Insurance is complicated and can be overwhelming, but there’s a lot of information worth knowing. We’ve pulled together some basics to help you get started.
Two big reasons: 1) it is typically required by law, and 2) it protects you and your financial assets in the event of a costly accident. Insurance is a funny product – you buy it, but hope to never have to use it. However, it can be one of the best investments you ever make, and it’s only when you need it that you realize how valuable it is. That’s why it’s so important for you spend a few minutes really thinking about what insurance coverage you need. Don’t worry, we’re here to help.
For starters, let’s talk about limits. Most states have minimum liability limits that you’re legally required to carry. However, these minimum limits are typically not enough to protect your family should you get into a serious accident, because if you are at fault, you are responsible for paying for any damages that exceed your coverage amounts. That’s why it often makes sense to carry limits significantly above the minimum requirements, because they go so much further in protecting you when you really need it.
We’ve got some great resources to help you understand car insurance better:
State laws require that you carry a minimum level of auto insurance coverage. However, with car insurance, the more coverage you have, the less it will cost you out of pocket if you get in an accident.
Your individual needs and situation will contribute to how much insurance you need. When you’re determining how much insurance to buy, here are a few factors to think about:
Is your car brand new? You may want to increase your auto insurance coverage to protect your investment in the event you’re involved in an accident. Do you drive a large car, truck, or SUV? Sometimes it’s smart to have higher limits because these vehicles generally generate more damage in accidents.
If you make payments on your car, you may be required to have Comprehensive and Collision coverage in addition to Liability coverage.
Do you live in a big city where fender benders are a common occurrence, or out in the country where you could hit a deer? If so, you make want to think about increasing your coverage to protect yourself from these common occurrences.
Choose a deductible that you know you can easily pay out of pocket if you were to get into an accident. Also think about higher limits so that you don’t have to pay for it yourself if damages exceed your limits.
If you are involved in an accident, especially a serious one, the last thing you want to worry about is how you are going to pay for everything. Typically, more coverage only costs a few dollars more per month and you’ll thank yourself for investing those dollars if you’re ever in a serious accident.
If you have any questions about coverage, please call our licensed representatives at 1-855-ELEPHANT.
Elephant makes it easy to get a quick quote. With our online quote process we ask only the most important questions to be able to give you an accurate quote in about 10 minutes. Best of all, you can do it from the comfort of your own home. If you have your current insurance declarations page handy, this will help speed you through the process.
If you decide to buy online, it takes only minutes to set up your auto insurance policy and print your insurance cards. In addition to saving you time, with Elephant you save money when you buy online. Since there is no middle-man, Elephant passes those savings on to you in the form of lower insurance rates.
No! Quotes from Elephant are always free, whether online or using our toll-free call center. And you’re not under any obligation to buy an auto insurance policy from us. We want to make the process as hassle free as possible while ensuring you all the savings you deserve.
At Elephant, we’ll only ask you for the information we need to get the right quote for you. We collect basic information about you, other licensed drivers in your household, and the car(s) you’d like covered.
If you have your current insurance declarations page handy, this will help you in determining the coverage levels you want to purchase. Not sure what levels of coverage you need? Give us a call at 1-855-ELEPHANT and our knowledgeable, licensed insurance experts will be happy to help!
Want to save even more? We know that every dollar counts these days so we’ve created tons of discounts to help you save money on auto insurance. You can earn discounts for being a responsible driver, insuring multiple cars, paying your policy in full, and many other things. Read more about all of the discounts we offer at Elephant.
At Elephant, your privacy is important to us and we make sure your personal information is protected. We ask for your email address to make the quote process more convenient for you. When you get an online auto insurance quote we’ll send you a copy of your quote for your records. Your email also serves as your login name for easy access when you return to review your saved quote.
Elephant strives to make it as fast and easy as possible for you to purchase auto insurance. We realize that when you are making such an important purchase as car insurance, you sometimes want to talk to a person and get all of your questions answered. That’s why when you buy auto insurance from Elephant, you have the option of buying your policy online or over the phone at 1-855-ELEPHANT. Give us a call now, we’re all ears!
Elephant customers are able to easily manage their policy and claims online.
Registration can be done completely online.
You will need the following information to create your account:
If you already registered, you’ll just need the email address and password you used when creating your account. Log in.
Don’t have an account yet? Sign up.
Yes. You can easily add or remove coverages in your online account at any time. Here you can add or remove vehicles and drivers, change your addresses, bill payments, and more. Keep in mind that some changes will affect your rate, so your premium may change.
Have additional questions about managing your account?
At any time! Making changes to your policy is simple. You can login to your account to make most changes to your policy.
If you make a change to your policy, the change will be effective within 24 hours from the date that you select.
You can update your vehicles or add drivers to your policy at any time by accessing your policy online. If you would like to remove a driver, please call us at 1-855-ELEPHANT.
You can change your payment method or date at any time by logging into your account.
Great news, you don’t have to do anything! Your policy will automatically renew. We’ll send your updated renewal documents and billing information prior to your renewal date.
Elephant will always send you a reminder before we withdraw payment from your account. If you want to change your payment method before your policy renews, you can update it online.
There are two ways to file a claim:
When reporting an auto insurance claim, please have the following information handy:
Elephant has designed an Express Glass Service to help you immediately resolve any windshield or glass-only claims.
Simply call 1-800-413-8860 to report a windshield or glass only claim. A trained claims specialist will schedule an appointment to have the damages either repaired or replaced.
Many windshield claims can be repaired. If you have the applicable coverage, and the damage to your windshield can be repaired, Elephant will not charge you your deductible.
You have the choice as to which glass repair shop does the work on your vehicle. If you do not have a repair facility in mind, Elephant has created a network of glass repair shops to assist you in getting your car repaired as quickly as possible.
During the 6 months your policy is in force, your rate will not increase due to any claims filed. When your policy is up for renewal, we will assess your current rating factors and let you know what your new rate will be prior to the renewal date. Your rate may go up or down, depending on the many factors we use to calculate your premium.
Some of these factors include:
We know that getting into an accident is stressful, but we’ll make sure to get started on your claim as soon as it’s filed.
We aim to have a transparent and easy claims process for our customers. If you ever have questions about the status of your claim, you can call your adjuster directly, or speak to one of our claims representatives by calling 844-937-5353.
We understand the stress and inconvenience of having to file a claim. Our team process is designed to be hassle-free so that you can get back to your normal routine as soon as possible.
You should first report all claims as soon as possible to Elephant by using the online claims service or by calling 844-937-5353. A claims representative will collect the necessary information needed to get the claim started. This process should take approximately 15-20 minutes.
Next, a claims specialist qualified to handle your specific needs will be assigned to your claim so they can get started right away at processing it.
Some of the steps your claims specialist will commonly follow to make sure we get all the facts about the incident include:
If your vehicle is damaged, your claim specialist will assist you in the repair process, including offering you a qualified shop in our Approved Repair Service if you do not already have a repair shop in mind. Your claim specialist will be with you every step of the way to explain the process and answer any questions you may have.
Since every claim situation is unique, the time needed to process a car insurance claim can often vary. A more complex claim can sometimes require more time, but a simple claim can often be resolved in just a few short days.
Our claims team will make sure to keep you in the loop every step of the way, so you aren’t unsure about the status of your claim at any time.
Just because your car is in the shop doesn’t mean your life should be put on hold. Unfortunately, depending on what type of claim you filed, you might be without your car for some time. If your policy has Rental Car Reimbursement Coverage on it, you’ll have access to a rental car if you need one.
Make sure to check with your claims adjuster to see what type of rental car you’ll have access to and for how long since it’ll depend on what type of rental coverage you purchased on your policy.
We aim to have a transparent and easy claims process for our customers. If you ever have questions about the status of your claim, you can call your adjuster directly, or speak to one of our claims representatives by calling 844-937-5353.
After you file the claim, your car’s damage must be reviewed before it can be repaired. Here are your options:
Choose one of our pre-qualified shops for 100% guaranteed repairs for as long as you own your car.
Use our easy to use photo app to send us photos of the damage and get an estimate.
Elephant will work with your repair facility of choice to help get you back on the road as soon as possible.
To make your claims experience as satisfying and hassle-free as possible, Elephant has created an Approved Repair Service. This is offered as a free option to those customers who have not chosen a repair shop or do not know where they want their vehicle repaired. The repair facilities in this program have been pre-qualified to ensure they have state-of-the-art equipment and that their repair quality and standards are exceptional.
Using this service brings the following benefits:
If your car is drivable, you can use our easy to use photo app to send us photos of the damage and get an estimate.
The choice of who repairs your vehicle is always up to you. Elephant will work with your repair facility of choice to help get you back on the road as soon as possible.
*Elephant only guarantees the work of our in-network shops. You can discuss with your shop of choice if any guarantee applied to their work.
*Please note that Elephant Insurance cannot be responsible for unnecessary delays caused by any repair facility that you choose that is not a part of our Approved Repair Program.
A vehicle involved in an accident can sometimes have damage that is not visible at first. Any adjustments made to the initial estimate are called “supplements.”
If additional damage is found while repairing your vehicle, the repair facility will contact Elephant to complete a supplemental estimate. From there, your Elephant claims adjuster will keep in contact with you to let you know what the next steps are.
Every appraisal resource used by Elephant Insurance attempts to reach agreed prices with all repair facilities based on what is fair and reasonable within a specific geographic area. In most cases, any discrepancies in cost are resolved and this is a non-issue. However, there may be times where what your shop of choice (non-Elephant Approved Repair Program) is charging does not align with what is fair and reasonable for the area and applicable repairs to your vehicle. In these cases, you will be notified, in writing, via our Reasonable and Customary letter. We will make every attempt to prevent this, but you may encounter some out of pocket expense if we cannot reach an amicable repair cost with your shop of choice.
Financial: The cost of repairs, rental, salvage value and other considerations are close to or exceed the value of the vehicle.
Safety: While the cost of repairs may not exceed the value of the vehicle, will the vehicle be restored to pre-accident condition?
State Regulations: Every state has regulations which indicate a threshold at which an insurance company must deem a vehicle a total loss.
Possibly. The total loss settlement is the value of your vehicle plus any applicable taxes, less any applicable deductions. GAP coverage will help with situations where your loan balance is higher than the value of your vehicle. Contact your financial institution to see if you have that coverage.
Your total loss adjuster will need to obtain your payment history of the loan, a copy of the bill of sale, and financial agreement from when you purchased the vehicle. In most states, there is a 25% cap on loan lease (this is 25% of the adjusted actual cash value from your total loss settlement).
There are several exclusions that aren’t covered by your loan lease coverage:
Possibly. First, we must consider your state’s laws, as some states will not allow you to keep a total loss vehicle.
Do you have a lien? If yes, then you will need to speak with your loan provider to see if they will allow you to retain the total loss.
Elephant uses a market evaluation, considering factors such as year, make, model, mileage, overall condition and major options. Your vehicle is also compared to vehicles that have sold or are for sale in your local market. Based on those findings, the value of your vehicle will be determined.
As a customer, your policy provides you 3 additional days once you are contacted and a settlement amount is communicated.
*Any payments made are subject to the terms and conditions of your policy.
Elephant Insurance is a brand of Elephant Insurance Company, Elephant Insurance Services, LLC and Grove General Agency. Automobile insurance is underwritten by Elephant Insurance Company, P.O. Box 5005, Glen Allen, VA 23058. Automobile insurance in Texas is offered by Elephant Insurance Services, LLC and underwritten by Elephant Insurance Company or Redpoint County Mutual. Redpoint County Mutual is not an Elephant Insurance company. Non-automobile insurance products are offered by Elephant Insurance Services, LLC and underwritten by our preferred providers.
Products, prices and discounts may vary by state and eligibility requirements.
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