# Claim

> What a car insurance claim is, the difference between first-party and third-party claims, and what happens after you report a loss.

Canonical page: https://statecover-guide.com/glossary/claim/  
Last reviewed: October 28, 2026 by the StateCover Guide editorial team  
General information, not legal or insurance advice.

## Quick answer

A claim is a formal request to an insurance company to pay for a loss, such as crash damage, a stolen car or an injury, under the terms of an insurance policy. It starts when you, or someone else, notify the insurer that a loss has happened that may be covered.

## How it works

There are two main kinds of auto claim:

- **First-party claim:** you claim on your own policy, for example under collision or comprehensive. Your deductible applies.
- **Third-party claim:** you claim against another driver's liability insurance because that driver caused the loss. You do not pay a deductible on a claim against another driver's insurer.

If the other driver's insurer will not pay, you can claim under your own collision coverage instead, pay your deductible, and your insurer will usually try to collect from the other company.

After a claim is reported, the insurer has an adjuster review the facts and inspect the damage, then pays, offers a settlement or denies the claim. Report losses promptly, follow the notice rules in your policy and keep copies of photos, estimates, receipts and letters. Past claims are recorded in industry databases and can affect what you pay later.

## Related terms

- [First-party claim](https://statecover-guide.com/glossary/first-party-claim/)
- [Third-party claim](https://statecover-guide.com/glossary/third-party-claim/)
- [Adjuster](https://statecover-guide.com/glossary/adjuster/)
- [CLUE report](https://statecover-guide.com/glossary/clue-report/)
- Guide: [Filing a car insurance claim](https://statecover-guide.com/claims/filing-a-claim/)

## Sources

- [California Department of Insurance, Automobile Insurance Terms](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/01-auto/autoterms.cfm) — claim, first party and third party definitions
- [Texas Department of Insurance, Auto insurance guide](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/consumer/cb020.html) — deductibles on your own claims versus claims against another driver, adjuster estimates