There are about six million automobile accidents in the United States every year. Car accidents cost an American about $1000 a year. With this statistics, we could emphasize that being involved in an automobile accident is not impossible. So, what do you do when you are involved in one?
The very first instinct of a person mixed in an automobile accident is to file for an insurance claim. An insurance claim is a formal request of a policyholder to an insurance company for the benefits provided for by the company. Before filing for an insurance claim there are a few smart steps one should follow when he gets involved in an automobile accident.
First, you should keep in mind that every call you make to your car insurance company about the possibility of you filing for your insurance claim is recorded. You should also know that keeping a clean insurance record is important. So, before calling your car insurance company about you getting involved in a vehicular accident, you should first study the accident, the damages and assess whether you need to file for an insurance claim or not. If you think that you could pay for the damages yourself, then don’t make that call. But if you think you need your insurance to pay up for the damages then call the company as soon as possible.
Next, you must record every detail about the accident. You should get the name, address, license number and registration of the other driver concerned in the accident. If there are witnesses, get the witness’s name and address. You should also inform the police about the accident as soon as possible.
Then, you must inform your car insurance company about the accident, if you think you still need to call them, even if the accident is not your fault. Your car insurance company would still supervise your file for your insurance claim.
Next if you are in a car accident where two or several parties are involved, then you should be aware that you might get a phone call from the other party’s insurance agency. They would most probably ask you about your side of the story. In this process, the details you have recorded about the accident would be very helpful.
Finally, you must also be aware that your insurance company would still discuss whether they would grant you your insurance claim or not. So do not expect too much on your insurance claim. The best way is still for you to avoid any accidents while on the road. Drive safely and follow traffic rules and lights.
