Teak Claim Consultants

06/25/2026

Progressive Diaries of Montana Day Who Cares

This one raises an important question...

When did the insurance company become the appraiser?

In this claim, Progressive's management instructed their appraiser that certain repair procedures should **not** be included on the appraisal estimate, even before the appraisal process has started.

The problem?

📄 The appraisal clause says the appraisers determine the amount of loss.

Not the supervisor.

Not management.

Not the claims department.

To make matters even more interesting, Progressive's position on blending clearcoat and masking around glass appears to conflict with guidance from Axalta Coating Systems, one of the industry's leading paint manufacturers, whose published position states that these repair methods are not recommended for warranted repairs.

If the purpose of appraisal is to allow two independent appraisers to determine the amount of loss, why is management attempting to dictate what the appraiser can and cannot consider?

The appraisal process exists for a reason.

Independent appraisers don't seem so independent when they take direction from the carrier.

06/24/2026

Liberty Mutual Insurance completed an initial estimate and two supplements before concluding this Mercedes Sprinter van had $38,113.75 in damage.

They refused to add anything further and maintained the awning was repairable.

The repair professionals disagreed and referred the customer to us.

After invoking the Right to Appraisal and negotiating the damages with the opposing appraiser, both sides agreed the correct repair amount was:

💰 $56,149.63

📈 Increase: $18,035.88

That's $18,035.88 our client didn't have to pay out of pocket.

The Right to Appraisal works.

06/22/2026

We stopped with the Progressive Diaries of Montana, that was a mistake. Progressive, you need to stop treating your customers like this. Once you decide you want to handle your claims in a fair, accurate and timely manner let us know. Until then, I guess we are back to posting about your inappropriate claim handling.

06/21/2026

This isn't pocket change. Stand up for yourself, fight back, and let a professional review your claim before you settle!

06/20/2026

We get asked all the time:

"Do you only handle auto insurance claims?"

Absolutely not.

This State Farm homeowner claim is a perfect example.

📋 State Farm's estimate: $4,445.03

🏠 Actual covered damage: $223,210.92

💰 Difference recovered: $218,765.89

Let that sink in for a minute.

The damage was visible from a mile away; this is the actual photo submitted by our client on our website submission form. The documentation existed. The loss was real. Yet the initial estimate came in at less than $5,000.

After a thorough investigation, proper documentation, expert involvement, and persistence, the claim value increased to more than $223,000.00. This is why policyholders should never assume the first estimate is correct.

✔️ Hail damage
✔️ Wind damage
✔️ Fire losses
✔️ Water damage
✔️ Storm claims
✔️ Auto claims

The insurance company's estimate is not always the final word. If you've experienced property damage and have questions about your claim, reach out before accepting an outcome that doesn't make sense.

Sometimes the difference is a few thousand dollars sometimes it's a few hundred thousand dollars!

Shout out to Paramount Public Adjusters for working together on this claim and coming to a fair resolution for our client!

06/03/2026

🚗 YOUR AUTO INSURANCE STORY MATTERS 🚗

As we roll into summer, we have some exciting things in the works for Montana consumers, and we need your help.

The mission of My Crash Story Montana is simple: Educate consumers about their rights, including the Right to Appraisal, while exposing emerging issues impacting auto insurance claims across our state.

Whether your claim experience was excellent, frustrating, confusing, or somewhere in between, we want to hear about it.

✅ Did your insurance company treat you fairly?
✅ Were you involved in a total loss dispute?
✅ Did you struggle with repair delays or valuation issues?
✅ Did you use the Right to Appraisal?
✅ Were you left feeling unheard during the claims process?

No matter your experience, your story can help other Montanans better understand what to expect when navigating an auto insurance claim.

📖 Share your story today at:
www.mycrashstorymt.com

👍 Follow our page:
My Crash Story Montana

Together, we can educate consumers, identify industry trends, and help ensure every Montanan has access to the information they need when dealing with an auto insurance claim.

Your voice matters. Your story matters. We want to hear it.

06/02/2026

May is over and we are looking forward to a big June!

06/01/2026

Day 8 Progressive Diaries of Montana

Not every entry in this series is about ignored emails or changing positions.

Sometimes it's about results.

In May, Progressive claims resulted in an additional $12,939.52 being paid to consumers through appraisal and negotiations.

And we're not done yet.

We currently have 10 open Progressive claims, so there will be plenty more updates coming in June.

Stay tuned.

05/29/2026

Day 7 Progressive Diaries of Montana

Today's post highlights the care and attention Progressive's Montana staff put into their claims.

Appraisal invoked: 5/7
Follow-up email: 5/12
Follow-up email: 5/27
Follow-up email: 5/28

Responses received: 0

Maybe this post will get the claim moving in the right direction.

We'll keep you posted.

Public Adjuster serving Mountain West states. Assisting customers manage the complexities of insurance claims

Services Provided
-Public Adjuster Representation
-Appraisal Clause
-Diminished Value
-Independent Appraisals
-Claim Denials

05/21/2026