Unitrin Direct is dedicated to simplifying auto insurance with the right balance of competitive rates, stability and service. As a subsidiary of Unitrin, Inc. (NYSE:UTR), in Chicago, Unitrin Direct is part of a Unitrin family of companies that has six million policyholders and $9 billion in assets.

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When you get in an accident, what should you do? The first steps are easy: move your car to the side of the road, make sure everyone is okay, call 911, take pictures of the vehicles, exchange information with the other party and call your insurance company. But what do you do when the insurance company calls you?

Dealing with your insurance company

Many times, the first person who will call you is a claims adjuster. This person works for your insurance company. It may be a “staff adjuster” employed by your insurance company, or it may be an “independent” adjuster. (An independent adjuster works for a private company, but has been hired by the insurance company.) They are going to ask you a series of questions, generally in this order:

1. Where is your car located
2. Is your car damaged?
3. What happened in the accident?
4. Was anyone hurt?

They want to know where your car is located to make sure that it is not accruing storage charges from a tow shop. If it is, they will ask you to call the tow shop and authorize the vehicle to be released. Most insurance companies will then move your car to one of their preferred body shops. If your car is at a tow yard, you should release it to your insurance company. Let them move it. This is not a battle to fight.

They then want to know if your car was damaged, and generally where the damage is located. You do not need to speak in auto terms — just tell them “driver’s side,” “passenger’s side,” “front,” “back,” etc… If the car is seriously damaged, let them know. If the damage is minor, let them know that as well.

When they ask you what happened in the accident, they may ask you for a recorded statement. You are NOT required to allow them to record your statement. Your policy requires that you cooperate with your insurance company but there is nothing in most policies that requires you to give a recorded statement. Answer their questions but do not give them a recorded statement at this time. Tell them what you know, and if you are still shaken, tell them that you want a day or two to settle down, and then talk to them.

You should let them know if anyone was hurt. You may have medical payments (med pay) coverage that will pay any bills you incur for injuries you sustain. They also need to know if anyone else was hurt. Tell them what you know, and if you are not sure if you are hurt, tell them that as well.

Repairing Your Car

The insurance company is going to recommend one of their preferred shops. They have arrangements with shops that will do some of the work (such as photographing your car) for the insurance company. You are not required to go to one of their shops. You can go to any shop you choose. There are some very good shops that are preferred vendors for some insurance companies. There are also some very bad shops. You should never go to a shop unless you can get a personal recommendation from a friend, reliable contact or family member. When you determine where you want the car fixed, tell the insurance company and the adjuster will reach an agreed price with the shop. This is the price that the insurance company agrees to pay, and the shop agrees to accept. You should not be charged anything other than your deductible.

The parts your car was manufactured with are known as Original Equipment (from) Manufacturer, or “OEM”. The insurance company may write an estimate using pricing for aftermarket (sometimes called “crash” or “non-OEM”) parts. There has been a lot of debate as to whether these parts are as good or reliable as original equipment manufacturer parts. If your selected body shop agrees and in most cases, non-OEM parts will be fine, but if they recommend OEM parts or if you have a high end vehicle you should demand that your insurer cover the cost of repairs with OEM parts only. Support for your position can come from the basic principles that insurance is designed to put you back as close as possible to the same position you were in before a loss and “like kind and quality” has traditionally been the standard for replacement.

The insurance company may also want to put on used parts. These are parts that can be bought at an auto recycler from another car that was damaged. These parts are usually OEM parts and are a good replacement if your car is damaged. If your choice is between good condition used parts from an auto recycler or non-OEM parts, choose the former.

You may also be entitled to a rental vehicle. (For tips on properly insuring a rental car read UP’s tips from our Fall 2005 newsletter) Your policy will pay a maximum, usually $20 or $25 per day for the rental vehicle. You will be responsible for all extra charges. Call around and find the best deal for a rental car. You do not have to go with the insurer’s recommended rental car company.

Resolving Your Injury Claim

If you are injured in an accident, you are entitled to recover the reasonable value of your medical bills, your lost wages and a reasonable value for your pain and suffering. Despite what you may read on the internet, there is no formula for calculating this amount. Each case has its own value. Determining what your case is worth takes experience, and you probably want to consult with an attorney.

If you decide to go it alone, remember that you have two years from the date of the accident to either settle your case or file a lawsuit. The adjuster cannot extend this time for you — even if they agree to extend it. You must settle or file a lawsuit, period.

Some adjusters will tell you that their computer gave them a value. Do not listen to them. Their software, generally Colossus, cannot figure out what a case is worth. It determines value based on what they input. Since you do not know what they input, you cannot trust the outcome. Therefore, you should not accept this amount.

Other adjusters will “drop draft” you. This means that they send you a check, usually for $500, and a release. They ask you to sign it, deposit the check, and mail the release back to them. Do not accept this. Adjusters do not drop draft you for the full value of your case. They only drop draft when they are trying to settle a case for less than it is worth. If you receive a check in the mail from the insurance company, that should be a sign that you need legal representation.

Conclusion

When you are in an auto accident, the insurance adjuster may try different tactics with you. Most of these tactics have the same goal — saving the insurance company money. The insurance adjuster is not your friend, although the good ones will make you think they are. While these tips do not cover every circumstance, they will give you enough of a start to make the adjuster know that you have an idea of how the system works. That alone will help you with your claim.

This article was written at UP’s request by Elk Grove, CA. attorney and C.P.C.U. society member Jonathan G. Stein. Jonathan worked for many years in the insurance industry before “switching sides.” He now represents policyholders in claim dispute. His website and articles are recommended reading.

The information presented in this Site is for general informational purposes, and should not be taken as legal advice. If you have a specific legal issue or problem, we recommends that you consult with an attorney.

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Arizona and Texas quotes and policies provided by 21st Century Insurance Company of the Southwest. Florida quotes and policies provided by 21st Century Insurance Company of California.

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ABOUT InsureMe

What we do
InsureMe is a free service that helps people find the most competitive insurance rates available. Since 1993, we’ve helped millions of consumers save money, time and effort on their insurance.

When you fill out our short quote request form, we match you with insurance professionals from your area. With multiple agents vying for your business, you can pick the policy that fits your needs and budget. Comparison shopping has never been so easy.

We also do stuff that has nothing to do with insurance—like building orphanages in Ghana and homes in Mexico, as well as donating time and money to various service organizations in our backyard (Denver).

Who we are
InsureMe is the creation of visionary insurance agent Tim McTavish. Tim thought it should be easier for consumers to find the right insurance. With that idea, a 386 computer with a monochrome monitor, and a cramped condo in the Denver suburbs, InsureMe was born.

Fourteen years and an information revolution later, InsureMe has become an indispensable online resource for insurance shoppers. The company now employs 70 talented individuals and has since moved out of Tim’s condo. (So has Tim.) InsureMe’s mission has remained constant: Helping people find the right insurance.

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Esurance is rated ‘A-’ (Excellent) by A.M. Best, a leading, independent rating organization. Our corporate parent provides extensive industry know-how and financial stability, so you know we’ll be there for you when you need us. 

As an authorized insurance provider, we’re currently licensed in the states listed below. If the state you live in isn’t listed, please check back with us soon, as we’re constantly expanding our business to include additional states.

Obtaining individual insurance quotes by calling insurance companies could be a time consuming and frustrating experience. The good news is that you can do this in less than two minutes by filling out just one intuitive easy & quick online questioner.

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ABOUT 2Insure4Less

2Insure4Less.com is a FREE consumer referral service enabling insurance consumers nationwide to quickly find the best rates on various insurance products, using our unique competitive bidding process. Fill out one, quick and easy questioner, using our intuitive, user-friendly interface and let the auction begin. Our sophisticated quoting system will use the information you have provided to sort through hundreds of insurance companies to identify the three (3) companies with the most competitive results. Your contact information will be referred to up to three agents in your state who represent companies with the best preliminary estimates.

We are not an insurance company or agency. We do not provide insurance quotes to the consumers, nor do we personally sell insurance nationwide. Our unique, patented automated rating engine is designed to provide you with preliminary estimates from thousands of insurance companies doing business in the United States . The actual insurance quotations will be provided to you by the insurance professionals, licensed in your state, who are members of our referral network and who are authorized by the insurance companies to quote and sell you insurance.

We are keenly aware of the identity theft, junk mail and other risk exposures and would like to assure you that your information is safe. We use secure server latest encryption technology to protect your information and we will not share your personal information to any outside party, except to those three agents with the best rates possible, who are also obligated to abide by our “Privacy Policy”.

Unitrin Direct is dedicated to simplifying auto insurance with the right balance of competitive rates, stability and service. As a subsidiary of Unitrin, Inc. (NYSE:UTR), in Chicago, Unitrin Direct is part of a Unitrin family of companies that has six million policyholders and $9 billion in assets.

Get a FREE Car Insurance Quote from Unitrin Direct! 

The Unitrin Property and Casualty Insurance Group is rated “A” (excellent) by A.M. Best Company, a leading provider of financial information for the global insurance industry.

Savings:

You can buy your policy directly online and choose from a variety of payment plans and payment methods. We also offer a wide range of additional ways for you to save by offering a number of discounts, including when you pay your premium in full. And by dealing with us directly, we pass along the savings to you and still provide outstanding service. (Please note that discounts are not available in all states.)

Service:

Unitrin Direct is always just a click of the mouse or a phone call away. You can visit our website anytime to update a current quote or purchase a policy. Once you become a policyholder, you can use our online Policyholder Services to get complete access to your policy activity and documents 24 hours a day. You can also manage your policy online:

• Review your policy information and coverage amounts
• Update your address, add vehicles and drivers, and make other changes to your policy
• View and print your insurance identification cards, billing statements, and other policy documentation
• Make online payments through our easy-to-use Payment Center
• Enroll in EasyPay and make automatic payments through your bank account or credit card

Claims:

Since accidents and other losses occur at all hours, you can report a claim 24 hours a day from anywhere in the United States or Canada. For your convenience and peace of mind, you will be assigned a claims representative who is familiar with your particular situation. This representative will assist you throughout the entire claims process and work to pay your claim within one week – often our claims are paid within just a few days. Getting you back on the road is our highest priority.