FAQ

Typically, you can expect to be contacted either by phone or email within 24 hours. Our claim representatives are not available on weekends, but will contact you the next business day.

The cycle time of a claim depends on the complexity. Some physical damage claims can be processed in as little as 24–48 hours, and others could take a few days to a few weeks. Claims that involve more complicated settlements, such as disputes over who is liable, will take longer to process. Our goal is to make the claims process smooth and efficient, and we will work hard to get your claim settled in the shortest amount of time possible.

You are required to mitigate your damages, which means you have a duty to make sure expenses are not accumulating needlessly and that the charges that do accumulate are reasonable. To this end, and once coverage has been verified, we will assist you with moving your vehicle to a secure storage free facility. However, please know that the responsibility to mitigate damage is yours. As such, If your vehicle is currently incurring storage charges, we strongly recommend you make immediate arrangements to move your vehicle to a storage free location in order to prevent further charges for which you may be held responsible.

A deductible is the portion of a covered loss that you have agreed to pay before your carrier starts paying the cost of the loss.

You can choose any shop you’d like. If you need help, click here to search for shops in your area. When you select your shop, be sure to provide them with a copy of your approved estimate.

The decision to repair your vehicle is yours. If you do not own your vehicle, check with your lienholder or leasing company before making a decision. They may require that you repair your vehicle.

Many policies have optional rental coverage in the event of an accident. If you have purchased coverage, or if your adjuster found our insured to be responsible for the damages you sustained, please contact our rental desk at 877-748-1880, extension 317 to assist you with your rental needs.

Rental coverage is meant to supplement the rental expense incurred after an accident. Unfortunately, your coverage cannot be extended beyond the amount you purchased in your policy.

Your estimate includes all damages related to your loss that we can see without tearing down your vehicle. If additional loss-related damage is found during the repair process, we’ll re-inspect your vehicle, work with your shop on the final repair cost, and issue any supplemental payments directly to your shop.  If you have been notified that your shop has found additional damage related to your loss or they have a supplement, please advise them to forward their estimate and supporting photographs to MD@dmaclaims.com

We look at the type and extent of damage, vehicle age, state law and other factors to determine whether to repair or declare a vehicle a total loss. In general, a vehicle is declared a total loss when the cost of repair to return it to its pre-loss condition is greater than the value of the vehicle; or the vehicle cannot be returned to its pre-loss condition.

If your vehicle is determined to be a total loss and is currently at a shop or in a tow facility, please contact them and authorize DMA to move your vehicle to a storage-free facility. Your policy pays actual cash value or fair market value for covered losses, up to the limits of the policy and excluding any deductibles that may apply.

Your policy pays actual cash value or fair market value for covered losses, up to the limits of your policy and excluding your deductible. The settlement amount will be sent to your lienholder, up to the amount of your loan balance. Any amount exceeding your loan balance will be sent directly to you. If your loan exceeds the settlement amount, you may be responsible for any loan balance above that amount. If you have purchased loan or lease gap coverage, it may cover any loan balance above the actual cash value.