If you were injured by someone who had Kemper insurance, you should talk to a lawyer. It’s often a bad idea to trust an insurance company to give you enough to pay your medical bills and other damages. Kemper Insurance can try to blame you for an accident you didn’t cause. They can also hassle you and question how bad your injuries are. A skilled California car accident lawyer can protect you from false accusations and warn you away from signing off on inadequate settlement offers.
However, if you are left with only a smashed car, you may be able to proceed on your own and get fair treatment. Property-damage-only accidents involve less money, and insurers have standardized the claims process to get your car repaired or replaced.
Here’s a guide to how to file a claim with Kemper Insurance and how to avoid tactics meant to rob you of compensation.
Filing a Claim with Kemper Insurance After a California Accident
You can file a claim on the Kemper Insurance website, whether you are a policyholder or you were struck by a policyholder.
You can also call in a new claim. You should dial 800-353-6737, but only during business hours. Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 7:00 pm Central Time and Saturday 11:00 am to 6:00 pm Central Time.
Kemper would like you to have this information ready:
- Kemper Policyholder’s name
- Kemper policy number
- Description of incident, damages, injuries
- Date and time of incident
How Does the Car Accident Claims Process Work with Kemper Insurance?
According to Kemper’s insurance website, you can expect Kemper to reach out to you after filing a claim.
- File a claim online or by phone.
- An insurance adjuster assigned to your case will contact you by the next business day.
- Damage Inspection. For minor damage, you may be asked to submit photos. For more extensive damage, an inspector may need to see your vehicle.
- If the claim is approved, you’ll schedule a repair appointment. You can use your own auto shop or use one in the Kemper Repair Network. If you use an approved Kemper partner, your repairs will be guaranteed for as long as you own the vehicle.
- The repair check can be sent directly to you or sent to the repair shop.
If mechanics find more damage than was originally identified, they would usually alert Kemper Insurance, and the additional costs of repair would normally be approved.
Things to Watch Out For When Dealing with a Giant Car Insurance Company
A lawyer is a great protection against the strategies that insurance companies use to avoid having to pay full price for someone’s damages.
But if you don’t need a lawyer, there are still some important precautions to take when trusting your case to an insurance adjuster:
- The Run Around. Insurers like to speed things up in some cases and slow things down in others. You can bet the strategy chosen will benefit the giant insurance company. They can extend a quick settlement offer within days, when you don’t have a lawyer, and you can’t know the full extent of the damage and injuries you’ve suffered. Insurers may also purposely delay communicating with you. They do this to soften you up for a “lowball” settlement offer. They hope that waiting with medical bills coming due and paychecks being lost makes you desperate. They hope your financial worries will force you to sign off on any settlement they offer.
- Beware of Photo Estimates. In some cases, if the damage is considered minor, Mercury may ask you to simply submit photos to show what happened. This may take the place of a full inspection. Be careful if your claim hinges only on photos. The true extent of damage may not be revealed in those photos. A deeper issue may have been left by the accident, one that makes the car unsafe. Auto repair shops are supposed to alert the insurer if more serious damage is found, but they can miss issues, too. Inspect and drive your vehicle before signing off on any agreement. If you feel there’s still an issue with your repaired vehicle, alert Mercury immediately.
- Twisting Words from Recorded Statements. You should also be cautious when an at-fault driver’s insurance agent calls you. They will likely ask you to make a recorded statement. You should decline and just provide basic information. The statement you make can be twisted later to hurt your claim. Allow your attorney to handle all communication with an insurer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if my car is “totaled”?
In California, a car is deemed a total loss by adding the cost of repairs to the value of the car in salvage. If it’s more than the value of the car, then the car is designated as totaled. Kemper Insurance would determine the car’s worth before the accident and then write you a check.
When should I report my accident and file a claim?
Insurance companies require customers to alert them to any accident they’ve been in, no matter who is at fault. You should call your insurance company as soon as possible after an accident. You may file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurer, but eventually, you may still want to file with your own insurer. Your own coverage may be called upon if the driver to blame doesn’t carry enough in coverage to pay for all of your damages.
What if I need a California Car Accident Lawyer but can’t afford one?
You should always have access to strong legal protection if you need it. It’s why Maison Law works on a contingency basis for clients. It means we don’t get paid unless we win a case for our client. Then our pay comes out of the settlement Mercury Insurance must pay.
Discussing Your Insurance Claim with a Skilled California Car Accident Lawyer
If you feel uncertain about whether you need the help of a lawyer to get the most out of your claim, you should contact Maison Law of California for a free consultation. It’s an easy way to discuss your options and stay informed of your rights.
If we can’t help you earn more for your claim, we’ll be upfront with you. But when claims involve serious injuries, like a broken arm, neck and back injuries, or a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), it can pay to speak to a lawyer. An experienced lawyer has a good chance to earn you much more than you could secure by handling your case yourself.
