Legal Question in Insurance Law in California
I'm hoping someone can answer before Monday, so that we know what should be submitted.
My girlfriends new car was stolen, she immediately called the police and filed a report. That night she notified her insurance. The next day her insurance called her with a huge questionnaire and even asked for her phone records, bank and tax records. They asked her how much money she makes. They also asked her a lot of probing questions about her job. She has exceptional credit and never been past due in a bill.
She wants to be fully cooperative with the adjuster, but I'm concerned that they are asking for information outside the scope of what is reasonable to settle a claim.
Is there a limit to what she should provide or should she give them anything they request?
Thanks in advance
2 Answers from Attorneys
In my experience, insurance carriers will make an issue of and likely will deny a claim when the insured fails to timely cooperate with requests for information, however outlandish they might be. Of course, the first thing they're looking at is whether she had a financial motive to "lose" the car. It might take a bit of time to fully adjust the claim. Make sure she also itemizes all personal property in the stolen car. Sorry to hear about this aggravation.
I suggest your girlfriend hire a lawyer and let her lawyer handle the claim for her.
As for Monday, all she has to do is to let them know that she will be hiring a lawyer and her lawyer will continue with her claim. She should not do anything more if she decided to get a lawyer.
Should she choose not to hire a lawyer, she should cooperate to the best of her ability. In my opinion, they are crossing the line by asking for her tax returns.
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