Sponsored content contributed by AOC Business Partner: Alternative Claims Management
When your county vehicle is involved in a not-at-fault accident, the immediate priorities are clear: repair the vehicle, return it to service, and minimize disruption to public operations.
Often, once the repair bill has been paid, the claim is considered closed. When that happens, it’s tempting to consider the matter over and done with.
But physical damage is just the beginning of the recovery process. A gap exists in nearly every county that you might not be aware of. Additional recoverable value may have been overlooked, underclaimed, or never pursued – and it could still be sitting in your closed claims.
For county fleets, physical damage is just one piece of a larger recovery picture. Depending on the accident, vehicle, and its use, additional recovery opportunities may include loss of use, administrative expenses, towing and storage, specialty equipment costs, and other eligible losses. An accident may also affect operations or an asset’s value, even after repairs are complete.
Consider a county vehicle that’s unavailable while awaiting repairs. During that time, staff may need to coordinate other transportation, manage more paperwork, or adjust operations.
A specialized vehicle may also require equipment to be inspected, removed, fixed, or reinstalled. Those impacts create costs that aren’t always reflected in the original repair estimate. In most cases, a second look at closed claims is crucial.
A claim’s age doesn’t automatically mean more recovery is impossible. That said, applicable statutes of limitations vary by state and claim type, and documentation is essential. Reviewing claims before deadlines expire can help you recover on potential opportunities.
Do your closed claims still hold value? County fleet and risk-management teams can start by asking:
- Were past claims closed after physical damage was paid?
- Was the vehicle out of commission for an amount of time?
- Did it involve specialized equipment, towing, storage, or additional administrative work?
- Are supporting documents available?
- Has the claim ever been reviewed for recovery beyond the repair bill?
At Alternative Claims Management, we’ve been the not-at-fault claims recovery experts since 1997. Our specialty is helping organizations like yours identify and pursue overlooked recovery opportunities – including those from closed claims.
For counties managing taxpayer-funded vehicles and equipment, reviewing closed claims could provide another way to identify value that was not recovered during the original claims process.
A claim may be closed, but that doesn’t always mean you’ve recovered every dollar you’re owed.