Claims Reporting

Q.  How do I report my claim to Indiana Farmers Mutual?

A.  There are several ways policyholders can report a new claim. If you have been involved in automobile accident involving a serious injury, your home is uninhabitable, you are reporting a workers compensation claim or you require immediate assistance, we encourage you to report your claim to our Claim Reporting Service Center at (800)666-6460. If immediate assistance is not required, you can report your claim through our Online Claim Report, which is the fastest and most effective method of reporting your claim. You may also report your claim to your independent insurance agent, click here for their contact information.

Q.  I completed an Online Claim Report, when will I be contacted?

A.  Thank you for using our preferred method of reporting a new claim. You should have received an e-mail message affirming our receipt of your report, if not, please contact us. It is our goal to contact you within one business day of receiving the Online Claim Report, if not sooner.

Q.  When I first reported my loss to the Claim Reporting Service Center, why couldn’t the representative tell me if it would be covered?

A.  Our Claims Reporting Service Center is there to help you with the initial loss report and to address your most immediate concerns, such as making arrangement for a rental vehicle. They can refer you to a partner in our Direct Repair Program to assess damage to your vehicle or even assist you with emergency repairs to your home. Once the loss has been reported, we will promptly initiate an investigation to determine the broadest benefits available to you under your policy.

Q.  What happens after I report my claim?

A.  Your loss will be assigned to a Claim Representative, responsible for working with you in the resolution of your claim. Our Claim Representative will contact you to explain the claim process, discuss the facts of your loss and answer your questions. There are three basic phases to the claims process; investigation, evaluation and resolution. Our investigation begins with talking with the parties involved in the claim. We may secure recorded or written statements, inspect the location of the loss or scene of the accident, procure incident reports and employ experts from various fields. In most instances, once our investigation is completed we will confirm the coverage available to you under your insurance policy. The evaluation phase involves determining the cost to repair or replace the damaged property, which may require an inspection and/or a repair/replacement estimate. The resolution phase, assuming the loss is covered, involves reaching an agreement on the cost of the repair/replacement of the damaged property and payment to the appropriate parties, including your lienholder(s).

Q.  How can I work with Indiana Farmers Mutual to help expedite the resolution of my claim?

A.  We really appreciate you providing detailed contact information when you report a claim, including the best phone numbers to contact you during normal business hours, as well as your e-mail address. Please advise us of any special circumstances or concerns when you report your claim or when you talk with your claim representative.

Q.  Do I need to have a repair estimate before I report my claim?

A.  It is always best to report your claim to us as soon as possible. We can inspect and estimate your damage or you can choose to work with a body shop in our Direct Repair Program to help you evaluate your damage.

Q.  Do I need to have a police or fire department report before I report my claim?

A.  No. It is always best to report your claim to us as soon as possible. If you have a copy of the report or the report number, please inform your assigned claims representative. If you do not have the report we will request a copy from the responding police/fire department.

Return to top

Automobile Claims

Q.  I was involved in an automobile accident that was not my fault. Should I report the loss to you or wait for the responsible party and/or their insurance company to handle my claim?

A.  Regardless of who you feel is at fault you should always report the incident to us or your insurance agent. This allows us an opportunity to complete a prompt investigation and fulfills your responsibility to report the claim as required by your insurance policy.

Q.  What is an SR 21 Form?

A.  An SR 21 form or the Indiana Operator Proof of Insurance Report, is a form required by the state of Indiana to confirm a person involved in an accident was insured at the time of the accident. Effective January 1, 2006, written accident reports resulting from motor vehicle accidents occurring after January 1, 2006 should be sent to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The driver of any vehicle involved in an auto accident resulting in injury or death or total property damage of $1000 or more must make a report on an SR 21 form. For your convenience, click here for the SR 21 form.

Q.  I need to rent a vehicle while my vehicle is being repaired. Do I need to purchase the additional insurance coverage from the rental car company?

A.  Your policy of insurance will provide the broadest coverage available for a rental vehicle you are driving as a result of your personal vehicle being out of service. If you do not have collision or comprehensive coverage on any vehicle on your policy, then your policy will not provide that coverage for the rental vehicle. Please be aware there are damages that may occur to the rental vehicle which might not be covered under your policy, such as loss of value, loss of ability to rent the vehicle, and administrative costs that might be charged by the rental company. Depending upon your own personal financial situation, you may wish to purchase the damage waiver offered by the rental company to avoid or limit these expenses. The additional cost of the damage waiver coverage from the rental agency is not typically reimbursed through your automobile insurance policy. Be sure to ask your Claim Representative about the coverage available to you under your policy.

Q.  I was a passenger in someone else's vehicle and was injured in an automobile accident. I have an automobile insurance policy with Indiana Farmers Mutual, is there any protection for me under my own policy?

A.  Your policy provides various benefits to you. Typically the vehicle in which you are a passenger will have medical payments coverage to assist you with medical bills. Often the limit of that coverage must be paid before you can collect from your policy. Also, there are underinsured and uninsured benefits that might apply to your specific situation. The best thing is to report the claim to us. We will investigate the claim and explain what benefits are available to you.

Q.  I was involved in an automobile accident and the accident report completed by the police department indicates I was at fault. I do not agree with the conclusion of the police officer(s) who completed the report. What should I do?

A.  If the police officer did not see the accident occur, his/her report is typically based on what was observed after the accident, along with any witness statements taken at the scene. If you disagree with the police officer, you can contact the officer to discuss his/her findings. The accident report can be a valuable source of information in the investigation of a claim. However, the accident report is but one source of information in the investigation of an automobile accident claim.

Q.  I believe my vehicle is not repairable. How does Indiana Farmers Mutual determine the value of my vehicle?

A.  We utilize several different sources of vehicle data to determine the value of a vehicle, including automobile appraisers, internet sources, and vehicle value databases to determine the fair market value of your vehicle prior to the loss.

Homeowners Claims

Q.  My home has been damaged. I’m afraid that if emergency repairs are not completed, more damage will occur. Do I need to wait until someone from Indiana Farmers Mutual inspects the damage before I can make any immediate repairs?

A.  No.  You should see that your property is protected from further damage by completing any reasonable and necessary emergency, temporary repairs. Our Property Emergency Repair Program participants can assist you with emergency, temporary repairs. It is helpful in this type of situation to take photographs of the damage and retain any receipts for materials or equipment/tool rental.

Q.  There was a hail storm in my area. How do I know if I have hail damage to my roof?

A.  If you have any reason to believe that your property has sustained damage, regardless of what caused the damage, you should promptly report the claim to us. We can work with you to have the property inspected and prepare an estimate for covered repairs.

Q.  Someone was injured on my property. I do not think I am responsible for the accident. Should I report the claim?

A.  Yes! You should promptly notify us of the incident in order for us to begin our investigation and help to protect you against claims of negligence.

Return to top

General Claims

Q.  I received a letter from Indiana Farmers Mutual with a survey card regarding my recent claims experience. Is it important for me to complete this card and return it to the company?

A.  Our customers are the most important source of feedback regarding our claims service. The card you received helps us evaluate our ability to serve our customers. If you have additional feedback you want to share with us, please contact us.

Q.  I noticed when I reported my claim online (or received correspondence from Indiana Farmers Mutual) it included a notice regarding defrauding an insurer. Does this mean Indiana Farmers Mutual thinks I am committing fraud?

A.  Certainly not, insurers are required by the state of Indiana to include the notice in all pre-printed claims forms as a condition of payment of a claim.

Q.  I received notice of a lawsuit. What should I do?

A.  You should record when and how the lawsuit was delivered to you. The most common methods of delivery include certified mail, personal delivery or through notice by publication. It is important to notify us and any other insurance carriers as soon as possible once you receive notice of a lawsuit. There is a limited time period for you to file an appearance with the court where the lawsuit was filed. Failure to file an appearance within the appropriate period of time may result in a judgment against you and could preclude you from benefits that would otherwise be available to you under your insurance policy.

Return to top