Allstate is one of the largest car insurance companies in the United States. Many drivers in Florida have Allstate as their insurance provider.
Unfortunately, insurance companies have a poor reputation for treating accident victims fairly. They use various strategies to reduce the cost of car accident claims. Therefore, it can be challenging to receive compensation for all damages after a car accident if you need to work with an insurance company, including Allstate.
Florida’s No-Fault Insurance Is the First Claim You File
Because Florida is a no-fault car insurance state, you’ll first, in most instances, file a claim under your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance policy. All Florida drivers are required to have minimum PIP coverage of $10,000. The no-fault insurance pays claims to the insured or covered party, regardless of who causes the car crash.
Therefore, your PIP insurance should cover some of your damages, whether or not you caused the car accident. Your PIP provider should pay up to 80% of your medical bills and up to 60% of your lost wages from the car accident.
Remember, you must seek medical treatment within 14 days after the accident for PIP coverage to apply. Prompt medical treatment of injuries gives you a better chance of recovering compensation from the at-fault driver. Therefore, always see a doctor as soon as possible after a car accident.
File a Car Accident Claim with Allstate for a Car Accident
You can file a car accident claim with Allstate online or by phone. Call 1-800-ALLSTATE (1-800-255-7828) to report a claim. You can also file a car accident claim with Allstate online by visiting their online “Report a Claim” feature.
You will need basic information about the car accident to file a claim. Most of this information should be on the accident report or the information the police officer gave you at the accident scene.
The information you need to file a claim with Allstate includes:
- Car accident date
- Location of the collision
- Description of vehicles involved in the accident
- The names of each driver involved in the car crash
- The name of the insured policyholder
- The insurance policy number, if available
Allstate can often look up the information from the insured’s name and address. After you file the insurance claim, Allstate assigns an insurance adjuster to handle the claim. The adjuster should contact you for more information.
Be cautious when speaking with a claims adjuster or other insurance company representative. Adjusters, claims representatives, and insurance investigators work for Allstate. They protect Allstate’s best interest, which is to value your claim at the lowest amount.
If possible, Allstate will shift some of the fault for the accident to you to save money under Florida’s contributory fault laws. In addition, it will try to undervalue your damages or allege that you failed to mitigate damages. There are numerous insurance strategies Allstate uses to decrease the value of your insurance claim.
Do I Need a Lawyer To File a Car Accident Claim With Allstate?
You can file a claim with Allstate and handle the claim yourself. However, Allstate has a team of people working on your claim. Going up against a team of experienced insurance professionals alone could hurt your chance of receiving a fair settlement.
Instead, you might consider hiring a car accident lawyer to handle your claim. Your attorney works to ensure that your insurance claim is handled correctly and fairly.
The benefits of hiring a lawyer to handle an Allstate car insurance claim include:
Legal Advice
Florida’s insurance laws can be confusing. You must sustain a “serious injury” to have grounds to file a lawsuit against an at-fault driver. Florida statutes broadly define “serious injury.” Allstate consistently downplays injuries to avoid claims.
An attorney understands insurance laws. They also understand the legal elements for proving causation and fault for a negligence claim. Your lawyer gathers evidence and builds a case for liability against the at-fault driver.
Evaluation of Damages
Allstate uses a software program called Colossus to evaluate your injuries and damages. Unfortunately, this process can result in a much lower value for your car insurance claim.
A personal injury lawyer documents your damages. They calculate the value of your non-economic and economic damages. Then, your attorney assesses your case to determine if punitive damages could be justified.
Having an experienced accident lawyer evaluate your damages ensures you know the correct value for your insurance claim.
Negotiate a Settlement with Allstate
Negotiating a settlement agreement can be challenging, especially when the insurance company does not want to pay a fair amount for damages. However, experienced personal injury attorneys are skilled and aggressive negotiators.
Your lawyers use the evidence they gathered to build a solid case against the other driver supported by statutes and case law. They create a compelling and convincing narrative to explain the extent of your injuries and back that up with medical evidence.
Lastly, your attorney engages in lengthy negotiations with the insurance adjuster to get you the money you deserve. Having a team of lawyers working for you evens the playing field with Allstate, giving you a better chance of receiving a fair settlement offer for a car accident claim.
Contact the Tampa Car Accident Law Firm of Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
For more information, please contact the legal team of Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers for a free initial consultation with a car accident lawyer in Tampa. We have convenient locations in Florida: St. Petersburg, Safety Harbor, Clearwater, New Port Richey, and Tampa.
We serve throughout Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, and its surrounding areas:
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers - Clearwater Office
1811 N. Belcher Road, Suite I-1
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 787-2500
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers - Congress Ave Office
2360 Congress Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33763
(727) 591-5610
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers - Tampa Office
6601 Memorial Hwy Suite 202
Tampa, FL 33615
(813) 686-7588
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers - New Port Richey Office
2515 Seven Springs Blvd.
New Port Richey, FL, 34655
(727) 815-8442
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers - St. Petersburg Law Office
840 Beach Dr NE Suite 202
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 787-2500
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers - Safety Harbor Law Office
202 9th Ave S Suite A-2
Safety Harbor, FL 34695
(727) 787-2500
Mark S. Roman
Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney and Founder
Mark S. Roman is the founder of Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers and a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, a credential held by fewer than 2% of Florida attorneys. A Tampa Bay native, he has practiced throughout Florida since 1986 and founded the firm in 1996 to represent injured people in his hometown.
He earned a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Florida in 1981 and his J.D. from Florida State University College of Law in 1986. Mark is AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, holds a perfect 10 AVVO rating, and belongs to the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. He has served on the Florida Bar Grievance Committee for both Pinellas and Pasco counties, chairing the Pasco committee.
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