The Best Way to Complain on Paper to Your Michigan Auto Insurance Company

The Best Way to Complain on Paper to Your Michigan Auto Insurance Company

Nine times out of ten the telephone will do when you’re trying to work things out with your Michigan auto insurance company, but every once in a while you need to put things on paper. Maybe you need a documented copy of your complaint. Maybe you’re just not the type of person who communicates well on the phone or face to face, but you’re the master when it comes to putting just the right spin to a letter.

Whatever the case, there are certain guidelines every driver should be aware of when they put pen to paper and write a “complaining” letter to their auto insurance carrier.

The Five W’s

First and foremost, you need to know what you want to say. Explain clearly:

The wrong way to write a letter to your Michigan auto insurance provider.

Who was involved in the incident. This includes you, any company representatives, other drivers, outside contractors, etc.

What happened. You need to state clearly exactly what took place. Did it take too long to settle your insurance claim? Was an agent rude to you? Don’t be rude, but don’t beat around the bush. Every insurance agent at your Michigan auto insurance company wants to help you, but they can’t do it if you don’t tell them what it is you need them to do.

When the incident occurred. Dates and times are good; however, if you don’t have times the dates will be fine. Try to avoid using words like “Monday” without giving them a date. That makes it hard to track the source of the problem.

Where the incident took place. If it was a phone call or a letter you received, tell them. If you met with an agent or representative personally and the meeting didn’t go to your satisfaction, tell them that too.

Why things went wrong. Was an agent rude? Was the amount of your claim settlement different than your insurance coverage?

KISS

When writing a letter to your Michigan auto insurance provider make sure you’re keeping things as simple as possible. Get straight to the point-don’t toss in a lot of extraneous details. In business communications there’s something known as “tightening” that basically equates to learning how to trim the fat from your business letters. If a word or a phrase isn’t helping you achieve your goals, take it out. Concise and to the point should be the guidelines you live by in your business communications.

Avoid Pointing the Finger

Finally, let’s talk about blame. Even when it’s their fault you usually don’t want to come right out and say “It’s your fault.” When you’re angry it’s very, very easy to go off on a tangent and explain to your insurance company

Instead of saying “Your agents aren’t doing their job” say “My claim wasn’t handled according to the terms of my insurance contract.”

exactly what they did wrong; however, putting your Michigan auto insurance agent on the defensive from the very beginning isn’t going to do much to help you achieve the end you’re looking for. By keeping the situation general (and leaving the word “you” out of your letter as much as possible) you’ll ensure your agent’s cooperation and set yourself up for the best possible resolution to your problem.

**For more information about tightening and revising your business communications use the guidelines listed in the Paradigm Online Writing Assistant.**

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