National General Auto Collision Claim Guide

Before you report a National General claim

If you have a National General auto policy and your vehicle was damaged in a collision, the first step is reporting the loss. National General's official report page lists what to have ready and how to reach it. This guide summarizes that page and adds general preparation advice, kept clearly separate.

National General handles your claim under the terms of your policy. Nothing here says what National General will cover, pay, or require. Follow your adjuster's instructions and your policy terms, and use National General's own pages for current procedures.

For broader background, see our page on insurance claim assistance, or read how a collision repair estimate works at our Van Nuys shop.

How to report a National General auto claim

The National General report page asks for your policy number and details about the involved property and the loss. It gives a phone number and describes online report and account options. These steps are a general sequence, not National General instructions.

1. Make sure everyone is safe and move out of traffic if you can. Call emergency services if anyone is hurt or the scene is unsafe.
2. Find your policy number. If you do not have your policy card, check your policy documents or account, or ask National General when you call.
3. To report by phone, call the number on your policy card or 1-800-468-3466. The report page lists this line as available 24/7.
4. To report online, use the report page or your online account if you have one, and choose the option that fits your situation. Options can differ depending on whether you are the policyholder or another claimant, so follow the page.
5. Give details about the involved property and the loss, including what happened, when, and where. If you are unsure of a detail, say so rather than guessing.
6. Write down your claim number and the name and contact details of anyone assigned to your claim, and keep notes of each conversation with the date.

Information to gather before you report

This is general preparation advice, separate from National General's own instructions. You do not need every item before you report; give what you have and add the rest as it becomes available.

• Your National General policy number, and your claim number once one is assigned.
• Vehicle year, make, model, license plate, and current location.
• Date, time, and location of the loss, plus a short description in your own words.
• Details about the involved property, including other vehicles and any other damaged property.
• Other drivers' names, contact details, vehicles, and insurance information, and any witnesses.
• Photos of the damage and the scene from several angles, if you can take them safely.
• A police report number, if one was made, and your adjuster's contact details once you have them.

What happens after you report

After you report, National General may review your coverage and the loss, ask for more information or documents, or arrange a damage review. What happens next depends on your policy and the facts of the claim.

Keep your claim number handy for every contact, and keep notes of what you were told. Ask your adjuster how to provide photos or paperwork and what the next step is.

If a repair estimate is prepared, you can share it with your adjuster. If more damage is found once repairs begin, the shop can describe it so the scope can be discussed with National General. Whether a change is accepted, and what is paid, is National General's decision under your policy.

Coverage, deductible, rental, parts, inspection, authorization, and payment all depend on your policy and your claim. An estimate from any shop does not guarantee payment by National General.

Choosing a repair shop in California

The California Department of Insurance Auto Body Repair Consumer Bill of Rights explains that you may select the auto body shop that repairs your vehicle, that an insurer shall not require repairs at a specific shop, and that you may seek an independent estimate from a registered auto body repair shop. This is general information, not legal advice. Read the source for the exact wording.

Repair coordination generally involves you telling your National General adjuster which shop you have chosen, the shop writing an estimate of the damage it finds, and the shop and adjuster communicating about that scope. Ask National General what it needs from the shop, and ask the shop what it needs from you.

If you would like an estimate from Capital Collision Center while your claim is open, call (818) 472-9222 or request one online. Our collision repair work and any estimate remain subject to your claim and to National General' decisions.

National General claim questions

Sources and review

Reviewed October 26, 2026 against the sources below. Carrier procedures and contact details can change, so confirm them on the carrier's own pages and with your adjuster.

• National General claim reporting (official)
• California Department of Insurance: Auto Body Repair Consumer Bill of Rights (PDF)