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Filing A Claim With ACT

Accidents happen when you least expect them, and these are the moments you need us the most. ACT Insurance works with Great American Insurance Group to provide you with an easy and transparent claims process. From start to finish, here’s what you need to know about filing an insurance claim.
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How to Handle A Claim

Submitting a claim for your business is similar to submitting a claim with your auto insurance after a fender bender: you want to make sure you have all the right information first. How you prepare to file can make a big difference, so here’s what you need to know.
#1

What You Need to File

There’s some necessary information you need to have on hand when filing a claim. It speeds up the process and decreases the chances of miscommunication later on. This information includes:

  • Policy information, including your policy number, certification number, and start date
  • Name, address, and contact information for you and any person(s) involved
  • Date, location, and estimated time of the incident
  • A detailed description of the incident
  • Possible photos of the incident
  • A weather report for the area, if relevant to your claim
  • An exact or estimated dollar amount for stolen or damaged property
  • A complete police report with the name of the department and responding officer(s), especially in cases of theft or intentional damage*

 

The information you provide is vital to establishing the facts of your claim and allowing an insurance adjuster to accurately process your claim. Missing information can slow down, delay, or even deny your claim.

*It is your responsibility as the policyholder to contact the police and file a report if necessary. ACT Insurance cannot file a report on your behalf or contact the police to directly receive reports you may have filed.

Graphic mashup of claims and art.
Graphic mashup of claims and art.
#2

Things That May Affect Your Claim

What you do and how you respond during the claims process can ensure your claim is processed quickly and correctly. Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • File your claim promptly. Waiting to file a claim means you will be waiting longer to receive the final result. You also risk forgetting about important details or misplacing key documents. If you wait too long and your coverage expires, your claim may be denied.
  • Respond to your adjuster in a timely manner. They can only work on your claim as fast as they are given the information they need. You may want to keep an eye on your Spam or Junk folders in case any messages from your adjuster were flagged.
  • Triple check your information. Minor mistakes in a name, date, policy number, etc. take time to correct and could impact the result of your claim. Be sure to read through everything before submitting a claim or sending info to your adjuster.
#3

Claims That Won’t Be Covered

Your policy isn’t a catch-all protection plan for every scenario possible. Some things that won’t be covered include:

  • Directing, hosting, organizing, planning, promoting, or sponsoring a fair, festival, show, or similar event
  • Property damage from an artwork installation
  • Incidents that occur at CBD-related events
  • Buildings or real estate you own or rent for the sole purpose of retail sales
  • Damage you or an employee cause to your tools, supplies, or inventory 

It’s important to know each policy comes with its own set of exclusions. Your policy outlines what your insurance won’t pay for, so it’s important to read your documents carefully.

A full list of ACT policy exclusions can be found on our website.

Graphic mashup of claims and art.
Graphic mashup of claims and art.
#4

Tips to Stay Prepared

You can lower your chances of having a claim and make the claims process run more smoothly in the future by being proactive with your risk management.

  • Keep track of business expenses, including the price and date of purchase
  • Make sure your valuable business items are in a secure place
  • Invest in cyber security for any business you do online
  • Practice setting up your booth and securing down tents and display items
  • Add warnings, instructions, or labels to products to reduce injuries or damages
  • Ensure you have the right coverage on your insurance plan, and consider upgrading or adding additional coverages

 

Dealing with a claim can be a hard experience as a business owner, but it can also be a valuable learning experience. Sometimes an incident can reveal risks you never realized you had and help you know how to prevent them from reoccurring.

Now, Let’s Talk About The Claims Process

As soon as you file a claim, we are immediately notified. It’s our main goal to make sure your claim is sent to the insurance carrier with all the necessary information we need to provide.

To start the process, you will need to file a claim through your customer dashboard.

  1. Log in to your online user account*
  2. Locate the “Manage Policies” section
  3. Click “File a Claim”
  4. Fill out the form and submit

*If you are an additional insured or are otherwise filing a claim and are not the primary policy holder, please call us at 844.520.6991 or email us at info@actinsurance.com and we will send you the necessary digital claims form.

After you submit a claim online, a licensed Customer Service Representative (CSR) from our US-based team will reach out to you within 1-2 business days to confirm receipt of the claim. It is then our job to get your claim sent to our insurance carrier, along with your policy number and Certificate of Insurance.

From here on out, your claim will be handled by an adjuster with our insurance carrier, Great American Insurance Group. This is a separate company who underwrites your policy, assumes the risks, and handles claims.

Think of it this way: ACT is the insurance agency who helps you find and purchase the coverage you need, while Great American is just one of thousands of insurance companies that makes the policies. They are in charge of validating, approving, or denying a claim, and eventually paying it out.

An ACT Customer Service Rep Stands by with thumbs up beside a floating image of the ACT Chatbox.

Our CSRs are licensed insurance agents, but they can only answer questions regarding your policy. They legally cannot comment on whether or not your claim will be approved, denied, or is entitled to any financial compensation. ACT does not have a say in your final claim result, is unable to speak on your behalf about a claim, and is not responsible for making payments.

Only your adjuster at Great American can give you information about your claim status, payouts, or reasons for denying a claim. They will oversee and issue payouts to you if applicable.

What to Expect After Filing A Claim

After your claim is submitted to Great American, the company will assign someone known as a claims adjuster to your case. The adjuster will reach out by email within 24–48 business hours to confirm they’ve received your claim and provide you with your claims number, their name, their contact information, and any next steps you may need to take.

Sometimes your claims adjuster may need additional information from you to validate or process your claim. They may ask you to provide items such as:

  • Photos showing damage to your property
  • A police report
  • Names and contact information for anyone injured or affected by the incident
  • Receipts for supplies for damaged inventory
  • Make and model of stolen equipment
  • Other information or documentation

 

Your adjuster will be your primary contact for your claim and you should direct all your questions about the approval status, timeline, and any payment amounts to them. Most policyholders will find the claims process takes a few weeks at minimum to be processed and finalized. 

If you don’t receive an email from a Great American claims adjuster within 7 business days, please reach out to them by sending an email to GARSClaims@gaig.com or via fax to 513-412-8435.

Reasons Your Claim May Be Denied

It’s important to understand what your policy does and does not cover, otherwise you may find your claim is denied. Some of the most common reasons include:

  • Theft without a police report
  • Insufficient evidence for an incident
  • Gradual wear, tear, and deterioration
  • Not having the right coverage or policy
  • Withholding information from the claims adjuster

 

One of the biggest frustrations is misunderstanding what your policy covers. Many people think they have more coverage than they do because they have failed to read their insurance documents, or rushed to buy a policy without research.

Read our blog “What Does ACT Insurance Not Cover?” for a more in-depth understanding on the limits of the Show and Annual policies.

Some other general reasons your claim may be denied are:

  • Loss due to governmental search and seizure
  • Nuclear hazard
  • War action
  • Improper maintenance of equipment (not using valid protective equipment)
  • Earthquake, floods, or other so called “acts of god”
  • Fungus rot and bacteria
  • Property is not owned but rented

Questions You Might Have About the Claims Process

Looking for additional answers to your questions?
Browse our FAQs below or contact a member of our team at 844.520.6991 or info@actinsurance.com

You’ll first need to be an ACT policyholder with an active policy. You can then log in to your online account and click “File a Claim” to get started.

Every claim is different, so there really isn’t a concrete way for us to estimate how long your claim process will take. Depending on the details of your claim, it may take several weeks or months for a claim to be approved or denied.

In the meantime, we suggest making any adjustments to your business as needed, like putting your online shop on hold until your stolen inventory is replaced, or renting another EZ-Up tent for an event until you can get the funds to replace your damaged one.

Start by checking your email to see if you have received a confirmation email. Be sure to look through your spam folder and trash folder. You can also do a search for any messages from Great American.

If you cannot find any emails, please contact Great American directly at GARSClaims@gaig.com or via fax to 513-412-8435. Your adjuster will provide you with any next steps in your claims process and will be available for you to ask questions regarding your specific case.

You can also reach out to our support team if you have submitted a claim through ACT, but have not received any information or cannot find any information about your claim. Our number is 844.520.6991 and our email is info@actinsurance.com.

If you have general claims questions, you can contact Great American to see if someone may assist you. However, they will not be able to provide advice about a claim you have not submitted.

It typically takes 2-3 business days for Great American to assign an adjuster for your claim. Calling before you’ve been assigned to an adjuster will not speed up your claims process or put you in contact with someone sooner. Once you receive a confirmation email from your adjuster, you may message or call them at their discretion.

For damaged property, you may receive compensation for the actual cash value. This is because every artist prices their work differently. You may receive payment for the cost of the supplies to make the final product since we cannot put a price tag on your expertise or process. Great American will make the final decision for the type of compensation your claim may be entitled to.

We’re Here to Help

Our support agents are ready to help you and answer your questions.

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Great American Insurance Group