Car Accidents
Below is an analysis of the car insurance companies you might face in a car accident injury claim. In these pages, you will find inside information on how these insurers value personal injury claims. Learn what you can do to maximize the value of your claim.
Listed are links to information about and analysis of the insurance carriers with the largest shares of the consumer auto insurance market in the Baltimore-Washington region. These 8 insurance companies currently account for 98% of auto insurance policies written in Maryland and probably 80% of the market share in the United States.
Major Auto Insurers
More Auto and Commercial Insurers
The insurance carriers listed below are primarily involved in commercial auto insurance for businesses that operate trucks and other vehicles. Commercial auto insurance policies tend to have much higher coverage limits compared to typical consumer auto insurance policies.
- CHUBB Insurance
- MAIF (Maryland Auto Insurance) .
- Penn National
- Safeco
- Cincinnati
- CNA
- Travelers
- Zurich
- The Hartford
- Encompass
- Farmers Insurance
- Mercury Insurance
- Mid-Atlantic AAA
- Northland
- Selective Insurance: Auto Accident Claims and Settlements
- Ameriprise
- State Auto
- AMICA Insurance
- Agency Insurance (AIC)
- Auto-Owners Insurance
- Old Republic
- Esurance
- Elephant Insurance
Insurance Adjusting Companies
Most insurance carriers handle claims in-house. However, some carriers refer the handling of their auto claims out to 3rd party insurance adjusters. The 2 largest outside adjuster companies are listed below.
Trucking companies often self-insure so they act as their own insurance companies:
Common Truck Accident Defendants
- UPS claims
- FedEx claims
- J.B. Hunt claims
- Swift Transportation claims
- Ruan Transportation claims
- Keystone Freight claims
- Old Dominion Claims
- Werner claims
- Cowan claims
- Schneider claims
- CR England claims
- Cowan claims
- Claims against private carriers like Giant, Costco, Walmart, Pepsi, etc.
Every insurance company follows the same paradigm: receive as much money in premiums as possible and payout as little as possible.
But when it comes to negotiating a settlement or battling an insurance company in litigation, they are surprisingly very different. Each insurer charts a different course of action to meet their “take in a ton and payout pennies” goal. So each company has a very different strategy in dealing with personal injury claims.
Why do you care how the insurance company chooses to approach your case? To maximize the value of your settlement or case, you need to understand how the company operates and thinks. You must know when the insurer is bluffing. Also, it is always best to know what the insurance company’s weaknesses are and how to exploit them.
Some companies prefer to avoid expending resources on litigation and strive to settle claims whenever possible. Others tend to be much more aggressive and much more willing to refuse settlement and take cases to trial. There are also differences in what insurance adjusters at the various carriers will expect and accept in terms of medical records and other evidence. Understanding how insurers handle claims is very important. Being familiar with the various methods and strategies employed by major auto insurance companies is often crucial to negotiating a fair settlement. Knowing how different insurance carriers operate can also help determine when to reject settlement offers and pursue cases in court.
There is one key take-home lesson that applies to virtually every personal injury case, regardless of which insurance company is involved. You have to ask yourself whether you want your money quickly or if you want to get as much money as possible out of your case. Because you are likely to get more money for your case if you file a lawsuit. This can be done quickly, but it does take more time than a pre-suit out-of-court settlement. If you take your case to trial or if you settle on the courthouse steps, you are likely to get more than if you settle that case without filing suit. Is it worth waiting for you? Only you can make that decision.
What to Expect From Each Insurance Company During Your Claim
Some insurance companies deny liability early. Others nickel-and-dime you later. Some fight every claim, while others settle early—if you know how to position your case.
Here is what we have seen in real-world Maryland personal injury cases:
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GEICO often disputes the severity of soft tissue injuries and low property damage cases. They are also notorious for offering low pre-suit settlements but will often reevaluate when suit is filed.
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State Farm can be reasonable in high-injury claims, but expects bulletproof documentation. If there are gaps in treatment, expect pushback. And State Farm is far more willing than the other major carriers to take a case to trial if it thinks it is right.
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Allstate uses claim software heavily, and adjusters stick to lowball offers unless forced out by litigation pressure. But it does not try a lot of cases.
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Progressive is fast to investigate but quick to deny liability if police reports are ambiguous. They can surprise you with early settlement interest—but only on clear liability cases.
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USAA tends to be more responsive to its own insureds but highly aggressive when defending third-party claims. They are also known for heavily scrutinizing medical causation. But another company that, when push comes to shove, does not want to take a case to trial and typically settles long before the trial date.
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Erie is one of the more conservative companies in this region. They tend to offer less pre-litigation and often delay until trial is near.
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Liberty Mutual and Nationwide both outsource some claims and vary wildly based on the adjuster and region. We have seen them cave early in some cases and dig in needlessly in others.
🧠 Pro tip: Insurers are not uniform. One adjuster at State Farm might be extremely reasonable. Another may be unmovable. What matters is the leverage you apply, and when.
More Information to Help You With Your Claim
- Do you want to maximize the value of your personal injury cases? Learn how to think like an insurance adjuster. If you see it from the adjuster’s eyes, you can exploit their weaknesses and maximize the value of your case.
- Is there a formula to determine the settlement value of my claim? The answer is absolutely yes. (And no.)
- How long will my case take to reach a settlement?
- Defeating the insurance company’s tricks is easier than you think
- What to do after the insurance company denies your claim
- A free consultation is a valuable opportunity for victims.