How claims work
Every claim is paid under a specific part of a policy, by a specific person, on a specific schedule. Here is how each piece works and what you can ask for.
The claim, start to finish
Who handles your claim, what they ask of you and what you can ask of them.
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Start here, updated Nov 11, 2026
How a car insurance claim works
The six parts of a standard auto policy, your duties after a loss, and the steps and deadlines to payment.
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Which insurer, updated Nov 11, 2026
First-party vs. third-party claims
Your own policy or the other driver's: how deductibles, limits, fault and deadlines differ.
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Adjusters, updated Nov 11, 2026
What a claims adjuster does
Staff, independent and public adjusters, what an adjuster decides, and how to work with one in writing.
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Statements, updated Nov 11, 2026
Giving a recorded statement
When your policy requires a recorded statement, when it's your choice, and how to keep it to the facts.
Which coverage pays
The part of a policy a claim is paid under decides the deductible, the limit and who you deal with.
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Collision, updated Nov 11, 2026
Collision claims
What collision coverage pays for, how the deductible and your car's value set the check, and getting it back.
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Comprehensive, updated Nov 11, 2026
Comprehensive claims
Hail, theft, glass, fire and animals: what comprehensive covers, what it leaves out, and how it pays.
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Other driver, updated Nov 11, 2026
Liability claims against the other driver
What the at-fault driver's insurer pays, the limit that caps it, and how your share of fault cuts the check.
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Injury benefits, updated Nov 11, 2026
PIP and MedPay claims
How your own policy pays medical bills after a crash, how no-fault thresholds work, and the deadlines.
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UM and UIM, updated Nov 11, 2026
Uninsured motorist claims
UM and UIM coverage, UMBI vs. UMPD, stacking, arbitration and getting consent before you settle.
The money questions
What a settlement should include: the car's value, the repair, the rental and what you get back later.
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Totaled car, updated Nov 11, 2026
Total loss claims
When a car is totaled, what actual cash value should include, and what happens to the loan and the title.
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Lost value, updated Nov 11, 2026
Diminished value claims
Why a repaired car is worth less, who owes the difference, and how to support the number.
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Rental car, updated Nov 11, 2026
Rental reimbursement during repairs
Daily and total rental limits over a long repair, loss of use from the at-fault driver, and when rental ends.
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Shops and parts, updated Nov 11, 2026
Choosing a repair shop and parts
Your right to pick the shop, what the insurer's estimate must cover, and OEM vs. aftermarket parts rules.
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Deductible refund, updated Nov 11, 2026
Subrogation and your deductible
How your insurer recovers from the at-fault driver, and how much of your deductible comes back.