When you’re driving around in a car, the chances are pretty high that you’re eventually going to get involved in some kind of car accident. Whether this be a pretty trivial accident or something more serious, it’s important for you to know what happens in the case of you getting into the accident and having to claim with your car insurance. We know that just hearing the word insurance probably makes you feel pretty queasy, so we’re going to make it easier for you. Keep reading down below to learn more about what to expect whenever you are claiming car insurance after an accident.
- Understand When to File the Claim
First of all, you should take the steps to understand when it’s necessary for you to even file that car insurance claim. The first situation in which you should file a claim is if you are in car collision – you should do this as soon as you get back home from the accident. There are also some problems that you might run into other than collisions. For example, when your car is vandalized one day, you will have to call up your insurance to submit a claim. If your car is stolen, then a claim is necessary to file. In addition, depending on the insurance company that you are using, you might be able to submit a claim if your car is damaged thanks to a non-collision related event. For example, if there is a fire and your car gets damaged, you can submit a claim via your law firm.
You will need to take a look at your specific insurance policy to see what is covered and what is not covered. This is important to keep in mind before you ever buy any kind of insurance – that way you are covered in the case of any eventuality.
- Know What Information You Really Need
Next, once you are ready to contact your insurance company, you will need to gather some information about yourself first. Here are the pieces of information that you should have ready to provide to the insurance company:
- Your first and last name
- Your policy number for your car insurance
- The start date and the end date of your specific policy
- When the accident occurred – both the time and date
- The personal information of all drivers involved and all witnesses
- The license numbers and license plates of every driver involved in the accident
You might also need other pieces of information, depending on what your insurance company requires. Make sure to get in touch with them to see what you need to provide before you submit your claim. That way you can be assured that they have everything needed to process your claim.
- The Basic Steps to Filing a Claim with Your Car Insurance
Here are the basic steps that your insurance claim is going to go through before it can be processed fully:
- Your case is going to be assigned to a highly-qualified professional at your insurance company. They will be the main responsible for processing the claim fully.
- You will then need to meet with this claims professional to discuss your options and what your coverage looks like
- The claims professional will take a look at your case and determine whether or not this will work out in your favor.
- The case is then going to be resolved and you might receive the payments that you desire.
- And lastly, the case will be closed after the final determination by the case professional.
And there you have it! Make sure to keep in mind all of these points and you’ll be prepared for whenever you might need to file a claim with your car insurance company. It’s best to be prepared rather than be caught off guard if you are caught up in an accident!
