Who typically receives a summons and complaint first?

• A. Insured.
• B. Defense counsel.
• C. Claims representative.
• D. Insurer.

Answer: (A)

In civil lawsuits, the summons and complaint are served on the party who is being sued—the defendant. In an insurance defense scenario, the insured is the person named as the defendant, so they typically receive the summons and complaint first. This formal notice starts the deadline to respond and triggers the insurer to step in and coordinate defense. The claims representative and insurer are involved after service to manage coverage and defense, but they aren’t the initial recipients of the process. Defense counsel may already be representing the insured, but service is still directed to the insured (or their authorized agent) first.