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A disabled vehicle needs an incident response first; a planned claim needs a documented handoff. Use this hub to understand the overall process, then open the supporting guide for the task in front of you.
Prepare a unit-level claim file
A fleet’s master vehicle list is not a substitute for the contract assigned to the unit. Match the VIN, legal contract holder, contract number, plan or endorsement, effective date, term and mileage limits. Identify the administrator rather than assuming the selling agency makes the decision.
Record the actual application: a delivery route, loaded service body, trailer use, extended idle time, or powered equipment may matter to the review. Describe symptoms and when they started without presenting a driver’s guess as a confirmed failure cause.
- Collect the contract and applicable amendments, current odometer reading, engine hours where relevant, and the unit’s maintenance history.
- Name one fleet contact who can approve fleet spending, and one repair-facility contact for diagnosis and estimates.
- Record the administrator’s current instructions, reference number, date, representative, and required next action. Do not send claims documents through this website’s assessment form.
Keep four different decisions separate
| Decision | Evidence to record | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Facility selection | Administrator instructions and facility capability for the unit and equipment | That every repair at that shop is payable |
| Diagnosis or teardown | Scope, estimate, who authorizes it, and who pays if coverage is declined | Permission to replace the failed assembly |
| Repair authorization | Written reference, approved operations, parts, labor, amount, and conditions | Permission for additional work discovered later |
| Final payment | Accepted invoice, deductible, non-covered charges, payee, and payment method | Reimbursement for every business interruption expense |
The repair-facility handoff
Choose a facility that can work on the vehicle class, powertrain, and relevant equipment, then confirm any contract restrictions with the administrator. A shop’s willingness to accept the unit is not evidence of eligibility under the contract.
Ask the shop to separate initial diagnosis from teardown and repair. Before agreeing to teardown, understand the estimate, reassembly cost, storage exposure, and financial responsibility if the failure is not covered. Have the shop request any additional authorization before expanding the work. Do not instruct staff to dismantle or test a disabled vehicle themselves.
What administrator documents illustrate—not universal rules
Portfolio’s public instructions require authorization before repairs or diagnostic teardown and warn that uncovered diagnostic costs may fall to the customer. Protective’s public Auto/RV instructions distinguish diagnosis from authorization before repair, replacement, or cleaning. These differences are a reason to obtain your own instructions, not to choose a procedure from another program.
Their published invoice deadlines also differ: Portfolio describes 60 days and Protective 90 days. Neither is a universal deadline for a commercial fleet. Record the deadline in your actual contract and the administrator’s case instructions. These public examples do not confirm either provider is available through this site.
When a decision arrives
For an approval, reconcile the authorized work with the shop’s estimate line by line. Ask who pays the shop, when your deductible is due, and which taxes, labor differences, fluids, freight, storage, or other charges remain unresolved. Do not convert an estimated payment into a promise to the shop.
For a request for more information, identify the missing item, responsible person, and due date. For a decline or partial approval, request the reason and relevant contract provision, retain the written decision, and follow any review or dispute procedure in the contract. Do not hide earlier symptoms or alter records to fit an exclusion.
Close the repair file without losing the operating history
Keep the final itemized invoice, authorization references, proof of payment where relevant, and the facility’s repair findings. Confirm that requested documents reached the correct recipient. Record when the unit was released and when it returned to productive service; those dates may differ.
Example: a box truck waits for diagnosis on Monday and receives a limited repair authorization Wednesday. Log those as separate events. A five-day rental bill does not become payable merely because the mechanical repair was approved. Check any substitute-vehicle benefit, its qualifying events, limits, documentation, and approval process independently.
Scope and responsibility
These are educational planning guides, not claim decisions. Commercial Vehicle Protection does not receive, adjust, adjudicate, or approve claims, authorize repairs, or dispatch emergency or roadside services. Use the administrator and assistance contacts on your actual contract. Public provider examples do not establish products, coverage, or partnerships offered by this site.