For years, often, vehicle owners pay their insurance premiums diligently. Then, one day, the worst happens — an accident or theft occurs. However, filing a car insurance claim isn’t always as easy as the commercials would make it seem. Improperly filed car insurance claims can mean a long and frustrating process, with the insured possibly not receiving the money they deserve. As such, there are several tips for filing a car accident insurance claim.
The most important part of filing a car insurance accident claim is — document, document, document. In instances of theft, the vehicle owner should contact the police department right away. They should make notes of where and when they last saw the vehicle. When the police arrive, the vehicle owner should take down the case number, as well as the reporting police officer’s name and badge number. Once a report is filed, the owner should obtain a copy of the report. Contacting the insurance company should happen next, with the insured documenting who they spoke with to file the accident claim, the date and the time.
For accidents, again, the police should be contacted first. The same documentation should be made regarding case numbers and the officer’s identification. If there’s another party involved, the vehicle driver should obtain their name, address, phone number, license plate number, and insurance information. Also, if there are witnesses to the accident, the insured should get their contact information as well.
Perhaps the most important part of the documentation process, in case of an accident, is photographs. The insured should take as many pictures of the vehicle or vehicles involved, as well as any other aspects of the accident — trees, mailboxes, , etc. Positions of the vehicle or vehicles should be photographed, as well as any environmental factors, such as overgrown trees blocking a stop sign or icy streets. In this way, not only can the driver help document whose fault an accident was, but the actual amount of damage done during the accident.
In the case of damage to the vehicle, once a car accident injury claim is filed, the insured should get several quotes from different mechanics to make the necessary repairs. Oftentimes insurance companies will argue that a single repair quote is too high. By providing multiple quotes, the insurance company can ensure that this is the true cost of the repairs, and not an inflated price. All receipts for repairs should be copied and kept by the insured, as well as submitted to the insurance company.
When filing a car insurance claim, the insured should always make sure that the information they submit is accurate and honest. If any of the information submitted in the claim is overly exaggerated or blatantly incorrect, an insurance company may not honor the claim at all. In addition, falsifying insurance claim information can lead to criminal charges of insurance fraud.
The insured should make sure they have all of the correct paperwork filled out for the claim. Although many insurance companies pride themselves on customer service in times such as filing a claim, others still will not voluntarily walk their insured through the filing process. For every day that a claim goes unfiled, it equals one more day the insurance company gets to keep their money. Therefore, sometimes the only way to make certain that the correct paperwork has been completed is by asking. Once these forms have been requested, the insurance company must provide them. Also, the insured should clarify the time limits regarding their claim, such as when repair bills must be submitted or how quickly after the incident that the claim has to be filed.
Lastly, when meeting with the insurance company adjustor, after filing a car insurance claim, it pays to be polite. It is the adjustor’s job to determine how much will be paid out on a claim. They often work for more than one company and can be very busy. Therefore, patience and politeness can go a long way in having the process handled effectively and efficiently.
Tags: car accident insurance claim, car insurance accident claim, car insurance claim, car insurance claim settlement, car insurance claims
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