How To Ensure Your Car Insurance Claim Is On Solid Ground
A car insurance claim necessarily follows an auto accident if the party at fault does not admit guilt and refuses to pay the damage to the vehicle of the other party. The existence of almost 220 million vehicles in the United States today makes the possibility of an auto accident a reality so everyone should have at least a basic knowledge of the steps involved in making a car insurance claim.
The different states have different car accident laws that are followed by those involved in a motor vehicle accident. States follow either the no fault law (where each party to an accident gets reimbursement from his own insurance company for the damage to his vehicle) or the fault or tort law (which provides that the party at fault should shoulder the damages).
Insurance is a business and you can bet that insurance companies will try to negotiate the least amount they will be required to pay for any auto accident. It is thus important to make sure that your car insurance claim will not be sidelined by unscrupulous insurance companies and adjusters who are out to short-change you.
When an auto accident happens, you should immediately inform the insurance agency and make a claim for the damages incurred. The insurance adjuster will then make a report and an estimate of the total costs needed to repair your vehicle and when approved by the company, they will send you a check which you can use for the vehicle repair. Every car insurance claim is evaluated based on proof (which is contained in the motor vehicle report) involving the following: * Your statement to the insurance companies about the accident
* The statement of the other party regarding the accident
* Statement of the witnesses to the accident
* The police report
* Actual damages as evident in the scene Both parties to the accident should file their own auto accident reports and file these with the Department of Motor Vehicle to avoid suspension of their license. However, they should also make sure that an accident report is prepared by police investigators. Former insurance adjusters reveal that some officers avoid filing accident reports especially if they estimate the damage to $500 or below as this can be easily deducted from insurance. However, one should always insist on an official police report of the accident. It is also recommended that no matter whose fault the accident may be, you should always file a claim with your own insurance company. Insurance companies tend to put weight on the testimony or report of the person who obtain insurance from them unless there is a contrary proof. Your car insurance claim will (usually) be a priority to your insurance company but not to the insurance company of the other party. If you do not have coverage for collision and the fault lies on the other party then file a car insurance claim with the other party’s insurance company. If he also does not have coverage then you can talk it over with the party at fault (since most of these drivers would be willing to pay for meager damages to avoid lawsuits). If no agreement is reached, then you can just file a case in court.
Motor Vehicle Accident
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