Insurance Disputing Deer Collision + Adjuster No-show — Looking For Insight From Adjusters/lawyers

Location: Minnesota.

Looking for professional insight from insurance adjusters, agents, or attorneys — not just venting.

On Saturday, November 8, I struck a deer that impacted the front driver’s corner and ran along the driver’s side of my vehicle (2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT). The deer did not survive. I was able to safely pull over and document the scene.

I immediately texted my insurance agent (Progressive — my agent has been great and is honestly why I stay with them despite the cost). She advised me on next steps and that a claims rep would be in contact.

On Monday, November 10, I submitted all requested photos, videos, and information through the claims portal. I did not submit dashcam footage because I did not believe it was necessary at the time.

After multiple calls and messages over the following weeks, I finally received a call from my assigned claims representative on Friday, December 5 at 5:00 PM. At that point, it had been 17 business days since the loss (excluding weekends and Thanksgiving).

During that call, the claims rep stated they believe the damage could not have resulted from only a deer collision and implied that I must have struck something else. This caught me off guard and frankly upset me — I’ve paid my 6-month premiums in full and on time for the past 3 years and have never had an issue like this.

The rep then requested an in-person inspection. I was given several time windows and chose Friday, December 12 between 12–5 PM, with confirmation that the adjuster would call prior to arrival. This appointment was reflected in my Progressive claim portal.

During that same call, I informed the claims rep that I do have dashcam footage clearly showing the deer impact. I explained that I was willing to show the footage in person during the inspection, but I did not feel it was fair to be required to submit it just to be believed. I also questioned how common dashcams really are — I purchased mine for reckless drivers, not to defend myself in an insurance dispute over a deer strike.

On Friday, December 12, no one showed up and no one called. The scheduled window passed entirely.

I left a voicemail for the claims rep documenting the no-show and requesting clarification and next steps. I recorded the voicemail with another device for documentation and stated that in the message.

At this point, I’m looking for insight on:

• Is it normal for insurers to dispute deer claims this aggressively? • Is it reasonable for me to want the dashcam reviewed in person rather than submitted upfront? • Does a no-call/no-show inspection raise any red flags from a claims-handling or bad-faith standpoint? • What would you recommend as next steps — supervisor escalation, written demand, or state insurance commissioner complaint? 

I’m trying to stay professional and cooperative, but this process feels excessive and unfair. Any perspective from those who work in insurance or law would be appreciated.