adjusting®: Master the art of claims adjusting with practical insights and expert advice. Purchase here [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?hX7DTMY1JJB2jitQhT6BxCwMlA9NSwhSNpxXTk4JP6z].

Episode 94: Summer Liability Basics For Adjusters

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1984111/fan_mail/new] A lawn mower throws a rock through a car window. A kid hops a fence to grab a baseball near a backyard pool. A trampoline turns one “fun afternoon” into a catastrophic injury demand. Summer liability claims love to masquerade as simple, and that’s exactly when adjusters get burned by policy language. We dig into the fundamentals we rely on when analyzing homeowners liability and similar third-party claims: who qualifies as an insured, what “resident relative” really means, and how a live-in partner or a college-aged child can create instant coverage issues. Then we get practical with the definitions that decide outcomes, including bodily injury vs property damage, how to think about value and diminished value, and why “occurrence” is more specific than everyday speech. From there, we follow the real workflow: read the full policy, check the edition date, find the motor vehicle exclusions, and watch for exceptions and endorsements that give coverage back under tight conditions. The backyard hazards are where it gets real. We unpack lawn mower liability and the “service the residence premises” trap, pool claims and attractive nuisance duties, wet-surface slip and falls, trampoline exclusions, and fire pits where intent vs harm can decide coverage. We also cover the money topics that can make or break a file: umbrella policy notice, keeping excess carriers in the loop, MedPay as a control tool, and how Medicare and Medicaid liens can block “quick payments” if you do not handle reporting correctly. We close with dog bite claim trends, including New York’s Flanders v Goodfellow shift and what it means for negligence arguments. Subscribe to Art of Adjusting, share this with an adjuster who handles liability, and leave a review so more claims pros can find it. What summer claim has given you the biggest coverage surprise? For more insights, you might consider a career in liability adjusting or if you're searching for reliable adjusting services, visit Auten Claims Management [https://auten.claims/acm-blog/]. To explore more about Chantal Roberts and her contributions to the industry, visit CMR Consulting [https://www.cmrconsulting.net/]. Promotions: * Once Upon a Claim: Explore the magical world of claims adjusting through fairy tales. Get your copy now [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?QyGNpf8BnCgojjIKIpQg3CrA64GdFdxS9dYhJ1Xqyo3]. * The Art of Adjusting®: Master the art of claims adjusting with practical insights and expert advice. Purchase here [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?hX7DTMY1JJB2jitQhT6BxCwMlA9NSwhSNpxXTk4JP6z].