#best loan settlement

[nixadvisory]

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[fincrif]

What Are the Consequences of Missing a Personal Loan EMI?

Introduction

A personal loan is a convenient financial tool that helps individuals cover expenses such as medical emergencies, home renovations, education, or debt consolidation. However, missing an Equated Monthly Installment (EMI) can have serious financial consequences. A missed payment can affect your credit score, increase financial penalties, and even lead to legal action if not managed properly.

Understanding the consequences of missing a personal loan EMI and learning how to prevent it can help borrowers maintain financial stability. In this guide, we’ll discuss the impacts of missing EMIs, how to recover from a missed payment, and preventive measures to avoid future defaults.

Immediate Consequences of Missing a Personal Loan EMI

1. Late Payment Fees and Penalties

Lenders charge late payment fees when an EMI is not paid by the due date. The penalty amount varies from lender to lender and typically ranges from 2% to 5% of the overdue EMI. This additional charge increases your repayment burden.

2. Negative Impact on Credit Score

Missing an EMI negatively affects your CIBIL score and overall creditworthiness. A lower score can reduce your chances of obtaining future loans and credit cards at favorable interest rates.

3. Increase in Interest Accumulation

If you miss an EMI, the unpaid amount continues to accrue interest, increasing the total loan cost. Over time, repeated missed payments can make repayment significantly more expensive.

4. Loan Default Risk

If multiple EMIs are missed, the lender may classify the loan as a Non-Performing Asset (NPA), leading to legal action or loan recall.

Long-Term Consequences of Repeated EMI Defaults

1. Legal Action from Lenders

Banks and NBFCs can initiate legal proceedings against borrowers who repeatedly default on payments. This can lead to severe financial and legal troubles.

2. Difficulty in Getting Future Loans

A poor repayment history makes it challenging to secure future personal loans, home loans, or car loans. Lenders view defaulters as high-risk borrowers and may reject new loan applications.

3. Asset Seizure (For Secured Loans)

If your personal loan is secured by collateral, such as a fixed deposit or property, the lender has the legal right to seize the asset if EMIs are consistently missed.

4. Higher Interest Rates on Future Loans

Even if you qualify for a loan after defaulting, lenders may charge higher interest rates due to your damaged credit history.

What to Do If You Miss a Personal Loan EMI?

If you’ve missed an EMI, follow these steps to minimize the impact:

1. Make the Payment Immediately

If possible, pay the overdue EMI at the earliest to avoid additional penalties and interest accumulation.

2. Contact Your Lender for an EMI Extension

Many lenders offer grace periods or flexible repayment plans for borrowers facing temporary financial difficulties.

3. Opt for a Loan Restructuring

If you’re struggling with multiple debts, request a loan restructuring to extend the repayment tenure and lower EMI amounts.

4. Use an Emergency Fund

If available, use your savings or emergency fund to cover missed EMIs and avoid financial penalties.

5. Consider a Balance Transfer

If the current EMI is too high, transferring your loan to another lender with a lower interest rate can help reduce the financial burden.

How to Avoid Missing a Personal Loan EMI?

1. Set Up Automatic Payments

Enroll in auto-debit or standing instructions to ensure EMIs are paid on time without manual intervention.

2. Maintain an EMI Emergency Fund

Keep at least three to six months’ worth of EMI payments in a separate savings account to cover unexpected financial difficulties.

3. Choose an EMI Date That Matches Your Salary Cycle

Selecting an EMI date right after your salary is credited reduces the chances of missed payments.

4. Opt for a Loan with Flexible Repayment Options

Some lenders offer personal loans with flexible EMI options, allowing borrowers to increase or decrease EMIs based on financial conditions.

5. Reduce Unnecessary Expenses

If your financial situation is tight, cut back on non-essential spending to ensure EMIs are always paid on time.

Top Lenders Offering Flexible EMI Repayment Plans

For borrowers seeking low-interest rates and flexible EMI options, the following lenders provide some of the best personal loan offers:

IDFC First Bank Personal Loan

Bajaj Finserv Personal Loan

Tata Capital Personal Loan

Axis Finance Personal Loan

Axis Bank Personal Loan

InCred Personal Loan

Conclusion

Missing a personal loan EMI can lead to serious consequences, including late fees, credit score damage, increased interest costs, and legal troubles. However, timely action, such as contacting the lender, making partial payments, and opting for restructuring, can help minimize the impact.

To prevent EMI defaults, borrowers should use automatic payments, maintain an emergency fund, and choose flexible repayment plans.

For the best personal loan options with easy repayment terms, visit:

Apply for a Personal Loan

By managing your EMIs effectively, you can avoid financial stress and maintain a healthy credit profile.

[sellgoldncr]

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[cashforgold-011]

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[npaconsultant-stuff-blog]

What is the process of one-time settlement in banking?

NPA Management Why do people take loans? It is a great way of helping your finance for various things. You may take a loan for completing your education, buying a new house, the wedding of your kids, to go abroad, or anything else.

If you are a company, then you will take a loan to diversify your business or launch a new project.

You make great planning and ensure that repayment of the loan is done in time. However, no matter how systematic your repayment plan may be, you cannot foresee all the possible bottlenecks. You may become a victim of unforeseen circumstances. There could be an unexpected loss in the business, or you lose your job due to an illness.

Such circumstances will seriously hamper the ability to repay your loan. You will miss the installment and get follow-up calls and reminders from the bank. It affects your credibility and market value.

When a bank or financial institution sanctions a loan, it expects that the loan will be repaid within the stipulated time. For a bank, a loan is an asset that generates income in the form of interest.

When the loan is not paid, it becomes an NPA or Non-Performing Asset. NPA is not desirable for any financial institution. When it goes beyond a threshold, it becomes a risk to the survival of the bank. Hence, it requires concrete npa management methods.

When a bank fails to recover the loan, it approaches the borrower with options like a one-time loan settlement. Though it looks like a simple offer, it may ruin the credit score of the borrower.

What is a One-Time Loan Settlement?

It is part of the overall npa management policy of a bank or financial institution. In this process, the bank or financial institute agrees to accept a smaller amount instead of the entire due amount. When it does so, the bank waives off the rest of the amount and makes repayment easier for the borrower. The option may be offered by the bank after six months of non-repayment.

The bank takes various measures to investigate the case before arriving at the conclusion. It will allow them to validate the reason for not paying the loan.

How Does the process of one-time settlement carry out?

First, the bank should believe that the reason for non-payment is legitimate. The bank offers a moratorium period. The option is for those borrowers who want to pay the amount in one go. After an agreement, the bank will waive off a part of the outstanding loan amount to make the repayment easy.

How much amount will be written off will depend on the gravity of the financial condition and the ability of the borrower to repay the loan. Since the borrower is agreed to settle the loan, its repayment status will be recorded as “settled” and not “closed”. The credit score of the borrower will be affected by the difference.

One-time settlement is considered an important tool of npa management policy.

Alternatives

It is quite obvious that opting for a one-time settlement is not advisable unless it is necessary. There are some other alternates to it.

The borrower should liquidate the savings instead of applying for a loan. Also, it should negotiate with the bank to request an extension for the repayment term. Or, it should ask for a restructured repayment plan.

The borrower can request the bank to hold off the interest rate or reduce it for some time.

One-time settlement is the last resort. For a bank also, it is not a profitable proposition. Therefore, it will use it only when there is no other solution.

[chaotic-archaeologist]

Do you have any advice for someone who has most of an archaeology degree, but following some health problems during covid foricng me to withdraw from some classes, I didn't meet pace of progress and lost my financial aid and now owe my university $13k for the semester i didn't complete. I'm a 3.8gpa student and was deans list, but I have an enrolment and transcript hold until I pay them back. I will never have $13k at my disposal to pay that off without haivng my degree to make me employable, so I'm not sure how I can ever go back and finish my degree.

Do you have any advice for how someone in my position should proceed? I thought about merit based financial aid/scholarships with my high gpa, but I've never had any success finding those.

This is a tough one, since I don't really have any direct experience with a similar situation. If anyone has specific advice, please let me know.

Education loans/debt are special legal creatures, and perhaps the most important thing you can do is educate yourself on the legalities of your particular situation and what options are available to you. Here's a page I found that talks about the legal precedents for certain types of education loans. From what little I understand, the school is not looking for you to pay the $13k back all at once. There may be payment plans or settlements available to you.

The first thing that comes to mind is to contact your school's ombudsman. This is an office whose single purpose is to help students navigate institutional bureaucracy and pursue grievances against the institution. They are probably the best bet for finding ways to mitigate this debt, set up options for payment, etc.

Similarly, I would recommend making an appointment to talk with someone in the financial aid department if you haven't already. It might be painful and embarrassing, but I can guarantee you that you aren't the first person who has had this exact issue, and you won't be the last. They might also be able to help you navigate ways to deal with this debt.

Some schools have policies that if you have to withdraw for health reasons before X point in the semester, you can get your tuition refunded. This is what my family was able to do when I had to drop out during my sophomore year. Whether that would be an option for you depends 1) on your school, and 2) on if you have to apply for that forgiveness within a certain window. Still worth a shot though—this is something you can ask the ombudsman about.

If you were registered with your school's disability services (provided that you're in the US, which is where my experience comes from) before you had to withdraw, they may also be able to help you advocate for yourself based on having a disability. If this is something that applies to you, it's possible that you have some protections based on the ADA, although this will depend on the nature of your financial aid, and whether you were registered beforehand. Accommodations are not retroactive.

Finally, I hate to say it, but working in archaeology—with or without a college degree—is going to make it difficult to pay off these loans. Entry level archaeology jobs pay notoriously poorly, and other positions generally require some sort of postgraduate degree. You are employable without a degree, but it may not be in your chosen field. That's shitty news, I know, but it's something you need to consider in order to start dealing with this.

Best of luck, -Reid

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

A few stories about the Tangerine Tyrant caught my eye today, and they all point to his increasing desperation - so I figured I’d go around the horn and celebrate his continuing dissipation.

First: Criminal Defendant and Adjudicated Rapist Donald Trump yesterday predicted a “bloodbath” if he didn’t get reelected, and the media quickly devolved into outlets condemning his use of violent rhetoric and others - Fox and Newsmax - concern trolling over how he was talking specifically about the automobile industry. So, whatever. If you’re interested in parsing the event along those lines, have at it - but I think there’s a more interesting, deeply indicative phenomenon just below the surface that speaks not just to Trump’s mentality but that of his whole bonkers cult.

If you’re looking for the atavistic pull of Donald Trump on his followers, it’s in his power to do whatever the hell he wants and face no consequences. NO ONE can tell him what to do. NO ONE can keep him from attacking whomever he wants. NO ONE can prevent him from sating his desires. NO ONE.

Now, we know that’s not true - as evidenced by his exile to Mar-a-Lago for the past three years, but it’s part of the mystique. In a lot of ways, it makes sense if you look at his cult following - people who are, by and large, deeply disempowered and enraged at a culture that is stripping away their traditional privileges and social entitlements. They WANT Trump to keep shitting the punch bowl as a sort of wish fulfillment of their own stifled rage. Maybe they can’t rape the woman they want to rape or kill the immigrants they hate for speaking Spanish or Hindi at the Gas-n-Sip – but they sure as hell can dream about it when Trump gives a cross-burner of a speech. That’s all standard form.

But what we saw last night - and in the fascist outrage-trolling today - was something new. It’s been creeping into the 2024 election cycle here and there, but yesterday, it entirely broke through, and it’s this: NOT EVEN TRUMP’S BRAIN IS ALLOWED TO CENSOR TRUMP’S MOUTH WHEN IT COMES TO RAGE AND ANGER.

Look, Trump KNOWS that using words like “bloodbath” is going to cost him non-MAGA voters. He knows that calling people “vermin” is going to hurt his chances of navigating the very narrow path ahead if he hopes to return to the White House. Yet, he can’t stop himself. Trump is unable to act in his own easily achieved best interest if it means not being a monster, and while it’s lamentable that he’s bringing such hatred to our national debate, I encourage him to keep it up.

You be you, Donald!

Every single time you let your id out of its box, it’s like sending America an unsolicited, mushroom-shaped dick-pic. Sure, your fans are going to love it, but the rest of us grossed the fuck out.

So, please! Rage on!

-----

Second:

Trump’s lawyers in the NYS civil fraud case settlement submitted a filing today that it is “a practical impossibility” for Trump to post a bond for the half-billion dollars he needs to cough up in order to appeal the decision. According to reports, he approached 30 different surety companies, and they all turned him down. Why they would do that might indicate what’s got him tuned to “bloodbath” and “vermin” levels of rage.

It might be a simple point, but it bears a paragraph of explanation.

Most folks who don’t work in the NYC real estate market – or any real estate market – might think, “Hey, he’s a rich guy. Why not just sell a few of those buildings he owns? They’ve gotta be worth a pretty penny.”

Or, alternatively, “Why won’t anyone take Trump Tower as collateral for a loan?”

The simple answer is he doesn’t really OWN any of that shit outright. It’s ALL mortgaged to the hilt. To get a clearer picture of this, let’s look at 40 Wall Street – one of Trump’s “prestige” properties.

The numbers are a bit hard to come by, but an hour of reading suggests that the building is presently worth about $200 million. Mind you, part of the fraud charges – now proven – included his valuation of the building in 2015 at over $750 million, but it’s just not worth that at all.

So, take the $200 million as a starting point and note that Trump’s mortgage on the property, according to a Bloomberg report in November of 2023, stands at $122 million. So, if Trump were to liquidate his stake in the property fully, he’d only net about $78 million – and that is BEFORE the capital gains taxes, NYS taxes, and NYC taxes on the sale. According to a few articles I’ve scanned this evening, that would be up to about 40% of his earnings. That means, even if he drops one of his most precious assets, he would only raise about $50 million.

He owes TEN TIMES that number by next week.

Play that out another round, and realize that if Trump tried to sell ten or twenty office buildings in NYC all at once, the price of ALL of them would plummet to fire-sale prices.

He’s fucked. Moreover, he knows it and is desperate to find a way out.

-----

This brings us to news item number three: The Return of Paul Manafort.

News leaked today that Trump is considering bringing convicted felon and former campaign manager Paul Manafort back into his 2024 bid for the White House. Manafort, primarily due to his complete lack of a moral center, would be a tremendous asset for Trump. He’s a solid political operative, but what he REALLY brings to the table is a direct line back to the Russian oligarchy and their money. That, obviously, is an enormous threat to national security, and I’ve got to hope that the intelligence services in DC and around the world will be on heightened alert for any covert – or overt – entreaties to Putin or his cronies for a loan. I’ve got to hope there are ways of making such entreaties known to the public through selective leaks if nothing else.

But that brings us back to observation number one.

Trump knows that going to Putin for help with his financial difficulties if it becomes known, would be a dagger to the heart for his chances of returning to the White House. Yet, if I’m right, he will be unable to stop himself when it comes to finding a fix for his hemorrhaging empire. His brain will tell him this is a terrible idea, but it won’t matter. NO ONE is allowed to stop Donald Trump from doing whatever the hell he wants to do – not even Donald Trump.

In 1776, James Otis, a thoughtful supporter of the Revolutionary War, noted about politics, “When the pot boils, the scum will rise.”

Trump is proving that to be true, even when there’s only one evil, arrogant, rapist bastard in the soup. He’s so screwed.

Love to you all.

Michael J. Tallon

[nixadvisory]

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[fincrif]

How to Restructure Your Personal Loan If You Are Facing a Financial Crisis

Introduction

A personal loan can be a financial lifesaver when you need funds for emergencies, education, home renovation, or other expenses. However, unexpected financial hardships such as job loss, medical emergencies, or economic downturns can make loan repayments challenging. Missing EMIs can negatively impact your credit score and lead to penalties. If you find yourself struggling, restructuring your personal loan is a viable option that can ease your financial burden.

In this guide, we will explore how to restructure a personal loan effectively, the options available, and how to approach your lender for assistance.

Understanding Loan Restructuring

Loan restructuring is a process that allows borrowers to modify the terms of their personal loan to make repayments more manageable. This is usually done through extending the tenure, reducing interest rates, or changing the repayment schedule. Lenders offer restructuring options based on the borrower’s financial situation and repayment ability.

Signs You Need to Restructure Your Personal Loan

If you are facing any of the following situations, you may need to consider restructuring your personal loan:

Reduced Income – If your salary or income has significantly dropped, repaying your existing EMIs can become difficult.

Job Loss – Unemployment can lead to financial instability, making it tough to keep up with loan payments.

Medical Emergency – High medical expenses may strain your finances, making regular EMI payments a challenge.

Multiple Debt Obligations – If you have several loans running simultaneously, managing them can become overwhelming.

Business Loss – Self-employed individuals may experience business downturns, affecting their ability to repay loans.

Sudden Increase in Expenses – Unexpected financial commitments can disrupt your budget and repayment plans.

Options to Restructure Your Personal Loan

1. Loan Tenure Extension

Extending the loan tenure can lower your monthly EMI payments. While this increases the total interest paid over time, it provides immediate relief by making installments more affordable.

2. Interest Rate Reduction

Negotiating a lower interest rate can reduce the overall cost of the loan. If you have a good repayment history, lenders may offer a reduced rate to help you manage your finances better.

3. EMI Moratorium

During a financial crisis, banks may allow a moratorium period, where you can pause your EMI payments for a few months. However, interest may still accrue during this period.

4. Loan Refinancing

If another lender offers better terms, you can consider personal loan refinancing, which involves transferring your loan to a different lender with lower interest rates or better repayment terms.

5. Debt Consolidation Loan

If you have multiple loans, consolidating them into a single personal loan with a lower EMI can help in managing repayments more effectively.

6. Partial Prepayment

If you have access to some funds, making a partial prepayment can reduce the outstanding loan amount and lower future EMIs.

Steps to Restructure Your Personal Loan

1. Assess Your Financial Situation

Before approaching your lender, analyze your current financial standing. Calculate your total income, expenses, and the amount you can afford to pay toward the loan.

2. Communicate with Your Lender

Contact your bank or financial institution and explain your financial difficulties. Lenders prefer working with borrowers who proactively seek solutions rather than defaulting on payments.

3. Negotiate Favorable Terms

Based on your financial situation, negotiate with the lender for a lower interest rate, extended tenure, or EMI relief.

4. Submit a Loan Restructuring Request

Lenders may require a formal application for loan restructuring. Submit necessary documents such as salary slips, income statements, medical bills, or business loss reports to justify your request.

5. Review the New Loan Terms

If your request is approved, carefully read the revised loan agreement. Understand the new interest rates, tenure, and any additional charges before agreeing.

6. Stick to the New Repayment Plan

Once your loan is restructured, ensure timely payments to avoid further financial difficulties and maintain your credit score.

Impact of Loan Restructuring on Credit Score

While restructuring a personal loan can prevent defaults and ease financial stress, it may have an impact on your credit score:

Temporary Drop in Credit Score – Loan restructuring is reported to credit bureaus, which may lower your score slightly.

Better Than Defaulting – A structured repayment plan is always better than missing EMIs, which severely damage your credit score.

Opportunity to Rebuild Credit – Timely payments under the new terms can gradually improve your score over time.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Restructuring a Personal Loan

Not Exploring All Options – Understand all available restructuring options before making a decision.

Delaying the Request – Don’t wait until you default; approach your lender early to discuss restructuring.

Ignoring Hidden Charges – Ensure you check for processing fees, interest hikes, or penalties before agreeing to new terms.

Failing to Adjust Your Budget – Reduce unnecessary expenses to accommodate the new EMI schedule.

Overlooking Credit Score Impact – Understand how restructuring affects your credit report and take steps to rebuild your score.

Alternative Solutions if Loan Restructuring is Not an Option

If your lender does not approve your loan restructuring request, consider these alternatives:

Seek Financial Counseling – Consult a financial advisor to explore debt management strategies.

Apply for a Loan with a Co-Borrower – A co-applicant with a strong credit score can increase approval chances.

Use Emergency Savings – If you have an emergency fund, use it to clear or reduce the loan burden.

Negotiate Partial Settlement – Some lenders offer one-time settlements where you pay a reduced amount to close the loan.

Conclusion

Facing a financial crisis can be overwhelming, but restructuring your personal loan can provide much-needed relief. By extending the tenure, reducing interest rates, or opting for a repayment holiday, you can manage your EMIs better. It is essential to communicate with your lender, negotiate favorable terms, and stick to the new repayment schedule to regain financial stability.

Taking a proactive approach and making informed decisions will help you navigate financial difficulties without damaging your credit health. If you are struggling with personal loan repayments, explore restructuring options today to avoid defaults and secure a stable financial future.

[sellgoldncr]

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[5feet-of-anxiety]

I know it's pretty unhelpful to offer unsolicited advice to donation posts but for those in the US who are going through a hard time I do want to at least make sure people know some options they may have available to them that have helped me and friends out over the year.

Call everyone you pay bills to and ask about hardship plans or assistance options. Try and avoid any long term reduced payment plans but short term are generally fine. One or two month deferments are fine too. If it's a long term (1+ years) sudden situation then ask about settlement options. It's not the best for your credit but it's better than late payment reports ending up in a charge off.

Do not use a DSC unless you have a lot of stuff in collections/different accounts to pay and don't have the time or energy to deal with them yourself. Dsc's charge you to settle on accounts usually one by one as accounts fall more and more delinquent. You can do that yourself. If it's already charged off save it for later

Don't wait until savings are gone to ask for these assistance options. The minute you don't have income reduce your expenses as much as possible.

Unless it is an expense you are 95% you can pay off without issue do not take out a loan

Apply for unemployment the same day you lose a job and keep up with the paperwork. I've lost out on potential unemployment earnings 3 different times because of how confused I get from it so don't be afraid to call and ask for help or explanations.

Car auctions can be your friend for a vehicle . Police auctions are not great but see if there are any other auctions nearby and you can generally get a car for the same price as a down payment. If you have car knowledge great if not try and bring someone that does. Even if you don't check that it starts, pop the hood and make sure nothing's missing, and look up the car model for common issues.

Need a job fast and can't stand fast food? Call centers are always hiring. Like any job they do suck and some are worse than others but they tend to pay more than minimum wage and they're not physically demanding if that's an issue. Also try storage facilities as they tend to have benefits and may provide housing or at least a discount on a storage unit if your living situation demands one.

This isn't important financially but it's something that affected me for a long time. But if you're feeling lonely and looking for a community or even just someone to connect with then do participate in book clubs, low cost classes or social events, strike up conversation with others at the parades, bars/clubs, library, store wherever. Even if it's just a connection in passing it will enrich you. And if you don't put yourself out there those connections will be harder to come by.

Therapy isn't cheap and journaling isn't a replacement but it can cost less than 2 dollars and it at least helps to get the thoughts and feelings out somewhere.

Goodwill sucks. Look for smaller donation shops a lot of them do actual community outreach.

That's all I got and this is not a list of cure all solutions that will work for everyone or solve problems 100%. These are just things that have either helped me in the past or I wish I would've done differently. There's a lot of tips out there and it sucks to live in survival mode like that but always choose what's best for you.

[memesnotdreams]

alright friends, been working on this one for a few days. my car was totaled and it was an eye opening experience--i learned a few things about insurance, the loss process and buying a new car so passing on that knowledge so that you can keep as much of your hard earned money as possible.

buying cars -price is absolutely negotiable. a good benchmark is with fees and everything, you should try to walk out the door with the sticker price. i.e. if a dealership is selling a car for 12k excluding fees, you should shoot to pay 12K total. do your own research of course in order to make your case, but i'm just here to say that it's possible so dont give up, and dont leave money on the table. this is your sign to be aggressive! -negotiating is a bit of a performance. bring props, they help. i had all my notes printed out and it totally changed the tone of the conversation as soon as i whipped them out. -okay yes this is theater but, especially if you are getting a used car, take this bit seriously and prepare lol. bring a hard copy checklist of features to check on the car. verify VIN, the specs/model of the car, interior and exterior finishes and condition etc. and then actually verify! looking this closely at the car helped me identify cosmetic issues that helped when negotiating, and i also found some features to be missing. as it turns out, dealerships will list all possible features on a car according to the model,but it's up to you to make sure the car you are buying comes with those options. -again when buying a used car, ask if it comes with a warranty or is being sold as is. if it is being sold as is, whatever is wrong with the car at time of sale is your problem so plan accordingly. if they say there is a warranty verify this is not a warranty you are paying for as part of the loan. you want a dealership guarantee, or a manufacturers warranty best case. i was told the car had a warranty included with purchase but it was essentially an up sell and would be wrapped up in the loan. this added a couple thousand to my negotiated price. you can buy your own warranty later if it comes to it, but you do not need this.

the total loss process -a total loss is when you get in an accident and even if the car is driveable, your insurance company tells you they aren't going to fix it because it costs too much and or can not be made safe to drive -your insurance company is almost always going to lowball you for the settlement amount. dont accept this! double check their work on the settlement report, verify the comps are as close to your vehicle as possible. and have pictures of the interior and exterior of the car ready (esp in the case where there was minimal damage but it's still being ruled a loss) to show that your car was in good condition. - my last bit of advice is just to wait them out and be polite but firm. they absolutely can and will adjust the settlement if you come with evidence and are persistent. photos are a huge help so send those as soon as possible. this advice is unpopular for those of us who have issues challenging authority but hype yourself up and just do it. it's your money and it's owed to you.

more to come about how the accident reporting process actually works and some pitfalls i ran into.

[dlaprobably]

Servantember, Day 8: Captain James Misson (Pretender)

A salty sea dog to start the second week's worth of Servantember drawings, Captain James Misson! The legendary captain of the Victoire, Misson is best known as the founder of the fabled pirate utopia of Libertatia (or Libertalia), a democratic society that stood up for its people's freedoms and against authoritarian rule, distributing loot evenly amongst its population. Despite its sturdy fortifications and sprawling reach, its location has proven elusive, and while it lasted 25 years, far longer than most pirate outposts of its kind, there are few contemporaneous accounts of its existence. There are few records of Misson himself, for that matter, with many regarding him and Libertatia as nothing more than a story. And yet, here he stands, man, myth, and legend, as a Pretender Rider class Servant!

Fell down something of a research rabbit hole with this one it took me some time to climb out of, but it's my longest and most detailed profile yet, so I hope you enjoy it if you're reading this!

Lore Notes:

-On his initial summoning, Misson will appear a younger, more swashbuckling sort of man, the years having yet to take their toll on him, rather than the shabby-coated figure depicted above, who will typically only appear to Masters with whom a mutual trust has been established. He maintains the same unquenchable thirst for adventure and belief in his dream regardless of his age, and takes great delight in storytelling, relating tales of his own exploits and those of fellow rogues with equal pleasure.

-His ship, the Victoire, sails swiftly and silently, catching foes unaware and leaving no trace, an ephemeral vessel much like Misson's own unwritten voyages. It behaves much like a ghost ship, but appears the very picture of a dignified, undamaged warship when sighted. Its crew is invisible to enemy eyes while aboard, and consists of a motley assortment of lesser-known seafarers and long-forgotten names fearsome in their own time, many of them acquaintances of Misson himself in life. A skilled naval tactician well respected by his sailors, the good captain's Voyager of the Storm skill is at an A+ rank.

-Is as competent a duelist as he is at the helm, and a crack shot with pistols as well, with near supernaturally quick reflexes. He was known as a captain and a leader rather than a combatant, and loathed needless bloodshed, but claims to have taken a few pages out of the books of his piratical peers for this summoning. He'd still rather avoid direct confrontation, but needs must when the devil drives.

-Thomas Tew, Misson's contemporary and co-founder of Libertatia, is absent from the crew of pirates captaining the Victoire, having his own distinct Spirit Origin as the more well known pirate out of the two of them. Much as he would appreciate the help, Misson doesn't begrudge his absence, certain he has his own business to take care of.

-Misson's Noble Phantasm is Libertatia, a Reality Marble bringing forth the legendary settlement and its surrounding seas, allowing captain and Master alike to mount a strong defense while the Victoire remains on the offense. Raised forts forming an octagonal shape in the harbor, each armed with forty cannons, with the living spaces and the town proper below. Apart from its combat functionality, the town is as abuzz with activity as it was in its heyday. There's no shortage of resources to make withstanding a prolonged siege possible, but the firepower on hand and on loan should make short work of foes inexperienced at sea. Stray cannon fire from the fog enclosing the Reality Marble will hammer down on opponents, the hopes and dreams of captains throughout the ages who aspired to reach the place but never could, channeled into fighting on the captain's behalf. As well positioned and defended as the place is, it did eventually fall, and the fortifications do have their limits, and even in its empowered form as a Noble Phantasm. Dream or reality, Libertatia is as liable to fall as any fortress.

-In reality, there is no Captain James Misson. Attempts to find the location of Libertatia or other contemporary accounts of him have come up empty, and the most detailed account of him and his elusive Libertatia is a likely fictitious chapter in A General History of the Pyrates. A biographical tome published in 1724 about many of the Golden Age's most famous buccaneers, names such as Blackbeard, William Kidd, and Calico Jack Rackham among them, A General History helped solidify the modern idea of the era's pirates and their stories, and was a major inspiration for fictitious tales of piracy for over a century afterward, Treasure Island and Peter Pan being two notable examples. The Servant appearing in Misson's place is Captain Charles Johnson, A General History's mysterious author.

-Captain Charles Johnson is himself about as much of a ghost as Misson, with no records existing of a captain by his name, which is considered by most historians to be a pseudonym. Some theorize he was a genuine pirate or captain, others believe he was simply a particularly knowledgeable writer. A playwright by the name of Charles Johnson staged a play titled The Successful Pyrate about the career of Henry Every, but he seems to be entirely unrelated to the captain. Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe and hundreds of other works, is by far the most popular suspect, but a questionable one. Yet another candidate is printer Nathaniel Mist, who published some of Defoe's works, with the latter spying on the former on behalf of the British government. Johnson himself is keeping mum on who he is, and it hardly matters, given he's been summoned as Misson and Johnson rather than whoever he might really be.

-As a Servant, Johnson amounts to little more than the ideal of a pirate in the public consciousness, his appearance reflecting that. For what it's worth, he does seem to believe in the ideas he espouses, and thoroughly sympathizes with his subjects, which is why he saw fit to immortalize them in the written word. He might exaggerate with some, or dream up entirely fictional ones for the stories he couldn't justify ascribing to any existing ones, but every story gets somewhat out of hand after being passed on a few times, the wilder ones tending to be the more memorable ones.

-His Noble Phantasm as Johnson, A General History of the Pyrates, allows him to invoke the skills and feats of the figures he wrote about, granting him the skills in direct combat that Misson was never attested to have but others were credited with, for one. Libertatia is an extension of this Noble Phantasm, but is treated as a separate one tied to the Misson aspect of this Spirit Origin, and can be used in conjunction with A General History's more... general effects. If a "true" Captain James Misson were ever summoned as a Servant, he would have Libertatia as his Noble Phantasm, but the odds of that are exceedingly low given the lack of evidence for him. Still, Johnson had to get the idea from somewhere, and he'd be the first to say not to dismiss the possibility. At full power, A General History can summon a mighty fleet of the famous pirates themselves and their ships, their chronicler calling upon their legends to do battle and make their names once more. Maintaining both A General History and Libertatia at their maximum potential simultaneously would expend a frankly ludicrous amount of magical energy, but the resulting tale of adventure that would come out of it would more than make up for it.

-All in all, Johnson changes little as a Servant with the revelation of his true name, remaining the same jolly salt as when he's known as Misson, just more honest about the nature of his existence. A figment kept alive by the figments he kept alive in a sort of equivalent exchange, as long as there's people to keep reading and telling the stories, he's satisfied with his accomplishments.

-Other pirate Servants seem to be aware of both Misson and Johnson as separate individuals but perceive him as either of them at different times, which suits him fine. He's never been summoned alongside Thomas Tew, but that would doubtless make matters even more confusing.

Design Notes:

Unsurprisingly, I was big into pirates as a kid and it never went away, so it was a matter of time before I wrote up a pirate fanservant. I've been incredibly disappointed with Fate's canon handling of pirate Servants thus far for the most part (Blackbeard's writing has been improving in recent years but I maintain that the foundation for FGO's version is so broken there's only so much fixing they can try to do, the less said about Bonny and Read and how badly they botched them the better, Bart has one of my favorite designs in the game but every time he opens his mouth I want to cry, Drake is the only one that's actually cool even though she has very little to do with her historical counterpart from what I've seen), and I wanted to try my hand at doing a proper one not bogged down in a single bad joke for a personality.

I hadn't actually read any of A General History of the Pyrates before working on him, but it had been on my reading list for a long time and I had been aware of Johnson as a figure. The idea of him as a Servant first came to me when I was trying to think of legendary or fictional pirates that could qualify as Servants in contrast to the thus far historical ones, and while Johnson definitely existed in some capacity as the author of the book, it interested me how little we know about the guy for how influential his book was. As I looked more into the book, I looked into Misson, and while I initially had Johnson in mind as a Caster, the ambiguity of his identity and of Misson as his fabrication felt perfect for the Pretender class. The rest as they say, was history. Design-wise he's an amalgamation of Captain Hook, Long John Silver, and various other fictional pirates I had on the mind at the time, including this post, fitting enough for how he takes form, with the patchwork on his coat being extremely subtle symbolism for the fact that he hasn't taken the time out to buy a new one (and that he's a patchwork himself, incidentally). I imagine he does have a proper walking cane, but he uses the sword sometimes when he wants to seem dramatic or look cool. With that, I'll leave you to your own adventures, and wish you safe travels and good days over the horizon!