A Comprehensive Guide to Farmers Car Insurance Claims

A Farmers Insurance claim is a request for compensation through the liable party’s insurance provider. California follows fault-based insurance laws under the California Insurance Code - INS § 11580.1. All motorists will be held accountable when they are responsible for causing a collision.

If the driver that hit you has Farmers Insurance, after an accident, you will file a claim against their auto insurance policy. This may involve contacting Farmers Insurance and speaking with an insurance adjuster about how the accident occurred. Once you have a car accident attorney handling your case, you can devote your time and energy towards your healing journey while we handle the negotiations with Farmers.

It may not always be clear whether you should file a claim. If the driver that hit you is primarily responsible, you may have the right to file a claim with Farmers Insurance. However, if you carry Farmers Insurance, you may also have the right to file a claim against your uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.

California law under California Proposition 103 prohibits insurance companies from increasing auto insurance rates when policyholders file UM/UIM claims, which means you should be protected from increased premiums when your policy renews. Before you file a claim with the insurance company, whether you are a policyholder or a claimant, do not hesitate to consult your lawyer for advice.

You can file a Farmers Insurance claim without a police report. However, having a police report and testimony from responding officers can go a long way in helping establish liability and build your case against the driver who hit you. The CA Department of Motor Vehicles requires all motorists to report accidents if damages are greater than $1,000 or if any involved parties suffer injuries.

However, if the accident was seemingly minor with no injuries and damages less than $1,000, a police report may not be required. That does not mean you should not file a police report. The Farmers Insurance adjuster handling your case is more likely to take your claim seriously if you can submit a police report with your claim.

You can file a claim after getting Farmers Insurance as soon as your policy is active. There is no waiting period from the time you purchase your auto insurance policy to the time you can file a claim. However, if you have damage to your vehicle before your policy is active, Farmers Insurance will not cover the costs of repairs. Coverage only exists from the date you purchased the policy. Any damages that occur on or after this date may be covered.

If the driver that hit you has Farmers Insurance, there is no set time limit for filing a claim. Some claimants have filed for compensation months or even years after the collision. However, according to the personal injury statute of limitations under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1, if you are filing a lawsuit, your suit must be filed within two years of the accident.

Filing a claim with Farmers Insurance does not necessarily mean your auto insurance rates will increase. If you are responsible for causing the accident, you should expect your auto insurance rates to increase when your policy is renewed. In some instances, Farmers may even terminate your policy and immediately stop covering you.

However, if you are not responsible for causing the accident, your auto insurance rates should not go up. Unfortunately, insurance companies may consider your involvement in motor vehicle accidents when determining your policy rates. Even if you are not liable for causing an accident, your involvement in a collision may be enough for certain companies to increase your rates or refuse to cover you.

Absolutely. Farmers Insurance has every right to deny claims. However, they cannot deny any claim they want just because they feel like it. There must be a specific reason for your claim denial. Some of the most common valid reasons for insurance claim denials include:

• A lapse in coverage
• Lack of sufficient coverage
• Incomplete or false information
• Failure to report the accident in a timely manner
• The driver of the vehicle was under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• The injury victim did not obtain medical treatment quickly
• There was an unauthorized driver operating the vehicle when the accident occurred

You should also prepare for the possibility that Farmers Insurance will handle your claim in bad faith. This means they may try to deny you the compensation you deserve by engaging in unscrupulous tactics. This is true for any insurance conglomerate. Some examples of bad-faith insurance tactics could include:

• Delaying the processing of a claim
• Accusing the injury victim of embellishing their injuries
• Misrepresenting policy terms and coverage types or limits
• Refusing to investigate a claim

Insurance companies may also make lowball offers in the hopes of tempting injury victims into accepting quick cash.

Pro Tip

Always review insurance settlement offers with your lawyer before you accept. The insurance company is hoping you need money badly enough that you will accept whatever they offer. However, the more quickly a settlement comes in, the more you could be awarded. Often, fast settlement offers only come in when the insurance company recognizes the true value of a claimant's damages.

Farmers Insurance does cover rental cars. Farmers auto insurance policies can cover most types of passenger cars and SUVs at the same coverage types and amounts as issued by your personal auto insurance policy.

However, rental insurance is not mandatory as part of your auto insurance requirements. This means the driver that hit you may not have rental car coverage. If this is the case, their insurance policy would not cover the cost of a rental car. However, if you have rental car coverage on your insurance policy, you may be able to file a claim with your auto insurance company to get your rental car costs covered.