Allstate: Insurance Claims and Settlements

Allstate is one of the largest insurance companies in the world, receiving six million automobile, property and bodily injury claims a year, totaling approximately $15 billion in payments to customers and claimants.  allstateAs in the rest of the country, Allstate has a great deal of market share in Maryland in automobile insurance and other third party personal injury claims insurance. 

Allstate’s handling of personal injury accident claims in Maryland has led to the conclusion by some Maryland accident lawyers that Allstate is the “worst” insurance company to deal with in handling accident claims.

Allstate’s reputation is based on a number of factors.  First was the infamous advice from McKinsey & Co to overhaul its claims practices, symbolized by the use of "boxing gloves" to characterize how Allstate should treat third party claims victims and even their own policyholders who balk at settlement offers Allstate made.  Another piece of advice McKinsey gave, which really resonated with claimants after the advice was implemented, is stalling those claims where the victim did not rollover on settlement.  This advice was given 15 years ago – as Allstate readily points out.  But, certainly, some of this advice is still being used today by some Allstate adjusters. 

Another complaint against Allstate is its use of Colossus, a computer system that takes human beings out of the equation and calculates injury settlements based on factors such as the severity of the injury, the age of the victim, and the victim’s accident lawyers’ record of filing suit and taking cases to trial (this is no minor point). accidentallstateReliance on Colossus took out of the equation both the subjective qualities of the claimant (judges and juries give more to victims that appear to be quality people), and the fact that not everyone responds the same to the same accident or the same injuries. 

Still, in spite of Allstate’s reputation, our Maryland accident lawyers do not see Allstate as the most difficult car insurance company to deal with in Maryland.  In fact, their settlement offers are typically better, in our experience, than what you would receive in the exat same case from Progressive Insurance, GEICO, MAIF (Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund), or State Farm.  And while our lawyers certainly do have to bring Allstate accident cases to trial, many cases are able to settle either before or after a lawsuit has been filed.

Get sample verdicts and settlements in car, truck and motorcycle accident cases involving Allstate.

For cases that are in suit, Allstate's lawyers in Maryland are house counsel that typically do not share their Allstate adjusters' view of the case. If you file a lawsuit against Allstate in a case where there is little likelihood the claim will exceed the value of Allstate's insurance policy the defense lawyers are most likely to be Allstate's in-house lawyers. If there is a risk of an excess verdict, Allstate will refer the claim to outside lawyers not employed by the company directly. Allstate has two house counsel offices in Maryland, one at 400 East Pratt Street in Baltimore and another at 6411 Ivy Lane in Greenbelt, Maryland.

If you have been injured in an automobile accident in Maryland where the at-fault driver is insured by Allstate or if you are filing an uninsured motorist claim against Allstate, you need a lawyer to either handle your case or at least point you in the right direction. You can call Miller & Zois at 800-553-8082. Free claim evaluations are also available online to answer any questions you may have.

More Information Dealing with Allstate
Allstate in the News in Personal Injury Auto Accident Cases
Information on Your Claim Against Allstate or an Allstate Insured