Guide
A car insurance claim typically moves through five broad stages: report the loss to the right insurer, submit the documentation the insurer requests, work through the adjuster's inspection and coverage decision, review the repair estimate or settlement, and close the claim. The process applies to collision, comprehensive, theft, weather, vandalism, and other covered auto losses. What varies is who you report to, which coverage responds, and how long each stage takes.
Two things happen before a claim is opened. Neither is part of the claim itself, but the quality of both usually affects how the claim proceeds.
Walk-through
Work through these eight steps in order. Each one either produces something durable (a claim number, documentation, a written coverage decision, a payment) or resolves an open branch before it becomes a dispute. The order matters more than the calendar.
1. Review the policy and identify the relevant coverage.
Your declarations page lists the coverages you carry and the limits and deductibles that apply. The policy form describes how each coverage responds and what it excludes. Confirm which coverage applies to the specific loss before you open the claim, since the reporting path and the adjuster you speak to depend on it.[5]
Do not assume that a marketing label like "full coverage" automatically covers a specific loss. The declarations page and policy form are the sources of truth.
2. Report the loss to the appropriate insurer.
Contact the insurer using the number printed on the declarations page or the insurance ID card, or through the insurer's app or website. If someone else caused the loss, the third-party claim is usually filed with the at-fault driver's insurer while your own first-party coverages (collision, comprehensive, MedPay, PIP, uninsured motorist) are filed with your insurer.[5]
3. Record the claim number and adjuster details.
When the claim is opened, the insurer assigns a claim number and, at some point, a specific adjuster. Save the claim number, the adjuster's name, phone number, email and the best time to reach them. Use the claim number on every subsequent contact, document and receipt.
4. Submit the requested documentation.
Insurers typically request a proof-of-loss form or a recorded statement describing what happened, plus the specific documents that apply to the loss (photos, receipts, police report information where applicable, medical records for injury claims, repair estimates). Provide what is requested, keep copies of everything you send, and send in writing when the option exists.
Do not miss the insurer's deadlines for requested documentation. Missing a proof-of-loss or statement deadline can become the reason the insurer cites for delaying or denying the claim.
5. Work with the adjuster and the inspection.
The adjuster investigates the loss, applies the policy to the facts, and either approves, partially approves, or denies the claim. That usually includes inspecting the vehicle either in-person or through photos, obtaining an independent repair estimate, and, for liability claims, investigating fault. The adjuster's decision is a first pass, not a final word.
6. Review estimates, deductibles and repair or settlement terms.
Read the estimate and the coverage decision before agreeing to it. Confirm which deductible applies, whether the estimate covers all visible damage, and how any partial or full settlement will be paid. If the insurer is offering an actual-cash-value payment on a totaled vehicle, ask for the valuation methodology in writing.
Do not authorize repairs (other than reasonable steps to prevent further damage) until you know whether the insurer requires an inspection first. Repairs completed before an inspection can become disputed.
7. Resolve supplements, liability questions or disputes.
Initial estimates frequently miss damage that becomes visible once the vehicle is opened up. Body shops file supplemental estimates with the insurer for that additional work. Liability investigations can also change during a claim. If you disagree with the coverage decision or the valuation, request the specific reason in writing, compare it to the policy language, and ask the insurer about the internal appeal or review process. If the dispute cannot be resolved with the insurer, your state department of insurance is where consumers file complaints.[1]
8. Confirm payment and retain the final claim record.
Once the claim is settled, confirm that the final payment matches what was agreed, that any lienholder or lessor has been paid correctly on a total loss, and that the claim is closed on the insurer's system. Keep the final settlement letter, the payment record, and the claim number. If a related dispute reopens later, those documents are your baseline.
If you have just been in an accident and need scene-and-aftermath guidance (safety, moving the vehicle, calling emergency services, exchanging information, immediate documentation), this Guide is not the right starting point. Read what to do after an accident first and come back here once the scene has been handled.
Insurers ask most of the same questions to open a claim, plus a few specific to the type of loss. Assembling the items below before you call typically speeds up the first conversation and reduces the number of follow-up requests.
The claims adjuster is the insurer's primary point of contact once the claim is open. The adjuster's job is to apply the policy to the facts of the loss and to coordinate the investigation, the inspection, and the coverage or valuation decision.
A first-pass adjuster decision is not the final word. If new information appears, the insurer receives a supplemental repair estimate, or you disagree with a coverage decision, ask for the decision and the specific policy language behind it in writing. That written record is what you rely on if the claim moves to internal review or to your state insurance department.[1]
A deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before the insurer's coverage begins on a covered claim. It typically applies to your own first-party physical-damage coverages (collision, comprehensive), not to third-party liability payments the insurer makes to someone else on your behalf.
For more on how each coverage type actually works, see the coverage guides for liability and comprehensive, or the full coverage hub.
The estimate produced early in a claim is a starting point, not necessarily the final repair amount. Two things commonly change the number.
Whether you can choose the repair shop, and how much discretion the insurer has to direct you to a specific shop, is governed by state law and varies. Some states explicitly protect a consumer's right to choose a shop; others allow the insurer more latitude. Check your state insurance department for the specific rule where you live, and read the repair-shop section of your policy alongside it.
A vehicle is declared a total loss when the cost to repair it exceeds the insurer's threshold in the applicable state. The specific threshold is set by state law or insurer policy and is not uniform across the country. When a claim is trending toward a total loss, three things typically happen: the insurer produces an actual-cash-value (ACV) valuation for the vehicle, the deductible (on a first-party coverage) is applied, and any lienholder or lessor listed on the declarations page is paid before the remainder reaches you.[6]
If the loan or lease balance exceeds the ACV payment, the difference is generally the consumer's responsibility unless a separate gap coverage is on the policy. Gap is a separate optional coverage and is discussed in the coverage hub. If you disagree with the ACV valuation, ask for the methodology in writing and for the comparable-vehicle data the insurer used. This page keeps total-loss discussion at the process level; a dedicated total-loss guide will publish separately.
Denials, partial denials and valuation disputes are common enough that the consumer process has a well-worn shape.
There is no single national timeline. How long a claim takes depends on the type of loss, whether liability is disputed, whether injuries are involved, parts and repair capacity, the completeness of the documentation, whether a total-loss valuation is required, and the specific state rules that apply to insurer claims-handling.
The intervals used as a baseline across many states are set out in the NAIC Unfair Property and Casualty Claims Settlement Practices Model Regulation (Model 902): the insurer's acknowledgement of a claim notification within a short interval, a substantive response to settlement communications within a modest interval after acknowledgement, and a written update every additional interval while the investigation remains open.[3] These are the model-regulation intervals; individual states have adopted them with variations, and your specific timeline is the one written into your state's adoption of the Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act and its accompanying regulations.[2][3] If you want the exact numbers in your state, the state department of insurance is where they are published.
After the current claim is closed, comparing quotes at equivalent coverage is the honest way to test whether your policy still fits.
Compare car insurance quotesThere is no single national deadline. Both statutory limits (from state law) and policy limits (from your contract) apply. Some policies use language like "as soon as reasonably practicable"; others cite specific numeric intervals. Report the loss as soon as it is practical, and confirm the specific deadline in your policy and your state.
Many insurers accept claim reports online or through an app in addition to phone reporting. Whether a specific claim can be fully handled online depends on the insurer, the type of loss, and the state. Check your insurer's app or website; the phone number on your insurance ID card is always a valid fallback.
After the claim is opened, you generally receive a claim number, a request for documentation, and an assigned adjuster or claims team. The adjuster investigates, arranges any needed inspection, applies the policy to the facts, and communicates a coverage decision and any payment terms. Supplements, liability questions or disputes are resolved before the claim is closed.
Deductibles typically apply to your first-party physical-damage coverages (collision, comprehensive) as written on your declarations page. They do not apply the same way to liability payments the insurer makes to someone else on your behalf. When another driver was at fault, subrogation may recover your deductible; when it does not, the deductible remains your responsibility on the first-party claim.
Whether you have a state-protected right to choose the repair shop varies by state. Some states protect consumer choice explicitly; others allow the insurer more latitude to direct or recommend shops. Check your state department of insurance and your policy language, and ask the insurer, in writing, whether your chosen shop is authorized.
Ask for the estimate and the coverage decision in writing. Get a written estimate from a body shop of your choice, ask the shop to file a supplement for any hidden damage, and share both documents with the insurer. If the insurer's valuation on a total-loss claim is lower than you expected, ask for the valuation methodology and the comparable vehicles used. If the dispute cannot be resolved, your state department of insurance is the consumer complaint channel.[1]
Generally yes, but switching does not move the claim. The insurer whose policy was in force at the time of the covered loss remains responsible for the claim under that policy's terms, even after you have switched to a different insurer for future coverage. For more on the mechanics of switching, see how to switch car insurance.
Ask for the denial in writing with the specific policy language the insurer relied on. Compare that language to the facts of your loss. Provide any missing evidence and ask whether the insurer offers internal review or appeal. If the dispute still cannot be resolved, contact your state department of insurance. Serious disputes (large losses, injury claims, bad-faith allegations) may justify consulting an attorney.[1]
Regulator-authored consumer guidance for auto insurance, including the general shape of the claims process and the recommendation to contact your state insurance department when a dispute cannot be resolved with the insurer.
NAIC model act that all U.S. states have adopted in some form. Defines the categories of insurer conduct that count as unfair claims-handling. Individual state adoptions vary; treat this document as the model, not the law in every state.
NAIC model regulation that sets the numeric intervals commonly used as the baseline for insurer acknowledgement, response and investigation-update timing. Individual states have adopted this regulation with variations; the intervals cited on this page are the model regulation intervals, not a national rule.
Where to look up an insurer’s market-share-adjusted complaint index for your state. Useful when weighing a claim experience against the insurer’s aggregate record.
Anchors the general policy-structure taxonomy used to identify which coverage applies to a specific loss.
Consumer-protection framing for financed and leased vehicles, whose loan or lease contracts typically require specific coverages and identify the lender or lessor as a party to any total-loss payment.
Deadlines and insurer response intervals cited on this page are the intervals set out in the NAIC Unfair Property and Casualty Claims Settlement Practices Model Regulation and the underlying Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Model Act. All U.S. states have adopted these models in some form, but the exact numeric intervals differ by state adoption. This page therefore does not publish a national deadline for filing a claim, a national insurer response deadline, a national total-loss threshold, or a national right-to-choose repair-shop rule. Where a specific interval is needed, the state department of insurance publishes the adopted rule for your state. This page publishes no dollar figures. Last reviewed .