Auto Claims | (top)

Auto Accident:

1. Assess the medical condition of all parties involved, both in your vehicle and any other vehicles involved in the accident. If anyone needs medical assistance, call 911 right away.
2. Contact law enforcement and notify them of the accident. Often it is best to leave the vehicles in the position they were in immediately after the accident until law enforcement arrives, so the reporting officers are better able to assess and diagram the facts of the loss. Disclose all relevant information to the investigating officer.
3. Exchange information with all involved parties and witnesses to the accident. The law enforcement agency will likely complete a report at a later date, but this information is needed by your insurance company as soon as possible, and is very important in cases of uninsured drivers. The information you should obtain:
• Name, current address, and telephone number(s) for the driver of the other vehicle(s). If the driver of the other vehicle is not the owner of that vehicle, you should also obtain the same information for the vehicle owner.
• Insurance company, policy number and agency name for the owner and driver of the other vehicle. It may be helpful for you to simply ask to view the other person's Insurance Identification Card.
• Name, current address, and telephone contact information for any passengers in the other vehicle(s).
• Name, current address, and telephone contact information for any witnesses to the accident.
• The license plate number along with the make, model, and color of the other vehicle(s).
4. Notify your insurance agent or insurance company. Most insurers put their direct claim reporting phone number on your insurance identification card.

Auto theft, vandalism, fire or hit and run:

1. Leave the vehicle exactly as you found it and do not move it. Depending on what is known about the circumstances of the loss, there may be evidence at the scene that will help investigators determine what happened, how it happened, and sometimes even who committed the damage. For stolen vehicles, try to locate as much information about the vehicle as possible, such as the certificate of title, all available keys and a list of the people who had access to them, a list of any personal property inside the vehicle and the name and contact information for any applicable financing or leasing company.
2. Contact law enforcement or the fire department, depending on the loss, and notify them of the incident. For a theft, vandalism or hit and run, law enforcement will want to look at your vehicle and take a report for investigative and insurance purposes. For fires, the fire department will need to put out any active fires and will want to investigate the vehicle after it is safe to approach in order to determine the cause of the fire if it is not immediately known.
3. Speak to anyone who might have witnessed the loss, including neighbors, delivery people and any patrons of local establishments if your vehicle was parked near any businesses at the time of the loss. Especially in cases of hit and run, someone may have gotten license plate and vehicle information of the liable party and may not know who to give that information to.
4. Notify your insurance agent or insurance company. Most insurers put their direct claim reporting phone number on your insurance identification card.

All other auto losses (hail damage, deer hit, cracked windshield, etc):

1. Generally, for these types of claims, you will find the damage after the fact or the damage at the time of the loss is not very extensive and your vehicle can driven from the scene to your home. It is fine to do this and not to call police. In fact, unless you hit an animal that is blocking a roadway, there is not always a need to contact law enforcement for these types of losses.
2. Assess the damage and notify your insurance agent or insurance company. Most insurers put their direct claim reporting phone number on your insurance identification card. Because these types of losses are not as urgent as other types, you do not have to do this as soon as you find the damage, but you will want to do this before the damage gets any worse (i.e., a chipped windshield that turns into a cracked windshield due to changing temperatures or a slight dent in the grill that starts to rust with time and wet weather).

Home Claims | (top)

Homeowners and renters insurance claims can range from theft to vandalism to wind or hail damage. Some helpful steps to take:

1. Assess the medical condition of all parties involved. If anyone has sustained a serious injury requiring medical assistance, you need to call 911 and request emergency medical responders right away.
2. Call the applicable authorities so they can inspect the damage, make a report and investigate further, if needed. For situations such as theft and fire, you will want to leave the home exactly as you found it. Depending on what is known about the circumstances of the loss, there may be evidence at the scene that will help investigators determine what happened, how it happened and sometimes even who committed the damage.
3. After the home has been inspected by law enforcement or the fire department, take all reasonable measures to protect the property from further damage. This may include covering holes in the roof, walls, doors and windows with plastic or boards or extracting water from a flooded basement or bathroom. Be careful not to risk your own safety in making these temporary repairs. Do not discard any damaged property or begin permanent repairs without prior approval from your claims representative.
4. Notify your insurance agent or insurance company. Most insurers put their direct claim reporting phone number on your insurance identification card.

Claims Articles | (top)

We understand the overwhelming stress arising from motor vehicle accidents, destructive storms, and other incidents that damage your home, auto, or business. Unfortunately, many of us will encounter these situations at least once during our lifetime. It is important you understand how to properly react if you are ever involved in one of these types of situations. The following are some tips, advice, stories and action steps you can read in order to minimize your risk and maximize your safety.

Tornado Preparation and Safety Tips

It is always a good idea to prepare for the unexpected. Emergencies and disasters can occur anytime and anywhere.

Lightning safety

Some damages caused by lightning, are covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. Here are some tips to protect against power surges and lightning strikes.

Take steps to prevent dog bites

Did you know that dog bites cause about 800,000 injuries requiring immediate medical care in the United States each year?

Lawnmower safety

Each year, approximately 75,000 people are injured seriously enough by lawnmowers to require emergency room medical treatment.

Pool safety

Swimming pools are fun, but also potentially dangerous to young children. Learn ways to keep your loved ones safe.

Grilling safety

Americans enjoy more than three billion barbecues each year. But barbecuing can be dangerous, even deadly, if you are not careful.

Mold protection

When trying to keep your home mold-free, a strong offense is your best defense. Caught early, mold can usually be removed by a thorough cleaning with bleach and water.

Home security tips

Burglars won’t find your home an “easy mark” if they are forced to work in the light, if they have to take a lot of time breaking in, or if they can‘t break in without making a lot of noise.

Glossary | (top)

Actual cash value:
Cost to replace property with new property of like kind and quality, less depreciation.

Additional living expenses:
Extra charges covered by homeowners policies over and above your customary living expenses, usually used when you insured require temporary shelter due to damage by a covered peril that makes your home temporarily uninhabitable.

Adjuster:
An individual employed by an insurer to evaluate losses and settle policyholder claims.

Appraisal:
A survey to determine a property’s insurable value, or the amount of a loss.

Appraisal Clause:
The terms and conditions of your policy of insurance may contain an appraisal clause. This may be requested by you or the insurance company in cases where the amount of loss is disputed. Each party chooses their own appraiser and a third appraiser is chosen, called an umpire. The decision determined as a result of the appraisal process is binding.

Arbitration:
Procedure in which an insurance company and the insured agree to settle a claim dispute by accepting a decision made by a third independent party.

Catastrophe:
Term used for statistical recording purposes to refer to a single incident or a series of closely related incidents causing severe insured property losses totaling more than a given amount, currently $25 million.

Cause of loss:
The means by which property is damaged or destroyed, such as wind, hail, theft, etc.

Claim:
A request to an insurance company from the policyholder asking for a payment based on the terms of the insurance policy.

Claimant:
Party presenting a claim against an insurer’s policyholder.

Collision deductible:
A Collision deductible covers damage to your car resulting from a collision with another car, object, or as a result of flipping over. Coverage is included whether you are at-fault or not-at fault.

Comprehensive deductible:
A Comprehensive deductible covers damage to a vehicle caused by miscellaneous hazards other than collision, such as fire, theft, explosion, windstorm, hail, water or contact with an animal.

Declaration page:
Part of a property or liability insurance policy that states the name and address of policyholder, property insured, its location and description, the policy period, premiums and supplemental information. Referred to as the ‘dec page.’

Deductible:
The sum of money the insured must pay before the insurance company begins to pay.

Depreciation:
Reduction in an item’s value based on the item’s age, condition and useful life expectancy.

Diminution of value:
The reduction of a value in a vehicle after it has been damaged in an accident and repaired.

Endorsement:
A written form attached to an insurance policy that alters the policy’s coverage, terms, or conditions.

Exclusion:
A policy provision that eliminates coverage for specified exposures such as certain risks, people, property classes or locations.

First party coverage:
Coverage for the policyholder or the policyholder’s property.

Fraud:
Intentional lying or concealment by policyholders to obtain payment of an insurance claim that would otherwise not be paid or to obtain more money than legally owed.

Gap Coverage:
An automobile insurance option, available in some states, that covers the difference between a car’s actual cash value when it is stolen or wrecked and the amount the consumer owes the leasing or finance company. This coverage must be written in conjunction with comprehensive and/or collision coverage.

Generic auto parts:
Auto crash parts produced by firms that are not associated with car manufacturers. Insurers consider these parts, when certified, equivalent to those that come from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

Independent adjuster:
An independent contractor who adjusts claims for different insurance companies.

Inland marine coverage:
This type of coverage is attached to a homeowners policy and insures individual items of personal property. Among the items often insured with inland marine coverage are expensive jewelry, musical instruments and furs. Also known as a floater or schedule.

Insurance:
A risk management technique that transfers the potential financial consequences of certain specified loss exposures from you to an insurance company.

Insurance policy:
A contract that states the agreement of rights and duties between the insurance company and you.

Liability:
Coverage for damages and injuries that you are legally responsible for causing. Includes bodily injury and property damage coverages.

Limits:
Maximum amount of insurance that will be paid for a covered loss.

Loss:
A reduction in the quality or value of a property, or a legal liability.

Loss adjustment expenses:
The sum insurers pay for investigating and settling insurance claims, including the cost of defending a lawsuit in court.

Named peril:
A specific risk or cause of loss covered by an insurance policy, such as a fire, windstorm, flood, or theft. A named-peril policy covers you only for the risks named in the policy in contrast to an all-risk policy, which covers all causes of loss except those specifically excluded.

Named Insured:
The person or entity listed on a policy declarations page and a spouse living in the same household.

Negligence:
Failure to act with the legally required degree of care for others, resulting in harm to them.

No-Fault Insurance:
Auto insurance coverage that pays for each driver’s own injuries, regardless of who caused the accident. No-fault varies from state to state.

Notice of Loss:
A written notice required by insurance companies immediately after an accident or other loss. Part of the standard provisions defining a policyholder's responsibilities after a loss.

Original equipment manufacturer parts (OEM):
Auto parts made by the manufacturer of the vehicle.

Personal injury protection coverage (PIP):
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays for medical expenses and lost wages, within the stated limits, for you and members of your household. This coverage is also referred to as ‘no-fault’ coverage, as these costs are paid no matter who is at fault. This is a mandatory coverage in all no-fault states. In Minnesota, you may elect stacking protection for this coverage, which increases your selected limits by the number of vehicles you are insuring.

Policy:
A written contract for insurance between an insurance company and you stating details of coverage.

Premises:
The particular location of the property or a portion of it as designated in an insurance policy.

Proof of loss:
Official documents showing the insurance company that a loss occurred.

Replacement cost:
Insurance that pays the amount needed to replace damaged personal property or dwelling property without deducting for depreciation.

Reserve:
A company’s estimate of what it will pay for a claim.

Salvage:
Damaged property an insurer takes over to reduce its loss after paying a claim. Insurers receive salvage rights over property on which they have paid claims, such as badly-damaged cars.

Subrogation:
The legal process by which an insurance company, after paying a loss, seeks to recover the amount of the loss from another party who is legally liable for it.

Third party coverage:
Liability coverage purchased by you as a protection against possible lawsuits filed by a third party. You and the insurance company are the first and second parties to the insurance contract.

Total loss:
The condition of an automobile or other property when damage is so extensive that repair costs would exceed the value of the vehicle or property.

FAQ’s | (top)