What to Do When Filing Car Insurance Claims
Posted on Dec 16, 2014 5:15pm PST
With such a high number of car accidents every year, it is no wonder that car insurance companies receive a number of claims every day. Some may seek to get compensation from damages to vehicles, others for personal injury, and some seek damages for other reasons. When you file a claim for an insurance settlement, making sure that you follow some basic tips to help ensure that you get what you deserve from your insurance company.
How can I get the best settlement for my insurance claim?
Just because you have insurance does not mean that you are guaranteed a satisfactory claim. In fact, many insurance companies will attempt to reduce the amount that they will pay for your property, personal injury, or other damages whenever possible.
Keeping this in mind, there are some things you can do to increase your insurance settlement:
- Be aware of what is included on your policy and when you are covered for an accident
- Call your insurance company as soon as you are involved in an accident
- Answer any requests for information as soon as possible to reduce the likelihood that they will deny your claim based on lack of information
- Take pictures of any damages that occurred to both vehicles
- Collect the contact information of any witnesses
- Keep detailed records of every communication you have with your insurance company
- Save receipts for any expenses related at all to the car accident and make copies to keep for your personal records
- Check to see if any other insurance policies you hold cover the accident
While there is no guarantee that your insurance company will pay back any money relating to your car accident, these tips can help make sure you do the best that you can to get what you need.
There are some common mistakes that should be avoided following a car accident as well. These include volunteering information to insurance companies, admitting liability for the accident, signing documents without checking with an attorney, or giving information to your insurance company without checking your policy first.
Being in a car accident can be extremely stressful. Knowing what to do afterwards can be hard. By following some basic tips, you can be sure that you are giving yourself the best possible chance for the compensation you deserve.