How to File an Auto Insurance Claim
Getting into an accident will only takes seconds but filing a claim will take days or even months if you do not know what to do. Here are some basic guides for you to make sure that you get what you are supposed to:
1. First, you should evaluate first whether you should file a claim or not. Assess the damage of the accident and check if it is wiser to just pay out-of=pocket rather than calling your insurance company to file a claim. Remember that what you report is often recorded and you would want to have a clean record rather than having an increase in premium. If the damage is not too big for a claim, just pay for it yourself and don’t report the incident.
2. In case the damage is too big, call your auto insurance company at once and give a detailed account of the accident. If possible, get a witness to corroborate your story in case your insurance company needs to investigate.
3. File your claim as soon as possible. Even if the accident is not your fault, you should file your claim as soon as you can. Most auto insurance company mandate only a brief window of time in which you can make your claim. If you failed to make the claim ASAP, you will be left on your own to pay for everything.
4. List down all important details for your insurance company. Information like your license plate and the other cars plate, the place where it happened and the full account of the accident must be listed down. Remember to make a full police report as there are some police departments who will not provide an accident report if it does not result in any injury or death. Make an effort to report the incident and make copies for your auto insurance company and yourself.
If you have other questions, you will be able to get more information from the agent that sold the policy to you. If you have a good broker, chances are he/she will help you through the process. Also remember to jot down all the names of the customer service representative that have talked to when calling your insurance company. This will ensure proper and swift processing of your claims.
