GEICO Auto Claims Process

GEICO insures an estimated 23 million vehicles per year making them one of the biggest insurers in the US ^[1]. Every insurance company is going to have a slightly different process when it comes to claims, and GEICO is no different.

If you are insured through GEICO this article will eliminate the guesswork and help you understand the claims process in simple terms.

In the following, we’ll cover…

How to file a GEICO auto claim
How GEICO claims are investigated
What to do about vehicle damage & repair estimates
How injuries from an accident are handled
Dealing with settlement offers
Benefits of using the GEICO App
Summary

Let’s get started

Table of Contents

How to File a GEICO Auto Claim

If you’ve been in an accident and need to report and auto claim you have two basic options.

Call 1-800-861-8380 and open a claim over the telephone.

Visit GEICO’s claim reporting site ^[2] and open a claim online.

If you can, opening a claim online is better as you can upload claim documents such as police report, or photos directly into the GEICO system. It also usually takes less than 10 minutes and you can schedule vehicle repair or roadside assistance (if applicable).

Once your claim is open it will be assigned a claim number and you will have to deal with an insurance adjuster. Typically within 24 hours (if not immediately) you will hear from the adjuster assigned to your claim to go over the details and move the things forward.

How GEICO Claims are Investigated

There will be some variation on how claims are handled person to person even within a large corporate company such as GEICO.

That said, you can expect that generally adjusters with GEICO will be looking into what caused the accident, who is at fault, and the potential scope of liability. Some ways they will approach the investigation are as follows:

- The adjuster will review the insurance policy and the coverage in effect for the accident to determine what types of damage or injuries are actually covered.

- The adjuster will proceed to contact every party involved in the accident – drivers, passengers, witnesses, etc. To get everyone’s version of events.

- When there are conflicting accounts of what occurred in the accident, the adjuster conducts a more in-depth interview with each person involved. These interviews help resolve any inconsistencies.

- The adjuster gathers and reviews additional relevant information, such as the police report, applicable state, and local traffic laws, and photos of the scene and the vehicles involved.

If the claim is dubious in nature or of a particularly high-value GEICO may employ specialists or attorneys to further investigate your claim.

What to do About Vehicle Damage & Repair Estimates

After an accident, you want your vehicle repaired as quickly as possible and good news, so does GEICO. According to their site:

If your car is safe to drive, we’ll schedule a time for you to bring it in—usually within 24 hours. If it’s not safe to drive, just let us know and we will send an auto damage adjuster to the vehicle’s location.

Either way, this process should only take around 30 minutes.

Once the appraisal is completed you can move on to repairs. GEICO allows you to take your car to whatever shop you trust, but if you want assistance they have a program called Auto Repair Xpress ^[3] which can help you find good repair shops in your area.

How Injuries From an Accident are Handled

Claims involving injuries (especially serious ones) are handled with a bit more care than fender benders. If there were injuries in your accident the GEICO adjuster will probably spend longer going over the details with you and may ask for a recorded statement.

In these cases determining who is at fault can matter more than other scenarios. This is particularly true if you are the at-fault party of the other person in the accident is threatening to sue you. If you are sued GEICO recommends that you:

Notify GEICO immediately. We will arrange for an experienced attorney to defend and advise you.

A GEICO claim involving injuries is likely to be the same as all others, a bit more complicated and slower to resolve.

Dealing With Settlement Offers

Once a claim investigation is complete GEICO will cut you a check as quickly as possible. The GEICO website does not offer more specifics because the time is takes to get your money can vary so much.

This settlement check should represent the value of your claim minus your deductible per your insurance contract with GEICO.

- If someone else is at fault GEICO will work to collect and reimburse your deductible amount.

- If the vehicle is a total loss they will typically pay you the “actual cash value” (replacement cost minus depreciation)

At any time you can access your claim status via the GEICO ^[4] claims center. And of course, if you think the adjuster has missed something or is offering an unfair amount feel free to ask for an explanation or make a counter argument via a demand letter.

The Benefits of Using the GEICO App ^[5]

Having the GEICO app can significantly smooth out the claims process. Some of its benefits include:

- Provides you will a digital insurance card that automatically updates

- Allows you to contact roadside assistance easily

- Makes claim documentation much easier and time-efficient

- Puts you in touch with “Kate” GEICO’s automated assistant

- Allows you to chat to live customer support 24 / 7

Summary

Downloading the GEICO app is a good way to ease the headaches most people tend to get the second you mention the words insurance claim.

But aside from that, keep in mind that you can file a claim online or over the phone, you can utilize GEICO’s Auto Repair Xpress and to notify immediately if you think you are being sued.