After an accident occurs, filing an insurance claim is vital in accessing all the benefits available through your policy, including rental reimbursement if necessary.
Auto insurance policies can come in handy when something unexpected occurs that your coverage could help cover, such as when your car is vandalized or damaged in a natural disaster. But understanding this process may seem intimidating for newcomers to auto insurance.
1. Contact Your Insurance Company
No matter who was at fault, if you own an auto policy and become involved in an accident covered by collision or liability coverage it is imperative that you file a car insurance claim as soon as possible in order to understand if your loss is covered and what to expect when settling it.
Contact your insurance company’s customer service line or the number on your proof-of-insurance card as soon as you can after an accident has taken place, whether at the scene of an incident or when having repairs performed on your car. Your insurer may even have an app available that makes this easier – whether at the scene itself or afterward at a repair facility.
Be sure to collect information such as the other driver’s name, address, work and home phone numbers; insurance policy number; license plate number/state; vehicle make/model number/year and make and model year as well as any witnesses names/numbers as soon as an accident occurs. Furthermore, document the scene by taking pictures/drawing diagrams – memory may fade over time so this step is essential in protecting future claims.
Be mindful that reporting a claim could result in your insurance premium increasing, depending on its severity and other factors used to calculate rates. If there’s any issue with an adjuster or your claim doesn’t go smoothly, contact your state’s department of insurance for help.
2. Gather Information
No matter the severity of your car accident, it’s essential that you collect information as soon as possible after it occurs. By gathering documents related to the incident as soon as possible, filing an insurance claim and receiving compensation will become much simpler.
Once an accident occurs, it’s essential that all parties involved collect copies of the police report as well as information such as insurance policy numbers and driver’s license numbers, make, model and year of each vehicle involved and any witnesses’ contact info.
You should also keep records related to medical bills related to injuries sustained and medical records related to any treatment for injuries received as a result of the collision as well as record any potential lost wages from time away from work, headaches and loss of sleep as a result of this experience – this could include lost wages due to time away from work being lost wages due to time away from work being missed due to time off work as well as recording any potential effects caused by such an event such as loss due to time off work absence due to time off work being missed due to time away being lost wages due to time missed due to lost wages due to time away from work as well as documenting any possible impacts such as headaches/lost sleep related issues related to this crash incident such as headaches/lost sleep related issues as well as its overall effects such as lost wages due to time lost work due due to lost worktime taken off work, headaches/lost sleep etc.
As well as these items, receipts for all expenses related to your accident such as repairs and rental costs as well as any items for which you believe compensation should be given are essential documents. Having proof of the actual costs can help dispute valuations made by adjusters; additionally, multiple estimates will help demonstrate its fair market value before being totaled out by an adjuster.
3. Take Pictures
“A picture is worth a thousand words” couldn’t be truer when it comes to documenting property damage. Photos provide a clear representation of what has happened and can help speed up claims processing while also helping avoid disputes between policyholders and insurers.
Take pictures from multiple angles of the vehicle, paying particular attention to any areas that appear damaged or destroyed and any additional features which might contribute to its crash such as skid marks or weather conditions.
Photograph any additional vehicles involved in the crash from various angles, taking care to capture license plates and vehicle details such as make, model and serial number. Furthermore, photograph the surrounding area to give context and pinpoint its exact location of the accident.
Writing down names and information might seem expedient in an accident’s frenzied aftermath, but you risk misplacing or incorrectly recording vital details. Take advantage of your smartphone or digital camera camera to take pictures of driver licenses, registration paperwork and insurance documents for safe keeping.
Take photos of any torn or bloodied clothing as it could provide crucial evidence for your slip and fall injury claim. As injuries from falls can often be linked with wear-and-tear on shoes and clothing, photographic proof could demonstrate that it wasn’t your actions that caused your own injuries.
4. File a Claim
Dependent upon the details and specifics of your policy, car insurance claims can help pay for repairs needed on your vehicle, medical costs associated with an accident and lost income resulting from being unable to work during its repair, up to your policy limits. They may also cover lost enjoyment as well as damages to personal items during an incident.
To file a car insurance claim, call the number on your proof-of-insurance card or insurer’s mobile app and speak with one of their claims adjusters who will guide you through the entire process – they can answer all questions from deductible costs to how they impact premium costs and beyond!
Before meeting with an insurance adjuster, be sure to gather any documents the company requests – such as medical records, bills and receipts. Also take note of the time, date, location of the accident. If possible take photos of the scene including cars involved as well as surrounding area; taking this approach may help explain what occurred more clearly than words alone can. Finally, inquire as to whether there are any witnesses and gather their contact info as they could provide valuable insights that help the adjuster evaluate your claim more thoroughly.
