WHY DOES THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER WANT MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER?

In California, a lot of times the other driver’s insurance company will call and get basic information from the injured party in a car crash. One of the most common things they ask for is the person’s Social Security number. You might ask, “Why are they asking for that Social Security number?” Well, there’s a variety of reasons, one of which is to see if you are a Medicare or Medi-Cal beneficiary. But the more common reason is so that the insurance adjuster for the other driver’s company can get your indexing information to look you up in the claims index system to see what prior claims have been made, what has been paid out, what areas of your body have been previously injured, and exactly the number of claims you made.

How can this information have any bearing on your claim at this time? And, that’s exactly what I asked myself. But in the insurance company’s eyes, it shows somebody with a history of repeated claims. It shows somebody with a history of repeated injuries to the same area of their body. And, basically, it tells the insurance company not to value your claim for harm in losses in the same light that you do.

If you have additional questions, or if you have been contacted by an insurance adjuster seeking information following a car accident, you can reach the Nunes Law at (559) 702-5124.