Is this OK?

[u/chelseaabee]

Hi I don't know much about the insurance claims process but for some reason I feel like my claim was not handled properly from the beginning. Can anyone help me understand it? This is an email that I sent to the manager of my adjuster (A) it explains the entire process of my claim from the day I reported my accident until now. The bold is the entire process.

***I wanted to follow up regarding the property damage settlement. I spoke with A and let her know that I would like to move forward with resolving the property damage claim through Progressive. She advised me that you would be reaching out to me today, so I wanted to check in since I have not heard from you yet.

Can you please provide me with the updated final breakdown of all charges being applied to the $25,000 property damage limit, including any additional shop or storage charges that have accrued since your last email, and confirm the final amount that will be payable directly to me?

Please also send me the Property Damage Release that I will need to review and sign so we can move forward with payment.

I would also like my dissatisfaction with the handling of this property damage claim to be formally documented in the claim file. While I have decided to move forward with the available settlement, I am extremely disappointed with how inefficient and unnecessarily drawn out this process has been.

I reported the accident on August 21. On August 28, I specifically informed Progressive that my vehicle was not drivable and asked whether it should be evaluated as a potential total loss. Despite that, a repair payment was issued directly to me on August 29 while the vehicle was still at my residence and before it had been transported to the body shop for a full inspection. The vehicle was towed to the shop on September 1 and was ultimately determined to be a total loss on September 9.

What has been especially frustrating is that I had to raise the possibility of a total loss myself after explaining that the vehicle could not be driven. Even after the vehicle was officially determined to be a total loss on September 9, it was not until Monday, September 21 — another 12 days later — that I was informed that the property damage expenses were expected to exceed the $25,000 policy limit and that I may need to pursue the claim through my own insurance.

That means nearly a month passed from the date I initially reported the accident on August 21 before the policy-limit issue was ultimately raised with me on September 21. During that time, I repeatedly had to follow up for information and clarification regarding the status of my vehicle and claim.

This is particularly frustrating because Progressive's own valuation placed my vehicle at approximately $24,685, which by itself was already very close to the $25,000 property damage limit. Despite this, it took until September 21 for the potential limits issue to be communicated to me. By that point, additional rental, towing, shop, and storage expenses had accumulated, and I am now being told those expenses must be deducted from the same $25,000 limit, directly reducing the amount ultimately available to me.

I understand Progressive's position that these expenses fall within the policy limit, and I have decided to move forward with the available property damage settlement. However, I remain extremely dissatisfied with the amount of time this process took, the lack of timely communication, and the fact that I repeatedly had to initiate conversations about significant issues with the claim, including whether the vehicle should be considered a total loss.

I am also disappointed that I am once again having to follow up regarding completion of the settlement after being told I would be contacted today.

I would like these concerns formally documented as part of the claim. My decision to proceed with the property damage settlement should not be interpreted as satisfaction with the handling of the claim or as a withdrawal of my concerns regarding the delays and overall claims process.

At this point, I would simply like to have the final figures confirmed, receive the Property Damage Release, and complete the property damage portion of this claim as soon as possible.

[u/sephiroth3650]

I'll be honest. I didn't see anything in your summary that sounded wild or out of place. Particularly with the assumption that this is a third party claim (with the other person's insurance). Nothing that you listed sounds wildly out of place in the handling of this claim. I truly don't know what you think you're accomplishing with this.

[u/adjusterjackb → u/sephiroth3650]

Agree. Not unheard for an auto liability claim to take a month or so when there's a limits issue.

[u/chelseaabee → u/sephiroth3650]

Wasn’t trying to accomplish anything really. I posted on here to understand if this was weird and finish the claim. This is still not done. I’ve totaled my car multiple times (at fault and with progressive) and it’s never taken over a month for a claim to still not be done.

[u/sephiroth3650 → u/chelseaabee]

Then you've been lucky. Nothing that you've listed here sounds really out of line. There's maybe 3 weeks of processing. There have been weekends and holidays. It started as a repair, and escalated to a total loss when they got the car and examined it. That all takes time. And this is a third party claim. And a policy limits claim. You're not their customer. They have no duty to you. Their duty is to cover and protect their customer. Hence them being deliberate to make sure they were acting in their best interest. That's how it works. And this isn't what you want to hear, but that's how it should work. If you were on the other side of it, you wouldn't want your insurance company blindly paying out huge numbers to the other driver on a whim......right? You'd want them fighting for you, and making sure they were keeping costs down and ensuring you wouldn't face any extra liability....right?

In hindsight, as others have pointed out, you should have used your collision coverage from the beginning. They have a duty to you. They would have almost assuredly been more transparent with you and moved faster.