Auto insurance » Customer Service

Insurance Claims – Notify the Insurance Company!

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:27:08 +0000

Seems sort of obvious, doesn’t it? But, there are different ways to notify the company that you’ve had a loss. And when you notify the insurance company can make a big difference in how your claim is handled.

The first place to look for information is on your policy. Many policies will have a telephone number listed for reporting a claim. However, I’ve seen policies that require the policyholder to notify the company in writing. So, make sure that the method of reporting your claim is acceptable to the insurance company. Likely, your agent has his name and telephone number on the policy. If so, call him and report the loss also.

Sometimes, an agent will have settlement authority to handle small losses, such as homeowner’s losses under $2,000.00. In that kind of instance, the agent could handle the claim for you. I’ve found this situation to be rare, though. Occasionally, captive agents (agents that work for only one company, like Allstate, Nationwide or Liberty Mutual) will have a small amount of settlement authority.

The first thing you should remember is that the agent is licensed by the Department of Insurance in his state to be an agent. There is a separate license for claims adjusters. It’s actually a violation of insurance regulations for an agent to do claims adjusting. It’s not his job to handle your claim, but to assist you in buying the coverage that’s right for you. Agents can be very helpful by making calls on your behalf if you’re having problems in your claim. They can be helpful in finding out key names and phone numbers for insurance company personnel that are handling your claim. If the agent has a large number of policyholders with that company, and his clientele represents a large amount of premium to that insurance company, it can be very helpful to have the agent call on your behalf when you’re having problems.

After all, it’s all about customer service, and keeping the promises made in the insurance policy.

Sometimes, the agent or an office secretary/customer service representative will fill out a claim form (called an ACORD form), and submit the claim form to the insurance company on your behalf. In this age of the Internet, frequently the claim form is electronic, and the agent will submit the electronic form by computer.

If the agent notifies the company on your behalf, and uses some type of form, ask the agent to send you a copy of the completed form. Then, you’ll be certain that the claim was submitted, and the date the claim was submitted.

Many times, however, the agent will have to refer you to the claims department of the insurance company. Your policy may have a telephone number for the claims department listed on the policy, and instructions how to make a claim.

Your policy requires you to notify the insurance company “in a timely manner” after you’ve had a claim. What is timely? It varies policy to policy. But each state has statutes of limitation that limit the amount of time after a claim occurrence that a claim can be made. Check with your state’s Department of Insurance to determine the statute of limitation where you live…or where the loss occurred. You’ll find a list of all of the Insurance Departments of all 50 U.S. states and their phone numbers in the Appendix, and at the website address shown below.

For example: you live in Minnesota, and own a retirement home in Florida. The Florida house gets hit by a hurricane. The statutes for Florida would apply.

WARNING: If you wait more than a month after your loss to notify the insurance company, they will be instantly suspicious. In those cases, you should expect to receive one of two forms from the insurance company before they begin their investigation of the loss:

Non-Waiver Agreement. This basically states that the insurance company is going to do a thorough investigation of the claim, but that their investigation does not commit them to pay the claim. It states that they do not waive any of their rights under the policy, and that the insured does not waive any of his rights by cooperating with the investigation. The insurance company wants the insured to sign this form. However, if the Insured refuses to sign the form, the insurance company will send him a….

Reservation of Rights letter. This states basically the same thing as a Non-Waiver Agreement, but the Insured does not have to sign it.

Don’t forget to write in your claim journal the date, time, who you spoke with, the phone number you called, and what was said when you reported your claim. That information could be very valuable later if you have problems with your claim.

Most likely, you’ll receive a claim number from the company when you report the loss. Write the claim number in your journal!!! Don’t expect the insurance company to quickly send you a form that has the claim number on it. Sometimes, it may be many days before the claims department sends you any correspondence, and you will likely need to speak with them before then.

WARNING: What about a situation in which someone else is at fault, and you’re making a claim against the other person’s insurance company? This could happen in an auto accident, or if someone causes damage to your house, or your contents. EVEN IN THIS SITUATION, you must notify your own insurance company that you’re involved in a claim.

The reason is that third party claims don’t always turn out well for you, the claimant. Sometimes, the other person’s insurance company denies liability or denies coverage. Sometimes, the other person’s insurance company drags the process out. Sometimes, the other person’s insurance company makes a settlement offer far below the fair value of the claim. Months may pass, and you have suffered a financial loss that is not getting paid.

What if you, or someone in your family, is injured in the claim…and the other guy’s insurance company won’t accept liability?

Those things might occur weeks or months after a loss. In many cases, you can short-cut that process and make a claim against your own insurance policy to repair the damages. Then your insurance company will do something called “Subrogation.” That is, they will pay your claim, and then contact the other person’s insurance company and demand reimbursement, including your deductible.

So, if you don’t report your claim right away, the policy might allow that insurance company to deny your claim based upon late reporting.

Besides, your policy REQUIRES you to notify the insurance company “promptly” after you have a loss of covered property. That requirement is there no matter who is at fault for the damages.

Don’t get caught in this technicality! Don’t lose your right to collect what you deserve when you notify the insurance company.

By: Russell Longcore

Finding Auto Insurance In Maryland

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:46:43 +0000

Having auto insurance in Maryland is just as important as having coverage in any other state. And although most people don’t think there would be any difference between auto insurance offered in Maryland and anywhere else, there are definitely differences you to know about. On the other hand, just as there are some differences in companies that offer auto insurance in Maryland and those that do not, there are also companies that do not differ, offering pretty much the same type of coverage.

The key is to know the difference in options available in order to make an educated decision as a consumer, in regard to what kind of auto insurance to purchase when living in Maryland.

The Coverage That Doesn’t Differ from State to State

Although there will always be differences from state to state when it comes to auto insurance due to specific state laws, some companies offer auto insurance nationwide which is so similar that you’d be able to stay on the same plan when moving from one state to another. Companies such as Geico auto insurance is offered in Pennsylvania along with any other state in the Country, and will offer just about the same plan to any consumer no matter the state they live in.

This kind of coverage, just as any other product or service, has benefits and disadvantages alike. These pros and cons will differ from person to person due to preference, but one of the most common benefits of purchasing nationwide coverage is price. Because companies like Geico offer coverage to so many people, they are usually able to offer you a lower price, especially compared to local agencies.

On the flip side, a negative aspect that’s popular among consumers is the fact that big nationwide companies do not offer personalized service, therefore customer service may not be as reliable or satisfactory as a smaller company.

Coverage That Does Show a Difference

Any state one lives, including Maryland, can find an auto insurance company that’s local and specializes in personal commitment to their customers. A good way to find these companies is by using your yellow pages or relying on word of mouth from friends and family. The benefits usually outweigh the negatives with this kind of company because of their size, and many people lucky enough to find a good insurance company that’s locally run never even think about switching providers.

Although locally owned auto insurance in places like Maryland are more than likely going to have higher premiums, they tend to make up for it in customer service and satisfaction guarantees. In the end, choosing the right auto insurance comes down to preference, budget and concern.

By: Rex Freiberger

Auto Insurance Ratings – Tips to Find a Company That Offers Good Car Insurance Ratings

admin — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:22:16 +0000

An auto insurance rating, whether you are an existing insurance customer or not, can give you important information about the financial situation of the company and it’s level of customer service so that you can decide if a carrier is worth considering. Besides, we can only judge auto insurance by the quality of the company that provides it.

You definitely want to look at more than just one rating when researching an auto insurance company. Authentic customer reviews compiled from a number of dependable sources are the best way for the rating company to determine the actual quality of service for a carrier. You might also consider researching through a number of sites so that you will have many different avenues of comparison. If you go through each review slowly, you will learn quite a bit about how the company handles problems, how they treat their customers, and how the company strives to give people what they need. Other aspects to look into would be willingness of a company to work with the individual needs of their customers, value of insurance for the money spent, and both the speed and the quality of service. Your chances of signing up with the carrier that is best for you is greatly improved the more you study the ratings and get a comprehensive view of various companies by reading a through a wide variety of input. Keep doing this regularly so you can stay on top of new developments.

Don’t forget about the many discounts that are available; many companies will deduct these from your total purchase. Doing this gives you more advantages and benefits. Make sure when talking to your agent you inquire about qualifying discounts. This will help you to save even more money.

Considering how the world economy is going, finding the cheapest reliable auto insurance rate for you and your family is now more important than ever. This is not to say that you should ever sacrifice proper protection for you and your loved ones just to get a better deal. With so many carriers vying for your business, it’s literally impossible to know if you have truly picked the most honest and reliable auto insurance company out there. Just do the best decision you can from the information you have researched.

By: Diego Gaitan