When shopping for auto insurance, most people don’t pay much attention to how the company handles their claim. This is what makes the difference between the men and the boys. Is your claim going to be settled quickly and in full? Isn’t it your insurance company’s duty to support you?
What should you do after an accident? Who should you contact, and who will handle your claim? This is why having your own personal agent is better than buying your insurance online or through an 800 number. This article doesn’t discuss having your own personal agent or a call center.
Okay, you’ve been in an accident. Now it is time to get your insurance company on the ball and win.
Here’s what I recommend to my customers:
1. First, make sure that everyone is okay after an accident. Notify the police immediately
3. If the vehicle is blocking traffic, please leave it where it is.
4. Your personal agent should be notified if you are involved in an accident.
5. Once the police report has been completed and all investigations have been completed, you can contact your agent to provide more details about the accident.
Although I don’t know how other insurance companies or agents handle claims, I will share what I do to assist my customers in their time of need.
First, I will ask my customer if everything is okay. Then I’ll gather details about the accident.
Once I have all of the details about the accident, I will contact our claims department to initiate the claim process. After the claim is initiated, I will contact our claims department to arrange for my customer’s vehicle to be picked up and their rental car to be dropped off.
Here is where the insurance company steps in. Now that the claim has been filed, what next?
Once the claim has been entered into the system, a claims representative will be assigned. The agent will contact the insured to confirm the information. They will explain the insurance coverage to the insured, and answer any questions they may have.
The body shop will pick up the vehicle and drop it off at the insured. The vehicle will then move to the body shop. The body shop will inspect the vehicle and provide a first estimate. A claims representative will be sent out by the insurance company to inspect the damage and provide a second estimate. It is now time for the body shop.
If there is additional damage to your vehicle from the body shop, you will be notified by insurance and additional charges will be added.
The average time it takes to finish a job after a vehicle has been involved in an accident is 10-15 days.
After the vehicle has been completed, the representative from the insurance company will inspect it. Once the vehicle is approved, the customer will be contacted so that arrangements can be made for the vehicle’s pickup. The body shop will inspect the vehicle and make sure everything is to their satisfaction.
Customers hate insurance. However, they love it when they are in an accident and have to use it. I’ve found that they appreciate the way the claims process was handled over the years. I’ve also heard horror stories from customers who had to file their claim using an 800 number. It was so painful. I’m not a fan of calling a call center, where I have to go through a series prompts only to realize that I accidentally pressed the wrong prompt and then have to start over.
Your insurance company should always be there for you when you need it. When you are considering switching insurance companies, ask about how claims are handled. While it may seem attractive to pay less for insurance, will you end up paying more later?