Subrogation is an idea that's understood in insurance and legal circles but sometimes not by the policyholders who employ them. Even if it sounds complicated, it would be in your self-interest to understand an overview of the process. The more information you have about it, the better decisions you can make with regard to your insurance policy.

An insurance policy you hold is a commitment that, if something bad occurs, the business that covers the policy will make good in a timely manner. If your vehicle is in a fender-bender, insurance adjusters (and the courts, when necessary) determine who was at fault and that person's insurance pays out.

But since determining who is financially responsible for services or repairs is often a heavily involved affair – and delay often adds to the damage to the victim – insurance firms in many cases opt to pay up front and figure out the blame afterward. They then need a means to recoup the costs if, once the situation is fully assessed, they weren't actually in charge of the payout.

For Example

You are in a highway accident. Another car crashed into yours. The police show up to assess the situation, you exchange insurance details, and you go on your way. You have comprehensive insurance that pays for the repairs right away. Later it's determined that the other driver was entirely at fault and his insurance policy should have paid for the repair of your auto. How does your company get its funds back?

How Does Subrogation Work?

This is where subrogation comes in. It is the process that an insurance company uses to claim payment after it has paid for something that should have been paid by some other entity. Some companies have in-house property damage lawyers and personal injury attorneys, or a department dedicated to subrogation; others contract with a law firm. Usually, only you can sue for damages to your person or property. But under subrogation law, your insurance company is considered to have some of your rights in exchange for having taken care of the damages. It can go after the money originally due to you, because it has covered the amount already.

How Does This Affect the Insured?

For starters, if your insurance policy stipulated a deductible, your insurance company wasn't the only one who had to pay. In a $10,000 accident with a $1,000 deductible, you have a stake in the outcome as well – to be precise, $1,000. If your insurance company is unconcerned with pursuing subrogation even when it is entitled, it might opt to recover its costs by upping your premiums. On the other hand, if it knows which cases it is owed and pursues them aggressively, it is acting both in its own interests and in yours. If all of the money is recovered, you will get your full $1,000 deductible back. If it recovers half (for instance, in a case where you are found 50 percent to blame), you'll typically get half your deductible back, depending on your state laws.

Moreover, if the total loss of an accident is more than your maximum coverage amount, you may have had to pay the difference. If your insurance company or its property damage lawyers, such as personal injury lawyer Lithia Springs, GA, successfully press a subrogation case, it will recover your costs as well as its own.

All insurance agencies are not the same. When shopping around, it's worth measuring the reputations of competing companies to evaluate whether they pursue winnable subrogation claims; if they do so without delay; if they keep their accountholders informed as the case continues; and if they then process successfully won reimbursements immediately so that you can get your losses back and move on with your life. If, instead, an insurer has a reputation of paying out claims that aren't its responsibility and then covering its profit margin by raising your premiums, you should keep looking.

personal injury lawyer Lithia Springs, GA

Subrogation is a concept that's understood among insurance and legal professionals but rarely by the people who hire them. Even if it sounds complicated, it is to your advantage to comprehend an overview of how it works. The more knowledgeable you are, the more likely it is that an insurance lawsuit will work out favorably.

An insurance policy you have is an assurance that, if something bad happens to you, the company on the other end of the policy will make good in a timely fashion. If your vehicle is hit, insurance adjusters (and police, when necessary) determine who was at fault and that person's insurance pays out.

But since ascertaining who is financially responsible for services or repairs is often a confusing affair – and time spent waiting often increases the damage to the victim – insurance companies often opt to pay up front and figure out the blame after the fact. They then need a mechanism to recover the costs if, once the situation is fully assessed, they weren't actually responsible for the expense.

Let's Look at an Example

Your garage catches fire and causes $10,000 in house damages. Fortunately, you have property insurance and it pays for the repairs. However, the insurance investigator finds out that an electrician had installed some faulty wiring, and there is reason to believe that a judge would find him to blame for the damages. You already have your money, but your insurance firm is out all that money. What does the firm do next?

How Does Subrogation Work?

This is where subrogation comes in. It is the process that an insurance company uses to claim reimbursement when it pays out a claim that turned out not to be its responsibility. Some insurance firms have in-house property damage lawyers and personal injury attorneys, or a department dedicated to subrogation; others contract with a law firm. Normally, only you can sue for damages done to your person or property. But under subrogation law, your insurer is given some of your rights in exchange for having taken care of the damages. It can go after the money that was originally due to you, because it has covered the amount already.

Why Should I Care?

For starters, if your insurance policy stipulated a deductible, it wasn't just your insurer that had to pay. In a $10,000 accident with a $1,000 deductible, you lost some money too – to the tune of $1,000. If your insurance company is unconcerned with pursuing subrogation even when it is entitled, it might choose to recover its costs by increasing your premiums and call it a day. On the other hand, if it knows which cases it is owed and pursues those cases aggressively, it is doing you a favor as well as itself. If all of the money is recovered, you will get your full deductible back. If it recovers half (for instance, in a case where you are found 50 percent responsible), you'll typically get $500 back, depending on the laws in your state.

In addition, if the total cost of an accident is more than your maximum coverage amount, you may have had to pay the difference, which can be extremely spendy. If your insurance company or its property damage lawyers, such as personal injury lawyer Marietta, GA, pursue subrogation and wins, it will recover your costs as well as its own.

All insurers are not created equal. When shopping around, it's worth looking at the records of competing agencies to find out if they pursue valid subrogation claims; if they resolve those claims without delay; if they keep their accountholders informed as the case goes on; and if they then process successfully won reimbursements right away so that you can get your losses back and move on with your life. If, instead, an insurance agency has a reputation of paying out claims that aren't its responsibility and then covering its income by raising your premiums, you should keep looking.