Car insurance companies are legally obligated to cover the damages that you sustained during the accident. The vehicle repair and medical coverage might be expensive to cover; therefore, if you are involved in an accident, you would want to ensure that you file a valid insurance claim. It’s a simple process and provided that you follow the steps below, you can be assured of receiving fair compensation.
Get in Touch With The Police
Upon having the accident, you can begin filing for a claim by getting in touch with police officers. Police will be among the first responders in every accident. After the accident, you might probably be traumatized, and you might not be fit to assess what transpired. A police officer or your attorney might be the people to take down notes on the events that took place. The other party involved in the accident might offer you a hard time, but the Police will safeguard you. Besides, a police officer or a lawyer will ensure that you receive proper medical care, and the recorded report will be useful in the claim process.
Problems With The Claim Process
Insurance agents are supposed to assist you in getting a fair claim, and besides, they must expedite the process. In some cases, you might have trouble contacting the claims adjuster, or you might fail to understand some terms in the settlement documents. When you feel that the process is taking too long or that your case has been neglected, the experts of https://www.brookslawgroup.com/car-accident-lawyer/claim-and-settlement-process/ would advise on hiring a professional attorney who will handle the claim process on your behalf. The claims adjuster might request you to sign a waiver or some form of document that you are not conversant with. A personal attorney can offer you free consultation services, and you can always bank your hopes on them since they have your best interest at heart.
Gather Information Regarding The Accident
The car accident information that you gathered from photos and testimonies from eyewitnesses will be valuable when filing your auto insurance claim, therefore ensure that you have it at hand. It’s always advisable to document all the details on the accident such that you can produce it upon request.
Contact The Insurance Company
While at the accident scene, call the insurance agents when it’s safe. The agents will take you through the required steps, and they will inform you of what details they expect from you. In case your car is completely wrecked, the insurer will offer you advice on ways to transport it. Based on the policy coverage, your vehicle can be towed to a junkyard, and they might provide you with a rental car. If you fail to contact your insurance agency, you won’t know the requirements for filing a claim, and you might spend more.
The Claim Adjuster
Upon reporting the claim to the insurance agency, the claims are often assigned to claim adjusters whose responsibility is to represent you before all involved parties. The adjuster also investigates circumstances that led to the accident and would work to help hasten the compensation settlement. Ensure that you provide the claim adjuster with the necessary information that will help quicken the compensation process. By offering more information, you will avoid delays in processing the claim. Besides, the claim adjuster should answer all questions such as when to expect payment or when to expect a new car.
Diminished Claim
A partial loss occurs in case your car retained value after the accident. You should consider filing a diminished value claim since you suffered financial losses when repairing your car. The insurer is under obligation to award you the added compensation considering that your vehicle was partially damaged.
Gap Insurance And Total Loss Claim
To file a valid claim, ask the claim adjuster to elaborate on the gap insurance portion of your claim in case your car underwent a total loss. The gap insurance refers to the changes that apply to your policy. Besides, you might want to determine whether the total loss would be determined by the time spent settling the claim. By understanding the time taken to settle the claim, you will avoid frustrations, and you can anticipate the right moment to expect your fair compensation.
The validity of the car accident claim relies on the communication between parties that were involved in the accident. Settling a claim should be an easy process, but in case you face troubles, you should consider hiring an attorney. Besides, if you are unhappy about the claim process, you should consider changing your insurance company.