With so many vehicles out there on the road, there are accidents that happen all the time. We cannot predict when an accident might occur but we must be prepared to deal with the situation if and when it arises.
Filing for an auto insurance claim, is an important aspect that must not be neglected. First of all, it is essential that you keep your auto insurance policy in a place where you can locate it easily in the event of an accident. Then you must first assess if you should be filing an insurance claim at all.
Auto insurance claim is the request you make for payment according to the policy you have purchased. When you are involved in an auto accident you could ask your auto insurance company, money for repairs. This is what is called an insurance claim and this would depend entirely on the policy that you have taken.
If you have purchased the policy from one of the reputed companies, making a claim would be fairly easy but if you haven’t purchased a good policy from a standard company then you could find it very difficult to get your claims processed. The most difficult part of filing for a claim would be to prove that your particular situation is covered under the contract as per the stipulations. Most often there is a fine print in the contract that would negate the claim. Sometimes, the insurance company would be unwilling to work with you.
Follow these three important things before filing a claim:
- Never call the insurance company just after the accident if you are unsure about filing a claim. First consult with the police officers, family and friends prior to filing a claim and file only when essential. If you call the company and then fail to make a claim, this will permanently remain on the records.
- Ensure that you document the details immediately following the accident. Note down the license plate number, insurance information, contact information etc. Get the contact information of the witnesses if any and ensure you file an accident report with the police. Police officers generally don’t file accident reports when there are minor accidents, but you must ensure that they file them. This will be required when you file a claim.
- If you have gathered enough information, then you can give your insurance company a call to make your claim. In case of dispute contact the other party’s insurers.
