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Now What? How to Actually Make a Successful Car Insurance Claim After an Accident
Drivers invest in car insurance, but they hope they’ll never have to use it. Dealing with a car accident is not something that most people have to deal with often. Many people find that they aren’t sure of what to do after an accident occurs simply because they lack experience with filing a claim. Fortunately, filing a successful auto insurance claim isn’t hard when you know what to do each step of the way.
Gather Details About the Accident
The first few minutes after an accident should be completely focused on making sure that everyone is physically and mentally okay. If necessary, contact an ambulance and transport other people with non-emergency injuries to the doctor.
Then, you can start working on documenting what happened. If witnesses are available, then get their personal contact information in case you need them to provide a statement in the future. You can also take photos of the scene and your car to demonstrate the level of damage that occurred. Police who respond to the accident will also create a police report, which should be included.
Tell Your Insurance Company About the Incident
Your next step is to reach out to your car insurance company. They’ll ask you some general questions about the incident such as who was driving and where the incident occurred. They’ll likely also ask you if anyone is injured and if your car sustained damage. Make sure to answer each question honestly. If you are not sure of an answer, then let the representative know. They may be able to direct you to where to find the answer, or they might be able to get it during their investigation.
Submit Information About the Damages
Insurance companies have several different ways to settle claims. Typically, they’ll start by asking you to do things such as upload photos of the damage or submit a copy of the police report or a mechanic’s report. In major accidents, you might also be asked to meet with an adjuster. An adjuster may come to your home to assess the damage and provide more information that helps with coming up with an estimate for the cost of repairs.
Continue to Monitor Your Claim
Your insurance company may occasionally have additional questions after you submit your claim. Make sure to check your preferred method for them to contact you, and respond to any questions as soon as possible. Promptly submitting any additional paperwork they request helps you to get the claim processed in a timely manner.
Once you’ve gone through all of your steps, all you have to do is let the insurance company finalize the paperwork. They’ll furnish you with a report of how they arrived at the estimate for the cost for repairs and provide you with information about how to proceed. By the end of the process, you’ll be able to accept the payment and move forward with putting the accident behind you.
