What to Do When Filing an Insurance Claim

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We didn’t sign up for auto insurance because we are hoping that something bad will happen to us while on the road. Apart from being required by law, insurance coverage protects us from financial obligations and legal suits.

To be involved in an accident is the last thing that a driver thinks about when buying a policy but accidents are a reality and dozens of insurance claims are filed each day so, what do you need to do to file an insurance claim?

Don’t forget to file a police Report – Whether it’s just a simple dent or whatever the case may be, you need to file a police report. Even if both parties agreed that filing an insurance claim is otherwise unnecessary, it pays to have a sort of official record of what had happened. This will save you from potential headaches if the other party decided to file a suit against you in later time. There are cases when the other driver could simply not wait for the police to arrive. Take note of his plate number and other pertinent information. Telephone the police right away to report the accident. If there are fatalities, don’t leave the accident site, unless instructed by the law enforcement. It’s a felony to leave the place without proper notice.

Deciding When to File a Claim – Keep in mind that as soon as you file an insurance claim, your insurance rates could go high next time. This is a fact and it’s always been this way ever since. If it’s just a small scratch or dent, it will be a lot better to just bring your car to a shop and pay the repair cost yourself. Although it really sucks to think of it, but it’s a lot better than paying for high insurance premium cost for a low balled estimate.

Don’t Forget the Paperwork – It is best that you take note the details of the other party. Record his name, license number, plate number, state of issue, registration and policy number. Take note of his address, whenever possible, and contact number. If you are not the at-fault driver but the other party thinks otherwise, you need to provide this information to your insurer to fight the case. You also need the police report you filed before this time.

Get an Estimate – To get the estimate, your car insurer may require you to bring your vehicle to one of their affiliated car shops for evaluation and estimates. Alternatively, you can also get your own estimate, though some insurance companies do not honor this for some reasons.

With your own estimate, you can pretty much tell if your insurer is “playing” around with their ridiculously low estimates. Fight for what you think is yours and never accept anything they throw at you.

Keep All Communications Intact – Anything could go wrong, so make sure that all communications made are recorded and intact. Don’t throw away letters, forms or delete email messages until you see the check covering all the damages. When dealing with insurance agents, jot down all their names, date and time of conversation, etc. You will need these documents if you take your case to the court.