Enter Your ZIP Code

Making a Car Insurance Claim after a Car Accident

By
Published:

After your car accident, it utmost important that you inform your insurance company of what had happened giving them full details of the incident. This is so they can assist you in making your claims for reimbursement of your expenses incurred from the accident.

Give full details of the incident. What, where, when and how it happened. Give the name, contact number, license number, insurance company name and insurance policy number and car information of the other driver. Sometimes the police who investigated the report are the ones informing your insurance company; you can give the name and badge number of the policemen who made the report to you insurer.  Once that the police have are turned over a copy of the police report to your insurance company the claims adjust will investigate the report.

Know whose fault was it. The insurance company needs to know who caused the accident so that they can determine who will pay for the damages and how much other corresponding expense will cost. After the review of the report and determining whose fault was it and you completing the requirements, the insurer will begin the processing of your claim.

Know your benefits coverage.

  • Liability coverage: Bodily Injury Liability which covers injuries or death if the accident was your fault. It also pays for medical bills and loss of income and in cases of serious injury, it provides for a legal defense should the other file for a lawsuit against you. Property Damage Liability covers the damages done to someone else’s property.
  • Physical Damage coverage. Comprehensive coverage covers the repair of your car, the loss or damage of the other vehicle. Collision coverage pays for your car repairs after a collision.
  • Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists coverage. Uninsured motorist bodily injury covers you and your passengers for body injuries or death after an uninsured driver. Underinsured motorist bodily injury covers you when a driver with deficient insurance hit your car.
  • Medical Payments covers your medical expenses. Medical expenses of your passengers and pedestrians whom you have struck during the accident also benefits from this coverage.
  • Rental Car Reimbursement covers the rent of another car while your car is under repair or not drivable after the accident.
  • Work loss covers your wage loses if you are unable to work due to injuries acquired after the accident.

Your claim is considered settled when you received the payments. Be sure you know your insurance policy very well for your own protection.