Progressive is one of the largest insurance providers in the United States, with its main local competitors being State Farm, Allstate, Nationwide, and GEICO. Like many of the nation’s top insurance companies, Progressive is known for its catchy television ad campaigns. It has made good use of the internet and apps, but what is it like to deal with Progressive for a serious car accident claim? At Tien Law Firm, our lawyers have worked with this insurance company many times, and below share our insights and tips from our experience with settling claims and battling Progressive, and the unique features about this insurer.
Progressive Claims Handling of Car Accidents: Secrets Revealed
As a leading auto insurance provider, Progressive has built a reputation for their innovative approach to insurance. However, beneath the company's slick marketing and user-friendly digital tools, there lies a more sinister side to their claims handling process. In this in-depth blog post, we'll expose four key "secrets" that Progressive utilizes to minimize payouts and avoid fully compensating accident victims.
Secret #1: Passing the Buck
When you file a claim with Progressive following a car accident, the first tactic they often employ is to try and shift responsibility to another party. This could mean blaming the other driver, claiming the accident was caused by poor road conditions, or even asserting that your own actions contributed to the crash.
By doing this, Progressive can attempt to reduce or deny their financial liability, forcing you to navigate a complex web of finger-pointing and legal red tape. Their adjusters are trained to meticulously comb through every detail of the accident, searching for any potential avenue to cast doubt on Progressive's culpability. This practice, known as "passing the buck," is a common industry tactic, but Progressive has elevated it to an art form.
Secret #2: Using Your Words Against You
One of Progressive's most insidious tactics is their manipulation of the language you use when reporting your accident and filing a claim. Their representatives are skilled at guiding the conversation, subtly coaxing you to frame the incident in a way that can later be used against you.
For example, if you describe feeling "fine" or "okay" immediately after the crash, Progressive may try to argue that your injuries couldn't have been that severe. Or, if you mention any pre-existing medical conditions, they'll pounce on that, claiming your current symptoms are unrelated to the accident.
The lesson here is to be extremely careful with your word choice when dealing with Progressive. Anything you say can and will be used to minimize the value of your claim, so it's crucial to have an experienced attorney advising you throughout the process.
Secret #3: Claiming Your Losses Relate to Pre-Existing Conditions
Speaking of pre-existing conditions, this is another favorite tactic in Progressive's playbook. If you have any history of injuries, illnesses, or medical treatments, even if they're completely unrelated to the accident, Progressive will likely attempt to attribute your current losses to those pre-existing issues.
This could mean denying coverage for medical expenses, lost wages, or other damages on the grounds that they're not directly tied to the accident. Their adjusters will scrutinize your medical records, looking for any opportunity to shift the blame and reduce their financial responsibility.
To combat this, it's crucial to have a skilled personal injury attorney who can thoroughly document the direct link between the accident and your current losses. They'll need to work closely with your healthcare providers to demonstrate the clear causation between the crash and your present conditions.
Secret #4: Stressful Stalling
Perhaps the most frustrating secret of all is Progressive's tendency to engage in what's known as "stressful stalling." This involves dragging out the claims process for as long as possible, forcing you to navigate a labyrinth of paperwork, phone calls, and bureaucratic red tape.
The goal is simple: to wear you down, both emotionally and financially, until you're willing to accept a lowball settlement offer. Progressive knows that many accident victims are already struggling with medical bills, lost income, and the stress of recovery. By prolonging the claims process, they can exploit your desperation and pressure you into accepting a payout that's far less than what you're rightfully owed.
How an Experienced Progressive Claims Attorney Can Help
Navigating the complexities of a car accident claim against a formidable insurance giant like Progressive can be daunting, but an experienced personal injury attorney can be your greatest ally. Here's how they can help:
- Protect your rights and interests: A skilled lawyer will ensure that your rights are fully protected throughout the claims process, standing up to Progressive's tactics and fighting to seek maximum compensation.
- Gather and present evidence: Your attorney will thoroughly investigate the accident, collecting critical evidence, witness testimony, and medical documentation to build a strong case for your claim.
- Negotiate with insurers: Leveraging their expertise in insurance industry practices, your lawyer will negotiate aggressively with Progressive, pushing back against their attempts to minimize your losses.
- Litigate, if necessary: If Progressive refuses to offer a fair settlement, your attorney will be prepared to take the case to court, representing your interests in front of a judge and jury.
How Can I Afford a Lawyer for a Progressive Car Accident Claim?
One of the primary concerns many accident victims have is the cost of legal representation. However, most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only get paid if you recover compensation. This means you can get the legal support you need without having to pay upfront.
The contingency fee, which is typically a percentage of your final settlement or award, is only collected if your case is successful. This aligns the interests of your lawyer with your own, as they have a vested interest in securing the maximum possible payout on your behalf.
Contact Our Experienced Progressive Accident Claims Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident and is struggling with a Progressive claim, don't go it alone. The experienced personal injury attorney at Tien Law Firm is well-versed in Progressive's claims handling tactics and are dedicated to fighting for the compensation for our clients.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We'll review the details of your case, explain your legal options, and outline how we can work together to hold Progressive accountable and help you move forward with your life.
Tien Law Firm’s car accident lawyers have many years of experience handing claims against Progressive Insurance. The purpose of this page is to give you some tips to help you seek maximum value of your injury claim in settlement negotiations with Progressive.
How Does Progressive’s Auto Insurance Limits Compare?
In our experience, Progressive policies may have smaller limits, typically $30,000, $50,000, and $100,000 per victim policies, although we have seen Progressive underinsured motorist coverage (UM) of $1,000,000.
Progressive First Settlement Offers
Initial settlement offers from Progressive insurance adjusters are often lower than you would expect from the average car insurance company. Part of Progressive’s claim settlement tricks used is to try to pay less than the amount of the medical bills. This is especially true if they see that you do not have a lawyer.
The fact that Progressive’s initial offers can be low across the board fo trying to pay less than the full cost of the medical bills suggests that this is a company strategy.
How Does Progressive Handle Uninsured Motorist Claims?
If you were in a collision with someone that did not have car insurance, then you may need to seek uninsured motorist coverage under your own policy. From our car accident attorney’s experience, Progressive can be more fair to its own insureds than other injury claimants.
However, this company is still unreasonable, and it is hard to know what to expect from uninsured motorist claims against them.
Progressive Claims Contact Information
If someone with Progressive Insurance hit you and you have injuries, you should talk to a personal injury lawyer before contacting Progressive as the best way to maximize the value of your claim.
If you have no injuries or very minor injuries or property damage and want to file a claim with Progressive, you can call them or report claims using the company’s mobile app.
If you have a personal injury claim from a car accident, it would be wise to contact an injury attorney for a free consultation before contacting Progressive or any insurance company.
Why? Because without getting good legal advice, you may say or do something that the insurer will try to hit you over the head with in future litigation. Progressive may make an offer quickly, but it may be less money than you may deserve. You may also wish to contact Progressive about getting a rental car. Insurance companies usually should give you a rental car if their insured caused the accident that damaged your car.
Is Progressive Easy to Deal with on Injury Claims?
Honestly, our injury attorneys think Progressive is one of the worst insurance companies to deal with on personal injury claims, but not the worst, there are other insurance companies that cheaper or more underhanded than Progressive.
How Does Progressive Determine Who Is At-Fault for a Car Accident?
Progressive conducts an investigation looking at the relevant evidence, such as the police report and witness statements, to find a strategy to try to deny responsibility. In cases, where our injury attorneys get Progressive to accept responsibly early in the process, they can still seek to minimize a victim’s injuries and damages.
We know Progressive as one of the insurance companies, most likely to argue a baseless reduction of an injured claimant’s medical bills, with a pattern of arguing that the medical provider charged too much for any number of services or treatments and that they should not have to pay.
Hire Our Injury Attorney to Fight for You
If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident, our injury attorney can help you fight for a fair settlement. Tien Law Firm’s motor vehicle accident lawyer has fought Progressive many times over the past decade with a strong track record of pre-litigation settlements obtained from them. For a free consultation, call us at (919) 800-2000 or contact us online.