Monday, May 2, 2022

Discord and Discourse With a Florida Public Adjuster About His "5 Ways to Trick an Insurance Claims Adjuster"

 


Florida public adjuster Mike Keeler believes his own messaging.  At least he seems to do so.

I was looking for content for my "So, You're About to Be Deposed (Or Violently Overthrown): How Should You Prepare and What Should You Expect" presentation tomorrow at NEIASIU's 15th Annual Joint Training Seminar in Massachusetts, when I came YouTube returned this video (click the image above to view) in my "depositions of insurance adjuster" search results.  

Those of you who know me know I couldn't resist--both watching the video and dropping a comment onto it.

"Trick No. 4", according to Mike is:

If they ask you for a recorded statement, all right, when you're going through a recorded statement they usually try to pin you down as to what happened. You play dumb. When did this happen? Um, and let's say the claim was two months ago. Well, I don't remember. I just know I have a leak. And why did you wait two weeks to report it? Well I was trying to attend to the leak. You keep everything simple. Keep everything very simple. Brief. Use I don't remember exactly. When they ask for a time, I don't remember exactly, maybe sometime in the afternoon. I, I really don't know. All right so you use that quite a bit because you want to preserve your rights to pursue the claim. You don't want to get boxed in. You don't want to say something that you might regret. Something that may hurt your claim. So use I don't know exactly as one of your main phrases to answer when a recorded statement, okay?  When did you roof get damaged? I don't know exactly. When did you notice the first ceiling? You know, I don't know exactly. I can't give you a date cause I give you a date it may be off. Those are examples.

Mike also seems to be a "last word" kinda guy, but it's his YouTube channel so I have no complaint with that.  For your entertainment, my initial comment to Mike's video and the discourse that followed are as follows: 

Roy A. Mura
Saying "I don't know exactly when the [loss] occurred" when an insured, in fact, knows exactly when the loss occurred IS a misrepresentation and possible fraudulent statement, voiding insurance coverage, if the loss date/time is relevant (material) to the insurance company's investigation and determination of coverage. Same goes for how a loss occurred. I understand you're trying to sell your public adjusting services by scaring people into thinking their insurance companies are out to screw them, but telling (and trying to teach) them to "trick" their insurance adjusters does a disservice to yourself, your profession, the industry in general, and your prospective customers. Be careful, people.
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The Claim Squad Public Adjusters
Can you please point to any statute in any state that clearly reads someone can't say the exact date of loss in an insurance claim? Please point to any insurance policy that states the same. I love how you insurance company people get all upset when someone is actually helping and protecting people from insurance companies because of how they treat people. You insurance company people always say if you say that or don't say that it's Fraud , a misrepresentation, LOL No it's not. You should be paying people's claims and stop screwing people rather than watching my videos.
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Roy A. Mura
 @The Claim Squad Public Adjusters  Why don't you ask your regulator, the FL DFS, what it thinks of telling insureds never to tell the truth even if they know the truth about an exact date or cause of loss. But since you asked, FL Statutes § 817.234 states: (1)(a) A person commits insurance fraud punishable as provided in subsection (11) if that person, with the intent to injure, defraud, or deceive any insurer: 1. Presents or causes to be presented any written or oral statement as part of, or in support of, a claim for payment or other benefit pursuant to an insurance policy or a health maintenance organization subscriber or provider contract, knowing that such statement contains any false, incomplete, or misleading information concerning any fact or thing material to such claim; 2. Prepares or makes any written or oral statement that is intended to be presented to any insurer in connection with, or in support of, any claim for payment or other benefit pursuant to an insurance policy or a health maintenance organization subscriber or provider contract, knowing that such statement contains any false, incomplete, or misleading information concerning any fact or thing material to such claim[.] Saying one doesn't know exactly when or how a loss occurred is a "false, incomplete, or misleading" statement if the insured knows exactly the date or loss, right? There's the statute for you. Surprised you don't know the insurance fraud law that exists in the state in which you are licensed, Mike. You should be telling your clients to tell the truth and cooperate with their insurers' loss/claim investigations rather than telling them how to "trick" their insurers' adjusters.
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The Claim Squad Public Adjusters
 @Roy A. Mura  Boy you insurance company adjusters love to fabricate stories Saying "I don't know" on a date of loss is NOT fraud Just like when my partnering attorneys take depositions of insurance company adjusters like you and during the deposition it is asked " What is your reserve on the claim" answer from guys like you "I don't know I don't remember" Or how about this classic last week my attorneys took deposition of State Farm adjuster for cast iron pipe "did you tell the insured that cast iron pipes are not covered because they sent you an email explaining their confusion" Ron C the adjuster from State Farm stated under oath in deposition "I don't recall" Now again Mr Insurance Adjuster guy you barking up the wrong tree because all you guys should be in jail for what you do to people. But I do thank you because if it wasn't for guys like you and the insurance companies you work for I wouldn't have a job. Seriously, I thank you from bottom of my heart. Keep treating people like crap so I can have continued job security.
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The Claim Squad Public Adjusters
Roy A. Mura
 @The Claim Squad Public Adjusters  Typical public adjuster (policyholder and personal injury attorney) messaging. Gotta maintain the bogeyman myth.
Roy A. Mura
Mike, I presume you know that a lie, as opposed to a mistake, is a knowing misrepresentation with an intent to deceive, right? Big difference. Everyone makes mistakes. Lying to one's insurer can void coverage (and result in criminal charges in some states, like FL apparently). That's all I'm saying. Honest people don't need to be shown a statute to know this. By the way, I did watch your video. You said at 5:02: "The public adjuster's fees are irrelevant because if you have a good public adjuster, they're going to be able to get a larger settlement to cover his fees, your damages and then some." Wait. You mean that PAs exaggerate or inflate insureds' damages so that insurers pay more than the insureds' damages "to cover [your] fees, [the insureds'] damages and then some"? That's legal in Florida? Yowza.
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The Claim Squad Public Adjusters
 @Roy A. Mura  Mr Insurance Company Adjuster Claims 101 Settlements by way of lawsuit and/or pre-lawsuit by a good PA and/or attorney will get people plenty to fix things , cover attorney and/or PA fees, and many times they do have money left over. Here's the great part, this has been going on for over 100 years in FL since 1893 when the law changed in FL forcing insurance companies to pay legal fees Lol Boy you insurance company adjusters don't really know the law do you? Lol See PAs need to know case law and how to get around policy language. Anything else I can teach you today? I know it's confusing for insurance adjusters like you but try to stay with me. Btw, did you also know FL has a great bad faith statute that protects people? We settled one end of March $38,000 Guess what? The client gets 100% of that less my fees. So yes they do get more than their damages...it's a great thing when we can nail guys like you and the insurance company you work for. We got another dandy Bad Faith Lawsuit coming up against the carrier but we also naming the adjuster and umpire personally from the appraisal in the lawsuit. It's a beautiful thing :)
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The Claim Squad Public Adjusters
Here's another great video "3 people you should never trust in the claim process"...Hint:. You Mr Insurance Adjuster are one of them ;) https://youtu.be/UrfZ3jiQRVU
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Roy A. Mura
Mike, just stop. You're embarrassing yourself now. And btw, you may be getting some more views (and comments) on this video. I posted it to my LinkedIn page. You're welcome.
The Claim Squad Public Adjusters
 @Roy A. Mura  great looking forward to interacting with more "fraud" attorneys like you lol NY with those arbitration clauses Lol What a joke Great to see how you try screwing people
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Roy A. Mura
Be careful what you wish for, Mike. Given your views and how-to tips on "tricking" claim adjusters, any interaction with insurance fraud attorneys like me might not turn out well for you or your clients. Thank you for your revealing content, though. I'll make good use of it.
The Claim Squad Public Adjusters
 @Roy A. Mura  ooookkk lol Interesting "threat" documented. Make sure you don't advise your clients to say "i don't know" "i don't remember" when they actually do. Not sure it's best for an insurance company attorney to be conversing with a public adjuster but keep on screwing people up in NY and I'll keep on fighting people in FL. Cheers
Roy A. Mura
Funny you should mention the "I don't know" and "I don't recall" deposition responses. I'm speaking to a bunch of insurance fraud investigators and claims professionals tomorrow in Massachusetts on the subject of deposition preparation. The IDK and IDR responses are the middle and ring finger responses and are appropriate responses when true. Have you ever been deposed? If so, have you never said "I don't know" or "I don't recall" while under oath? I converse with PAs all the time, but none quite as interesting, sophomoric and polar as you, Mike.
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The Claim Squad Public Adjusters
 @Roy A. Mura  Thanks for the compliment. Ahh the ole tailor the excuse based on environment lol. Yes, IDK & IDR very appropriate for insurance adjusters but not homeowners lol I get it. Nah, unlike most PAs I have a little bit of a legal backgrround...I get on record do my 5 min spiel on I get paid an expert fee, I am an expert, etc...then I leave the depo. Attorneys list me as expert. In times, prior to trial IF def attorneys like you try to argue differently that I'm fact witness based on my statement at depo we win every time. Although only been a few times we had to carry out and def attny file motion. Anyhow, you have yourself a wonderful day protecting insurance companies and hurting homeowners. I'll continue to fight for people.
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Roy A. Mura
I wasn't complimenting you, Mike, and you continue to miss the point. But I understand why. Your distorted view of insurance companies won't allow you to see and understand why saying something that's not true, such as "I don't know exactly", could void coverage and constitute insurance fraud under FL law. Do you (or the attorneys you say hire you as an "expert") not realize that videos like this one provide rich material for cross examination? But keep on creating content. The industry appreciates it.
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The Claim Squad Public Adjusters
 @Roy A. Mura  Roy you continue to view things from the very perspective that pays all your hefty bills ie insurance companies I don't hire attorneys as experts Never said I do I'm the expert. Attorneys in Florida are referred cases from public adjusters. How can you CE someone when they not deposed? Lol Trial? Been tried before ...didn't work Trust me I would never want an insurance paid biased attorney to compliment me...that's when I know it's time to quit the industry. And don't worry I don't compliment guys like you who intentionally try to hurt people. "Don't hate the player, hate the game"
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The Claim Squad Public Adjusters
 @Roy A. Mura  btw I've received 3 emails from people today who have some choice words for you...people watching you lol

Mike doth protest too much, methinks. I've never liked the "you need to hire me because the insurance company is going to screw you" sales pitch, and thought most public adjusters had abandoned it years ago.  Most but not all, I see.  

And I hope the three people who emailed Mike with "choice words" for me chose their words more carefully than Mike does.  Encouraging insureds to "trick" their insurance companies' adjusters sounds to me an awful lot like promoting insurance fraud at worst, or coverage-voiding conduct at best.  
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