Saturday, January 30th, 2010
If you need to file an auto insurance claim, do you know what to do?
The very first thing you should do if you find yourself in an auto accident is to call the authorities and alert the police (and an ambulance, if necessary). The police will provide you with an accident report, which can help provide you with documentation, both for your auto insurance company, as well as any other claim that may arise from the incident.
A police report will also be necessary if you need to file a personal injury insurance claim.
After you have received a police report and received medical attention (if necessary), you will want to contact your auto insurance company immediately. Most auto insurance companies require you to file a claim within 24 hours of the accident, so don’t delay making this phone call. You may also be able to file a claim on the Web, so check to see if this feature is available through your auto insurance company.
The auto insurance company will ask you about the accident, including any damages and the involvement of any other parties. The insurance company will need to determine whether accident was your fault or was the fault of the other party, if there was one. They will then assign your claim to an adjuster, who will handle your claim from there. Keep all of your insurance paperwork close by when speaking with your claims adjuster.
Stay in contact with your claims representative and ask questions as they arise. Keep the lines of communication open with your claims adjuster so that you can move the process of filing a claim along faster.
Ask your claims adjuster about repairing your vehicle; in particular, find out where you need to take your vehicle. Many auto insurance companies work with particular auto body companies, so don’t forget to ask questions regarding the repair of your vehicle.
Ask your claims adjuster if your policy covers car rental. If so, ask about the details of the rental car benefits, including the daily benefit amount and the length of time that your policy covers a rental car.
Tags: auto accident, auto claim adjuster, auto claims representative, auto insurance claim, auto insurance company, car rental, injury insurance claim, police report
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