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Claim Triage: What Should I Do Next?

Tell us where your car insurance claim stands. We'll show the one thing to do next, the tool or letter for it, your state's deadlines, and what the adjuster's words usually mean.

How a car insurance claim usually goes

  1. Report the accident and collect evidence: photos, the police report number, witnesses.
  2. The insurer acknowledges the claim, inspects the car and investigates fault.
  3. It accepts or denies the claim and makes an offer: a repair estimate or, for a total loss, the car's actual cash value.
  4. You accept, or answer with a written counter-offer and evidence. Appraisal, a complaint to the state insurance department or small claims court are the next steps if you can't agree.
  5. Before you sign a release, check you've claimed everything: rental or loss of use, diminished value, towing and storage.
Not legal, financial, or insurance advice. This tool gives a general, educational estimate only. Insurance laws, deadlines, and formulas vary by state, by policy, and by insurer, and they change over time. Verify anything important with your insurance policy, your state department of insurance, or a licensed attorney before relying on it. This points you to general next steps. It is not legal advice, and your policy and your state's law decide what applies.