My car was stolen a few weeks ago while I was out of the country. I live near the Mexico border, and my old apartment, where I had left my car, is just a few minutes away from the border.
Initially, the adjuster asked for a phone statement, but I was working and couldn’t provide it at the time. A few days later, a Special Investigations Unit (SIU) agent from AAA Auto Insurance reached out, requesting an in-person statement, a recorded phone statement, and a copy of my flight itinerary.
This is my first car theft in a few years. The last one happened three years ago, but I managed to track down and recover the car myself without involving my insurance company, so there was no payout. However, with this recent theft, I did lower my deductible on my full coverage a few months ago when I realized it was quite high.
Could this be why my case is being flagged for SIU? Why the sudden need for this level of investigation?
All fire and theft claims of any type are run through SIU at the carrier I work at. It’s pretty standard.
Being a dick or being pushy about settlement is literally on the list of fraud indicators that make this sort of claim more likely to get more scrutiny that it would otherwise get. It’s a common tactic of amateur-level scammers so it’s drawing an elevated level of attention to your claim.
If you didn’t do anything wrong then it’s unlikely that they’ll end up denying your claim. I wouldn’t waste money on an attorney, but you’re free to do that if you like. You do have an obligation to cooperate in the investigation of the claim if you want to get paid, so your attorney can’t shield you from having to answer questions, but they can sit there with you in an examination-under-oath (basically a deposition) if you want.
Also $43/month for enhanced rental car coverage seems like a lot. I can’t recall ever paying more then $3-$4/mo for the base level coverage. If the other driver’s policy was the one that paid you on the claim 4 months ago then presumably they’d only be paying you what they (as the claimant carrier) were legally obligated to. If you wanted the equal value rental then you would have needed to make the claim under your own policy. The rental car coverage is usually prefaced with “if a loss under this policy makes your car undriveable then we will pay XX dollars a day for a rental vehicle…” 3rd parties are not obligated to reimburse you for any more than the law requires, which is usually basic transportation.
All fire and theft claims of any type are run through SIU at the carrier I work at. It’s pretty standard.
Being a dick or being pushy about settlement is literally on the list of fraud indicators that make this sort of claim more likely to get more scrutiny that it would otherwise get. It’s a common tactic of amateur-level scammers so it’s drawing an elevated level of attention to your claim.
If you didn’t do anything wrong then it’s unlikely that they’ll end up denying your claim. I wouldn’t waste money on an attorney, but you’re free to do that if you like. You do have an obligation to cooperate in the investigation of the claim if you want to get paid, so your attorney can’t shield you from having to answer questions, but they can sit there with you in an examination-under-oath (basically a deposition) if you want.
Also $43/month for enhanced rental car coverage seems like a lot. I can’t recall ever paying more then $3-$4/mo for the base level coverage. If the other driver’s policy was the one that paid you on the claim 4 months ago then presumably they’d only be paying you what they (as the claimant carrier) were legally obligated to. If you wanted the equal value rental then you would have needed to make the claim under your own policy. The rental car coverage is usually prefaced with “if a loss under this policy makes your car undriveable then we will pay XX dollars a day for a rental vehicle…” 3rd parties are not obligated to reimburse you for any more than the law requires, which is usually basic transportation.
Your car theft case might be sent to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) due to suspected fraud, inconsistencies in your claim, or the need for a more detailed investigation. SIU handles complex cases involving insurance fraud or suspicious activity.