Since 1931, Allstate Auto Insurance has become the second-largest casualty insurance company in the United States. However, like most insurance companies, Allstate uses cost-containment strategies that make it difficult for their policyholders to get full compensation.
It is in your best interest to get a personal injury attorney or a car accident lawyer after an accident. They will help you file an Allstate accident claim. Our team of professionals will put your interests first and ensure you get a fair settlement that fairly compensates you for the full extent of your injuries.
Filing Claims After a Car Accident in Florida
Florida is a no-fault insurance state. This means that you will get payment for some of your damages from your insurance provider, whether you were responsible for the accident or not. In Florida, you need to have full liability car insurance and at least $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP).
These two insurance policies cover many expenses after an accident, such as the costs of repairing your car. The PIP coverage covers lost wages and medical bills for all its policyholders. Allstate Insurance includes these types of coverage and will pay them out to their clients after the accident.
However, since the insurance company’s goal is primarily to look after its own benefit and financial interests, you might get a lower settlement than you deserve. In this scenario, retaining a personal injury attorney is a wise idea. With our prior case verdicts and settlements, they know how to work with the insurance company to ensure the coverage you get covers all your expenses.
Allstate Settlement Calculator: The Colossus System
Allstate Insurance uses the Colossus software system to analyze insurance claims. The system uses their past auto claims and specific data from their results to analyze your claim and create a monetary value range for your request.
The system makes the claim process look easy. However, there are a couple of aspects of the system that might reduce your settlement amount. One such aspect is the injury codes it uses; the adjuster uses these codes to locate your medical records in Colossus. If your injury is not in their files, it will not show up in the system, and it will not have the data with which it can properly assess its value.
Other discrepancies with the system are:
Varying Medical Bills
Colossus uses pre-recorded data to make evaluations. This means that if your bills were higher than what the database says, it would reduce the amount to what the system says is the standard charge in the area.
This discrepancy might pass you by, leading to you accepting a lower payment. However, the experienced eye of an attorney will note it down and make sure the insurance adjuster changes the bills to the one showing up in your medical records.
Fault
The system does not factor in liability. It assumes liability and goes straight to assess your damages. The insurance adjuster can then reduce the amount if they discover you were partially responsible for the accident. Your lawyer can deal with the adjuster to ensure only a fair amount is reduced if you hold partial responsibility.
How to File an Allstate Insurance Claim
Call Allstate's hotline at 1-800-255-7828 to report a claim after the crash. The hotline is always open, and you can report the accident immediately after the accident. Their filing process is easy, as is the ensuing claim investigation process.
After filing the claim, Allstate will help you through the estimate and repair process. You will need to have pictures of the damage to your car to upload to their system. This helps the system with the claim settlement and the repair procedures. The settlement offers you receive depend on your policy's coverage and the terms of the agreement.
Is a Lawyer Necessary?
While the claim filing process sounds easy, there is a lot involved. A lawyer gets down to the brass tacks to ensure the process goes seamlessly. They also have a greater understanding of Allstate's Colossus system. A lawyer from a trusted law firm has the necessary familiarity with these types of claims, and will work with the insurance adjuster to ensure they handle your case correctly.
Other ways that a lawyer can be an invaluable asset to your Allstate accident claim include:
Injury Evaluation
While the Colossus system does include your injuries, it does this according to the previous case’s injuries. That can be disadvantageous to you, as every injury is different. Even a person with the exact injury as you can have a varied prognosis, treatment plan, or complications.
The system also doesn't include any injuries that don't appear on its files.
Having one of our lawyers dealing with your case ensures they include all your injuries in the calculations. They will factor in long-term costs, such as physical therapy, extenuating property damage, and future medical expenses. They will also include your pain and suffering in the overall value of your injury claim.
Negotiating Settlements
Allstate's system doesn't factor in liability. After calculating the initial damages, an insurance adjuster can reduce the amount, for example, in comparative negligence cases. The adjuster might overdo the estimation and take out more money than they should.
A lawyer looks through the documents, working with the adjuster to ensure that doesn't happen. In cases where you share liability for the accident, they ensure that only the correct amount is taken out. The lawyer might have to hold lengthy negotiations with the adjuster to ensure you only pay for your contribution to the accident and no more.
Offering Legal Advice
While your lawyer does take over most of the work, they will still consult you to ensure you are on board with all decisions pertaining to your case. They will give you the available options, advising you on the one with the best results, but will only act as per your orders.
Your lawyer will always act in your best interest, answering any questions you might have about your case. Their foremost responsibility is to you and the positive resolution of your claim.
Allstate Third Party Claims
Occasionally, it may be necessary or advisable to consider filing a third-party claim. A third-party claim in the context of Allstate insurance refers to a situation where a person makes a claim against another person who is insured by Allstate car accident insurance. In such a case, the person making the claim (the third party) may seek compensation from the policyholder of Allstate for damages incurred. A lawyer can help the third party in this process by advising them on their legal rights and options, gathering evidence, negotiating a settlement, and representing them in court if necessary.
In the state of Florida, third-party claims with Allstate follow similar processes as in other states. However, you should never attempt to pursue legal action without a lawyer who is aware of the specific state laws and regulations that apply to your case. A lawyer can help you understand your rights and obligations under Florida law and represent you in your pursuit of compensation from the Allstate policyholder.
Damages a Dolman Law Group Lawyer Can Help You Recover in an Allstate Accident Claim
Your lawyer can help you recover various types of damages in an Allstate accident claim, including:
- Medical expenses: Reimbursement for the cost of medical treatment resulting from the accident.
- Lost wages: Compensation for income lost as a result of being unable to work due to the accident.
- Pain and suffering: Monetary compensation for physical and emotional distress caused by the accident.
- Property damage: Reimbursement for the cost of repairing or replacing damaged property.
A Dolman Law Group lawyer can help you understand the types of damages that you may be eligible to recover and assist in negotiating a fair settlement with Allstate.
Contact Our Lawyers to File an Allstate Insurance Claim
Dolman Law Group has a team of practiced lawyers who are ready to handle your Allstate insurance claims. Our attorneys have a proud history of serving Florida and are experienced and knowledgeable concerning insurance law for car accident victims. They will work hard to ensure they handle your case with the care it deserves. Call us or write to our online contact page to speak with a team member today.