How to Format a Letter for a Damage Settlement | Legal Beagle

How to Format a Letter for a Damage Settlement

How to Format a Letter for a Damage Settlement
Written By
Dan Taylor
Dan Taylor
Jun 18, 2011
1 minute read

Writing a good demand letter for a damage settlement is crucial to getting all that you are owed from an insurance company. A properly written letter will document all the pertinent information, specify the damages and lay out exactly how much you expect the insurance company to pay to cover them. This letter could swing the negotiation process in your favor, so make sure you follow a few rules when composing one.

Provide details of the accident or incident in question that resulted in the damages. Be specific: Include the date that it happened, how it happened, the property involved and any accident reports or charges. Acknowledge any payments that the company has already made to cover the damage.

Detail all of the things that happened since the accident or incident in question. Provide descriptions of expenses, repairs and other relevant information. Request a payment for pain and suffering if applicable.

Read More: How to Write an Insurance Appeal Letter

Write the letter neatly, professionally and not by hand. Adopt a polite but assertive tone. Set a time limit for when you expect a response from the company.

Contact a lawyer to review the format of your letter before submitting it to the company.

Dan Taylor

Based in the Washington, D.C., area, Dan Taylor has been a professional journalist since 2004. He has been published in the "Baltimore Sun" and "The Washington Times." He started as a reporter for a newspaper in southwest Virginia and now…

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