Filing a car insurance claim: The dos and don'ts
Being part of a motor vehicle accident, regardless of the severity, has the potential to alter your life in many ways. Even if you're part of a minor fender bender, you'll still need to contact your insurance company and work with them to have the damage repaired.
In the event of a more serious car accident, such as one in which you suffer an injury, you'll have even more challenges to contend with.
When filing a car insurance claim, here are some of the many things you need to do (courtesy of FindLaw):
- Call your agent as soon as possible, such as after receiving medical treatment for your injuries
- Review the details of your policy with an eye toward the coverage
- Take notes of all conversations with your agent and other insurance company representatives
- Collect as much evidence as possible, such as notes regarding the accident and photos of the scene and your injuries
- Keep receipts for all expenses associated with the accident, including those for lodging, food and medical bills
Now, let's examine some of the things you shouldn't do when filing a car insurance claim:
- Don't provide a written or recorded statement until you understand your policy and know what you want to say
- Don't accept the first estimate, as your insurance company may throw you a "low ball" offer to start
- Don't sign anything until you know exactly what it is and how it will impact your claim
- Don't accept a check for final payment, as this will make it more difficult to seek additional compensation in the future
- Don't assume you have forever to make a claim
Along with the above, there's one more thing to remember: You have a contract with your car insurance company.
Even though you may face some resistance, your insurer must live up to their obligations as outlined in the policy.
There will always be challenges when filing a car insurance claim, as you can't expect everything to go as planned.
Once you know the process to follow and how to protect your legal rights, you'll find it easier to communicate with your car insurance company with the idea of putting your accident in the past as soon as possible.