Getting involved in a collision or accident with your car can be a very bad experience, but filing your insurance claim should not be too difficult if you follow a few simple steps.
As a first step, when you first get an insurance policy you should make sure that you read the entire policy and be certain that you understand what is and is not covered for your vehicle. If you are unsure about anything, contact your insurance agent and have them answer your questions.
If you do get involved in a collision, first make sure that everyone is alright. If anyone needs any medical attention, you should call 911. You should also have yourself checked by a physician. Even minor injuries can sometimes evolve into long lasting ones.
Get the other driver’s personal information such as name, driver’s license number, phone number, address, and insurance information and give them your information. It is a good idea to have a disposable camera in your car so that if this happens to you you will be able to take photographs of all of the vehicles involved in an accident or collision. Write down any details from the accident or collision as soon as you can while it is still fresh in your mind.
Also get personal information from any witnesses to the accident, such as their names, phone numbers and addresses. You should file a police report and have the police prepare an accident report. Your insurance company will ask you for the number to the accident report.
You should contact your insurance company about the accident or collision as soon as you can, even if it is not your fault. An adjuster from your insurance company will come out to make a determination as to who is at fault. Then either your insurance company or the other driver’s insurance company will pay for the repairs to your vehicle. How this works depends on the form of insurance you have, the form the other driver has, and also who is ruled to be at fault in the accident or collision.
If you are found to be at fault, it is your collision insurance that will pay to have your vehicle repaired or replaced. Your liability insurance is what will pay for the other driver’s vehicle to be replaced or repaired. If the collision or accident is not your fault, you won’t have to do anything. The other driver’s insurance company should handle things. If you are found at fault, you will need to pay the deductible on your collision insurance in order to have your car replaced or repaired.
There are several things going on when it comes to filing an insurance claim. If you were injured in the accident or collision and were not at fault in the accident, you may be eligible for a settlement due to your injuries. You need to remain calm and steady throughout the entire process. If you think either your own or the other driver’s insurance company is not being fair on your claim you should ask for an arbitrator, who is a third party, to come in to help settle the claim. Or you can ask your own insurance company to deal with the other driver’s insurance company in terms of the information and transactions that need to be handled.
