If you are about to pursue a claim that will likely take a week or more to resolve, InsuranceAid.com recommends, in the strongest of terms, that you keep a personal claim journal as to events and conversations which take place. While written correspondence speaks for itself, prior telephone conversations do not. From the outset of your claim, place a pen and paper right next to your phone and, without fail, document the following:
1) The date and time of any telephone conversation;
2) The parties to the conversation;
3) Any details of the conversation which you feel might ever be important;
4) Be sure to note what was to happen next with respect to the claim, namely, any duties or obligations you were to undertake as well as duties and obligations the claim adjuster was to undertake;
5) Make a notation as to when each side's future obligations were to be accomplished; and;
6) Finally, make a note about anything that made you uncomfortable or uneasy about the call such as, perhaps, a tone of voice or attitude, comments reflecting confusion or uncertainty by the claim adjuster, any positions or statements which contradicted earlier positions or statements, etc.
Always bear in mind that in the very unlikely event that your claim ends up in a lawsuit, your "claim journal" must be preserved and, eventually, the insurance company's attorney will be allowed to review the journal. Therefore, keep your comments and notations objective and factual.
