Let Your Attorney Deal With the Insurnace Company After a St. Louis Car Accident

Often, when car owners are involved in a car accident caused by another driver, they pursue the claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company, without informing their own insurance company. While it is essential to get the insurance information of the at-fault driver for claiming damages, it is equally essential to inform one’s own car insurance company of the accident. Our St. Louis car accident lawyer explains why.

Why is reporting an accident to one’s own insurance company important?

Reporting an accident is different from making a claim. Following are a few important reasons why it is essential to notify one’s own insurance company.

1. Contractual duty – Every car insurance owner is bound by contract, that is, the policy can make it necessary for the owner to notify the company within a set time period if and when the car is involved in an accident. Not notifying the insurance company can amount to breach of contract.

2. Managing the claim – Accidents can cause injuries as well as vehicle damage. Ideally, making a car damage claim after an accident can prove to be easier with one’s own insurance company. Moreover, the at-fault driver’s insurance company could dispute the fact that their driver was at fault or the severity of injuries are as claimed. At times, the other party’s insurance adjuster might not be willing to authorize repair claims or a car rental. Final settlement could also take a long time.

3. Policy requirements – Reporting an accident generally has to be done within a certain period of time to be able to file a claim for damages. At times, filing a claim with one’s own insurance company might be essential for negotiations with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. If the accident has not been reported with one’s own insurance within that set period, one can end up losing the right to file a claim altogether.

4. Underinsured at-fault driver – One can never be sure that the at-fault driver is adequately insured or not. It could be possible that the diver is underinsured and his insurance does not fully cover the damages, or has a cancelled policy due to non-payment of premiums. Such situations could require one to file a claim under one’s own uninsured or underinsured policy if purchased as additional cover.

Hiring legal help for filing a claim

Most insurance companies make filing a claim sound like a very easy procedure. However, it is in fact not as easy as it sounds. It requires complicated documentations and adherence to a number of procedures. An insurance company is after all a for-profit organization.

At times, one can face challenges with their own insurance company while filing a claim. Like the other driver’s insurance company, one’s own insurance company may dispute claims and argue about liability and severity of injuries. It is important to be very careful while discussing the accident details with one’s own insurance adjuster as well.

It is in your best interests to speak with an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney as soon as possible following an auto accident. At The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. we can evaluate your claim for free and deal with the insurance companies involved, so you can focus on physical recovery and moving forward. Give us a call 24/7 at (314) 361-4242.