Claims Information

Although often not perceived at a conscious level, risk is abundant and always poses a constant threat, so there may come a time when you or your business will need to file an insurance claim.  Should such a situation arise, you can trust Appleby & Wyman to be at your side, guiding you through each and every step of the process.  Our team of highly trained personal and commercial lines account managers will assist both you and your insurance carrier to resolve claims matters in an efficient and professional manner.

Appleby & Wyman’s staff of over 40 skilled employees will make the process of filing a claim as smooth and stress free as possible.  Our company is dedicated to providing quality service and definitive results when handling loss notices for our customers.  Our success as an agency in the claims arena is proven by our 100 + years of satisfaction experienced by our carriers, and most importantly, by our customers.

To report a claim, simply call one of our three area offices anytime, Monday through Friday, during the hours of 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and an agency representative will be happy to assist you.  However, if the need to file a loss arises when our offices are closed, you can easily submit a report by calling a toll free, 24-hour claim number offered by each and every one of our personal and commercial lines insurance carriers.  For your convenience, click here to see a listing of such telephone numbers for Personal or Commercial claims.

To further assist you with frequently asked claims questions, please see below:

What should I do if I have an auto accident?

• If possible, remove yourself and your car from surrounding traffic and immediately turn on your hazard lights. If a car cannot be moved, drivers and passengers should remain in their cars with seatbelts fastened for everyone's safety until help arrives.
• Call the police no matter how minor the accident is. If medical assistance is required, be sure to request an ambulance.
• Exchange the following information among all drivers involved: Name, Address, Phone Number, Insurance Company, Policy Number, Driver License Number and License Plate Number.  If the driver of a vehicle is not the owner of the vehicle as indicated on the registration, establish what the relationship is between these individuals and be sure to make a note of it.  You should also make a written description of each car, including year, make, model, color and vehicle identification number.  It will also prove helpful to write down the exact location of the collision and how it happened.
• Take photos of the accident scene and damage to vehicles if possible.
• Record the names and phone numbers of any witnesses.
• If a driver flees the scene, try to get the license plate number and a description of the vehicle (year, make and model).

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Report your accident to Appleby & Wyman and/or your insurance company as soon as possible.  To file a report, you will typically need the following information:

• Date of the accident.
• Description of the accident and all injuries.
• Vehicle Information of other driver(s).
• Extent of damage to vehicle(s).
• Names and phone numbers of witnesses.
• A police report.

Once your claim is filed with the carrier, an adjuster will be in contact with you to help guide you through the process and aid in a proper settlement.  An appraisal of your damaged property or vehicle may be required to assist in a swift resolution of the claim.

For your convenience, please click here to access and print out various vehicle accident forms.

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What should be done in the event there is damage to or stolen property from my home or business?

Immediately report such an incident to your local police department.  A theft report must be completed and filed in the event of a theft claim.

Immediately report the damage or theft to Appleby & Wyman and/or your insurance carrier.

• Protect damaged property from further destruction by taking appropriate action when possible.  For example:  Board up broken windows to: 1) minimize additional weather damage to the remaining structure, and 2) prevent attempted theft of inside property.  
• Record such temporary repair costs (as described above) and retain receipts, as these costs can be added to your claim amount.   Do not make permanent repairs until the property has been assessed by an insurance adjuster.
• Make a written list of damaged or stolen property/belongings which should include, but is not limited to: manufacturer, brand name, place and date of purchase and receipts (if available).  Photographs and/or videotapes of such property also prove helpful during this process.
• Place the damaged property in a secure area to be inspected. 

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My business has experienced a Workers’ Compensation claim.  What procedures should be followed?

Initially, treat every injury claim as legitimate and take appropriate action.  The moment you become aware of a claim, refer to your insurance policy and find the procedures on how to mail, fax or call in a report.

Note:   Workers’ compensation laws do protect you from lawsuits involving incidents of workplace injuries; however they do not completely protect you from being sued.  Failing to provide your employees with the workers’ compensation benefits they are entitled to could open the door to a legal process.  Treating every accident as legitimate can help prevent your chances of being sued.  To treat accidents as legitimate, you should do the following:   

1. Respond to injured employees by providing immediate assistance, gathering the facts as to why an incident has happened, and informing employees that procedures are in place to take care of his/her injuries.

2. Offer first aid or contact medical assistance. 

3. Document the accident by writing down the details of what happened.  This should be done within 24 hours of the occurrence.

Once all important facts about the incident have been recorded, you must report this information to the carrier.  Such information will include: Employee’s Name, Social Security Number, Description of Incident and Description of Injury.  It may be helpful to have your employee’s personnel file on hand to easily help answer all questions the carrier may have.

File an accident report with your state’s Workers’ Compensation agency.  It is important to note that:

• Most carriers will complete and submit this form on your behalf, or they will provide the form for you to complete.
• Each state has a specific timeline/deadline to report a workplace injury.
• The carrier providing the workers’ compensation insurance will elect whether or not payment will be issued.
• Benefits will be determined by the case manager assigned by the insurance company.

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When should I hire an adjuster?

• If you are unfamiliar with the details of your policy.  In this instance, an adjuster would prove beneficial as he/she would have the experience necessary to interpret the terms and conditions of your policy, and then discuss this information with the carrier so a just and fair settlement can be reached.
  If your claim involves home or property damage. (Not bodily injury claims, auto claims or third-party claims.)
• If you have experienced a drastic loss, such as having half of your house burn down.  An adjuster will help document the possessions that survived the fire, those that were destroyed and those damaged beyond repair.
• If the damage produced by the claim greatly disrupts your lifestyle by creating overwhelming tasks that were never anticipated.  Examples of such duties may include: 1) the need to find new housing arrangements because your home has suffered sizeable damage, 2) extensive amounts of paperwork that are incurred when having to file a large claim or 3) heavy time constraints that occur when arrangements must be made to have  property assessed.
• If you want to avoid the hassle of collecting documents and evidence.
• If a loss is business related, and you don’t want to lose production by having an employee handle the claim.

Important note:  Should you choose to hire an adjuster, render their services immediately.  It is difficult for an adjuster to manage a claim when it is already being processed.

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Personal & Commercial Claims Phone Numbers

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