Twelve Tips For Filling a Car Insurance Claim After an Auto Accident
The holiday season and winter are a deadly combination for the car drivers and car accidents.
This is a time when auto insurance rates or car insurance premiums and car insurance accidents are just not thought about.
Why would anyone want to spoil their fun and joy thinking about such things? The reality is that the holiday season is the time when the winter and the driving habits contribute to higher auto accidents which keep the auto insurance companies busy.
Hopefully, you will never be in a auto accident and do not need to file a car insurance claim.
Here are some tips which will help in processing of the claims, since due diligence in the start is better than having issues and frustrations of not getting your car insurance claim through.
1.
Please report the car accident to the police if someone is injured irrespective of the extent of injury.
In case of property damage or car damage is there, and limits higher than the state limit should be reported.
This would be normally $1000 for most states in USA.
2.
Take reasonable steps to protect your vehicle from another loss.
Move it out of the flow of traffic.
3.
Record on the scene or sport details of accident, the numbers of vehicles around the scene and people involved with the badges of the emergency personnel.
It would be best to take pictures of the scene.
4.
The police will have a driver information-exchange form.
Ensure that you have all the information as per the check-list from the other party.
5.
When there are witness to the accident, collect their names, addresses and phone numbers so that their statements can be taken at a later date.
6.
Any form of acceptance for money or fault, or just no reporting of the accident should never be done.
This would prejudice your car insurance company or your own car insurance claim.
7.
Contact your insurer as soon as possible after the accident, and make sure that you file a complete claim.
It is best to follow their advice and instructions since this might lead to communication gap and also later have difficulty in processing the claim.
8.
Before you get the car moved to the garage of your choice, consult the insurer if they have a list of preferred repair shops in your area.
This would save you a lot of issues at a later date with the car insurance company.
9.
In case an adjuster is appointed, make sure that your insurance company agrees to pay for all repairs before you get work done on your car.
10.
In case there are supplementary damages found at the time of repair and the estimated loss is changing, contact the insurance company and get if confirmed.
11.
Check all repairs at the auto shop and also when you return home to make sure that you are satisfied with the work.
12.
Get an official receipt from the repair shop that details all the work they completed.
Make sure that name and address of the shop are clearly identified.
You might need to submit this with your insurance claim.
Remember that most of the issues that people have with the car insurance companies are just because of not following the rules.
Unfortunately, the auto insurance companies have set rules which they follow and cannot be changed.
This is a time when auto insurance rates or car insurance premiums and car insurance accidents are just not thought about.
Why would anyone want to spoil their fun and joy thinking about such things? The reality is that the holiday season is the time when the winter and the driving habits contribute to higher auto accidents which keep the auto insurance companies busy.
Hopefully, you will never be in a auto accident and do not need to file a car insurance claim.
Here are some tips which will help in processing of the claims, since due diligence in the start is better than having issues and frustrations of not getting your car insurance claim through.
1.
Please report the car accident to the police if someone is injured irrespective of the extent of injury.
In case of property damage or car damage is there, and limits higher than the state limit should be reported.
This would be normally $1000 for most states in USA.
2.
Take reasonable steps to protect your vehicle from another loss.
Move it out of the flow of traffic.
3.
Record on the scene or sport details of accident, the numbers of vehicles around the scene and people involved with the badges of the emergency personnel.
It would be best to take pictures of the scene.
4.
The police will have a driver information-exchange form.
Ensure that you have all the information as per the check-list from the other party.
5.
When there are witness to the accident, collect their names, addresses and phone numbers so that their statements can be taken at a later date.
6.
Any form of acceptance for money or fault, or just no reporting of the accident should never be done.
This would prejudice your car insurance company or your own car insurance claim.
7.
Contact your insurer as soon as possible after the accident, and make sure that you file a complete claim.
It is best to follow their advice and instructions since this might lead to communication gap and also later have difficulty in processing the claim.
8.
Before you get the car moved to the garage of your choice, consult the insurer if they have a list of preferred repair shops in your area.
This would save you a lot of issues at a later date with the car insurance company.
9.
In case an adjuster is appointed, make sure that your insurance company agrees to pay for all repairs before you get work done on your car.
10.
In case there are supplementary damages found at the time of repair and the estimated loss is changing, contact the insurance company and get if confirmed.
11.
Check all repairs at the auto shop and also when you return home to make sure that you are satisfied with the work.
12.
Get an official receipt from the repair shop that details all the work they completed.
Make sure that name and address of the shop are clearly identified.
You might need to submit this with your insurance claim.
Remember that most of the issues that people have with the car insurance companies are just because of not following the rules.
Unfortunately, the auto insurance companies have set rules which they follow and cannot be changed.