How To Sue Auto-Owners Insurance for Car Accident Injury Settlements

If you or a loved one have been involved in a car accident, recovery should be your highest priority. Unfortunately, amidst dealing with any injuries and damages, you’re often stuck battling an insurance company so that you can get fair compensation for your claim. Having an experienced car accident attorney on your side can help you get the true value of your claim so that you can cover your expenses and focus on recovering.

How To Sue Auto-Owners Insurance for Car Accident Injury Settlements

If your insurer is Auto-Owners Insurance, learning about the company’s claims process can help you get the settlement you deserve and determine if and when you need legal advice. In this article, we explain who Auto-Owners Insurance is, detail their claims process and explain when you should get help from a car accident lawyer.

Who Is Auto-Owners Insurance?

• Collision: If you’re involved in an accident, Auto-Owners will cover the costs associated with repairing or replacing your vehicle.
• Property damage and personal injury liability: Auto-Owners pays for property damage or injury to others, which can include paying for legal representation if you are sued.
• Uninsured or underinsured drivers: If a motorist without insurance coverage or adequate liability insurance causes an accident that results in damage, injury or death, Auto-Owners pays.
• Personal injury protection: With this coverage, Auto-Owners pays for any medical expenses incurred from an injury to the insured driver or one of their passengers. This can include things like hospitalization or rehabilitation.
• Road trouble service: If you have this coverage, you can call Auto-Owners at any time, day or night, and get roadside assistance. They provide services if you run out of gas, lock your keys in your car, get a flat tire, your battery dies or if you have a minor mechanical issue.
• Loan/lease gap: New vehicles begin to lose value as soon as you drive them off the lot. If you get in a car crash, you’re liable for the difference between your car’s current value and how much you owe on the loan or lease. With this coverage, Auto-Owners covers that difference in value and debt.
• Diminished value: After an accident, your vehicle may be worth less than it was before, even after it has been repaired. You can protect your investment and ensure that you are appropriately compensated for the vehicle’s value reduction with this coverage.

The Auto-Owners Insurance Claims Process

Unlike most other insurance providers that have a centralized claim center, Auto-Owners operates out of over 100 local claim branches in 26 states.

If you have Auto-Owners Insurance and you’ve been involved in an accident, you’ll file your claim by calling your local independent Auto-Owners agent. Your call will probably be recorded, so watch what you say and avoid any language that might suggest that you’re at fault. Even hinting that you could be partially at fault could give them a reason to minimize or even deny your claim.

Additionally, the Auto-Owners agent might ask you to sign a medical records release form. Consult with an attorney before you agree to sign any releases. These releases can give insurance companies access to your entire medical history, which they could then use as reasoning to deny your claim. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you give Auto-Owners limited access to your medical records, allowing them to only see the information that’s relevant to your crash.

After you file a claim with Auto-Owners insurance, it typically goes through these steps:

1. An adjuster contacts you. The first thing that happens after you file a claim with Auto-Owners is that an adjuster calls you to set up an appointment so that they can inspect your claim.
2. The adjuster inspects your claim. During the inspection, the adjuster is trying to determine the scope of repairs that your vehicle needs. If you have a contracted vehicle repair professional in mind, it’s a good idea to have them there during the inspection.
3. 3 . The adjuster estimates the damages. After they determine the scope of repairs, the adjuster writes an estimate for the damages that Auto-Owners will cover.
4. Auto-Owners reviews your file. Next, Auto-Owners ensures all of their information is accurate by thoroughly reviewing all of your coverages, as well as the adjuster’s estimate.
5. Auto-Owners issues your payment. Depending on your coverage, Auto-Owners will compensate you for any repairs or replacements. The company will send you an estimate of the damages and details about your payments. This reimbursement can come in two or more payments.
6. You coordinate repairs. It is then your responsibility to choose and contact a contractor to complete your vehicle’s repairs. Provide them with a copy of the adjuster’s estimate and review it with them to ensure that they understand the scope of damages. You should contact your agent immediately if the cost of repairs is different from the estimate.
7. Auto-Owners completes a review process. Auto-Owners may ask for an itemized invoice, photos or another inspection of your repaired vehicle. Afterward, you may be reimbursed for the actual cost of repairs or any depreciation that was previously withheld.