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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Filing An Auto Insurance Claim

Accidents can happen at anytime to anyone and at any place! Hence it pays to be prepared for such an eventuality. The accident might not be your fault but who pays for the damages? This is where your car insurance will come into the picture because depending upon the type of insurance you have, it will provide cover for the damages or any losses.

When an accident happens, the last thing on your mind will be your auto insurance policy and the first thing would be your safety and that of the fellow passengers. Here are 7 steps that will help you to file your auto insurance claim in case your car meets with an accident:

First things first, you need to understand how your auto insurance coverage works before any accidents or mishaps happen. You need to carefully read through your car insurance policy and understand each and every clause, what all is covered and how and when to file a claim. If you have any questions whatsoever then call your agent.

If your car meets with an accident then first ensure that everyone is fine and check if any of the passengers require immediate medical attention. In case of emergency, first dial 911. If the injuries are minor in nature then take them to a hospital first and don’t forget to keep a copy of the medical bills and prescriptions.

If you are involved in an accident and you are not injured then try and get as much information as possible from the other driver who caused the accident or who is involved in it. The information you need to look for should include his/her name, address, phone number, and the name of his/her insurance company, and if possible their phone number.

Identify any witnesses to the accident and ask for their names as well as contact numbers in case an eye-witness report of the accident is required.

Notify the law enforcement agency in the area and file an accident report. If you are unable to reach a law enforcement agency then you can collect an accident report from the sheriff's office or the local Department of Motor Vehicles office.

You need to then notify your car insurance company regarding the accident and try to do it as soon as possible. Your insurance carrier will send across an insurance adjuster who will then review your accident report for determining the person at fault or the driver who caused the accident. If the accident is determined as not your fault then you can choose to have the driver’s insurance company or even your insurance company to take responsibility of the repair. If you claim repair costs from the driver’s car insurance company then it will be beneficial for you because there will be no claim whatsoever on your policy and you will not be required to pay any deductible.

Last but not the least, never let go of your insurers early i.e., never relieve your car insurance company of their responsibility till the time the cost of damages have been settled according to your satisfaction. The different settlement factors that you can consider include:

Bodily injuries: You will be entitled to monetary settlement for any injury caused by the other driver at fault.
Damages: Your insurance company will assess the damage and then make the payout based on it. If you feel that their assessment is incomplete or not to your satisfaction then you can always obtain another assessment at a recognized/reputed auto body shop.