How-To Guide: Working with the Insurance Companies

Being involved in a car accident can be an incredibly stressful and difficult time for even the most prepared individual. You may be suffering from physical injuries, but that’s not all. You may be suffering from the emotional trauma of the accident, as well. On top of all of this, the last thing most people want to think about is having to deal with their insurance companies.

The first thing you should always do following a car accident is speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. They can advise you of how to interact with the insurance companies. We advise that, initially, all that you do is submit a claim to start your property damage issues and inform the adjuster that you were injured. Do not release any other information with any insurance company without first speaking with your attorney.

Whether out of ignorance or a desire to move on as quickly as possible, many people make the mistake of listening to the insurance company when they try to settle your injury case in one or two phone calls. The fact of the matter is insurance companies make money by avoiding paying out as much as they can, and there’s a good chance they will give you a low offer. That is when having a personal injury attorney on your side can be extremely beneficial.

Here are some of the most popular automobile insurance as well as some tips for navigating any claims you might have to make with the aid of an experienced personal injury attorney, like Dianne Sawaya.

GEICO is one of the most popular companies in the business, insuring over 22 million vehicles. Based out of Chevy Chase, Maryland, most people don’t know that the name GEICO was actually originally intended to serve as an acronym for Government Employees Insurance Company. Today, of course, they insure all kinds of drivers and also offer home, motorcycle, and life insurance now, too.

Filing a claim with GEICO is relatively easy. Start by visiting the ‘report a claim’ portion of their site here and they will walk you through the step-by-step process. The one thing you will need is your GEICO policy number. This can be found on your GEICO ID card, billing statement, or policy declaration statement. If, for whatever reason, you are unable to locate your GEICO policy number, simply contact their auto claims line, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 1-800-861-8380.

State Farm – In sheer volume alone, State Farm is arguably the biggest player in the industry with 44 million policies. The 18,000 agents employed by State Farm process approximately 35,000 claims every day.

In terms of ease and convenience, State Farm ranks near the top as well. To process a claim, you can visit their website here, call their toll free number at 1-800-782-8332, contact your local State Farm agent directly, or even use their handy mobile phone application. One of State Farm’s biggest points of emphasis is their assurance that clients will be able to reach a representative at any day at any time (see: Jake with State Farm). After you submit a claim via their mobile app, you can expect a call from your local agent soon there-after.

Progressive – Most people are familiar with Progressive’s quirky, happy-go-lucky agent Flo from her appearances in television commercials. While you probably won’t have any luck reaching her directly, you can file a claim with Progressive by clicking here or calling them directly at 1-800-274-4499. Again, in order to speed up the process and make it easier for you and Progressive, it’s important to have your policy ID number and other relevant information at the ready.

After submitting your claim, you can expect to be contacted by a representative typically by the end of the business day. They will then work with you to set up a date for an inspection of your vehicle so that they can assess the damage and give you an estimate.

Progressive allows for a great deal of flexibility when it comes to actually getting your car fixed, too. You can choose from one of their Service Centers, a repair shop in their network, or your own repair shop.

Allstate – Founded in 1931, Allstate is one of the oldest and largest insurance companies in the country. The most common way to reach Allstate to file a claim is through their website, which you can access by clicking here or by calling 1-800-ALLSTATE.

Nationwide – One of the only insurance companies older than Allstate is Nationwide, which opened its doors in Columbus, Ohio, in 1926. To file a claim online, visit their site here, or you can call their national claims offices at 1-800-421-3535. Nationwide also offers a convenient mobile app that can be downloaded to report the claim as well. You can even find the name and number of the claim representative handling your case by logging in to your Nationwide account, clicking on the Account Access tab, and then “Check on a Claim.”

The process for filing an insurance claim is similar, but every company will have their own interfaces, procedures, and various elements that can vary. For example, every company will have their own algorithms for evaluating and providing estimates.

If you’ve been injured it’s extremely important that you speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. The attorneys at The Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya S will be your voice on the injury issues. Contact our team of Denver personal injury attorneys for help on the injury portion of your claim.