After a car accident, the prospect of dealing with insurance adjusters and claim forms can be more stressful than the accident itself. Be patient and optimistic. Filing claims and waiting for decisions can be a battle of attrition, but in many cases the process is faster and smoother than you might think.

Set the stage for a successful claims process by also reading what to do after a car accident. Read on to find out more about the process and how to make it work for you.

When to File a Claim

Whether to file a claim after an accident depends on what kind of insurance coverage you carry and who is at fault. Here are some tips for three major scenarios:

1) Your car is damaged – How did it get that way?



It’s clearly the other driver’s fault – File a claim with the other driver’s insurance company under that driver’s liability policy. It’s clearly your fault – File a claim with your own insurance company under your collision policy. Fault is shared or not clear – File a claim with both your own insurer and the other driver’s. Once fault is determined, you’ll get coverage under one or both policies. Damage is not due to a collision – If your car is stolen, vandalized, or damaged by weather, file a claim under your own comprehensive insurance. The other driver is uninsured or underinsured – Your own insurance company will cover your losses if you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. 2) You are injured – How were you injured? Who injured you? Do you live in a no-fault state?



You have PIP or MedPay insurance – File a claim with your own insurance company under your personal injury protection or MedPay insurance even if you are not at fault or if you have health insurance. Other insurance policies may eventually pay all or part of your expenses, but filing a PIP or MedPay claim will make sure you’re not stuck with medical bills as that gets sorted out. It’s the other driver’s fault – If the other driver was at fault, or if fault isn’t clear, you’ll file a claim with the other driver’s insurance company under that driver’s liability policy. The other driver is uninsured or underinsured – Your own insurance company will cover your losses if you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. 3) Minor damage to your car and no injuries



It’s the other driver’s fault – When your losses are covered by the other driver’s liability policy, you don’t pay a deductible. So even when damage is minor, file a claim under that driver’s liability insurance. It’s your fault – If you can live with the minor damage, or if the cost of fixing it will be not much more than your deductible, consider not filing a claim. The small reimbursement after your deductible may amount to less than your future increases in insurance rates.

The Basic Steps of the Claims Process

Procedures vary depending on your insurance company and your state – if you have any questions ask your adjuster – but in general here’s how the claims process will work:

Contact Your Insurance Company – Contact your agent or insurer to report the accident as soon as possible. Be prepared to provide the following information:

Which covered vehicle was involved

Who was driving

Location and time of the accident

A basic description of the accident and the severity of the damage

The name and insurance information of the other driver

Names and contact information of others involved in the accident and witnesses

Take notes and write down the claim number you’re provided, plus the name and direct phone number of the person you talk to.

Claims Contacts For the Top Ten Car Insurers Claims Website Claims Phone 800-782-8332 800-861-8380 800-255-7828 800-274-4499 800-2CLAIMS (225-2467) 800-435-7764 800-531-USAA (8722) 800-421-3535 800.252.4633 800-692-6326

File a police report – Your insurance company will request a police report number. If you did not get a police report at the scene, you can still go to a local police station to file a report.

Follow up with insurance adjuster – The insurance company will assign an adjuster to your claim. The adjuster will most likely contact you for additional information. Stick to the facts and avoid speculation when describing what happened. Provide any photographs you took at the scene and the contact information of any witnesses. Remember that the conversation will be recorded and will be used when determining who was at fault. If you are filing a personal injury claim with the other driver’s insurance company, you may want to contact an attorney before this step. In addition to gathering information about the accident, the adjuster will either inspect the damage to your vehicle or will ask you to take the car to a certified repair shop that will perform the inspection.

Evaluation – Your adjuster will consider and evaluate the facts and your policy, inspect the damage, and potentially make an initial payment.

Resolution – The adjuster will authorize a final payment. You’ll sign a release, accepting the payment as payment in full for the case.

Whose Fault Is It?

Who is at fault for an accident matters, since that driver’s applicable insurance coverage will be responsible for paying for any losses. Here are some important things to know about how fault is determined and allocated:

Adjusters will determine fault – Each insurance company’s adjuster will weigh the statements of each driver and any witnesses — plus the information in the police report and any other evidence — and make a determination of who is at fault for the accident. If the adjusters for each insurer come to different conclusions, the two insurance companies will communicate and try to come to an agreement. In the rare cases when they cannot agree, fault will be determined by a lawsuit in civil court.

Fault is sometimes shared – In many states a driver can be found partially at fault. So if you are found to have contributed to the accident in even a small way, the amount you can recover from the other driver’s insurance company could be reduced proportionally.

Your insurance company will represent you in court – If you are at fault and you are sued by the other driver in a personal injury case, your insurance company will represent you in court and in any negotiations for a settlement.

You have to deal with the other driver’s insurance company if that driver is at fault – You may be able to get assistance and advice from your insurance broker or insurance company, but ultimately, you’ll file a claim with the other insurer and will get coverage under that driver’s policy.

You may want legal representation when the other driver is at fault – When injuries are severe, the other driver’s insurance company may be more reluctant to pay for some bills either in full or in a timely way. In these cases, you would need to obtain your own legal representation, but personal injury attorneys work on a commission basis, so you would not have to pay legal fees out of pocket.



Property Damage Claims: Getting Car Repairs

Your insurance company will provide detailed instructions for getting your car repaired, but you need to be aware of the following important considerations:

Don’t fix anything before the adjuster’s inspection – The insurer will want to inspect the damage to the vehicle before authorizing repairs. The exception to this rule is when delaying a repair will cause the car to be damaged further. But even in these cases, discuss the short-term repairs with your insurance company first. Anything such as a broken sunroof that is letting in the weather, or a bumper/muffler dragging on the street, need to be fixed as soon as possible. Insurers often won’t pay for any damage that could have been prevented so follow these steps in such cases:

Confirm with the insurer that such damage exists and the car needs immediate repair. They’ll likely give you specific instructions.

Take pictures to document the damage that will be repaired.

Let the shop know the nature of the work if they don’t already. They will confirm that the repairs were necessary to prevent further damage.

Keep all receipts and documentation.

Provide information and documentation to insurers as they request it.

You can choose your own repair shop – You’re never required to use the shop the insurance company recommends but there may be advantages in doing so.

If more damage is exposed in the course of the repairs, the insurer will approve repairs faster at an authorized repair shop. Otherwise you may have to wait for additional inspections by the adjuster.

The authorized shop will get paid directly by the insurance company (which is not always true when repairs are done elsewhere).

You don’t have to accept third-party parts – When there are cheaper sources of replacement parts than the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), your insurance company may not be willing to pay for the more expensive option. While the insurer is not obligated to pay for the car to be repaired with OEM parts, they must give you the option to pay the extra cost to have your car repaired with original parts.

You can appeal the insurance company’s decisions – If you have concerns about how the insurer is handling your claim, you have many avenues of recourse:

Contact your agent – If you purchased your insurance through an agent, that agent can act as an intermediary between you and the insurance company. You’re the agent’s customer, and in most cases they will be willing to assist.

Contact the insurer – Most states require insurance companies to provide a way to appeal decisions. Ask the insurer to take your claim further up the ladder in the organization.

Request an independent appraisal – Under the terms of most insurance policies, you have the right to an independent appraisal if you disagree with the insurance company’s valuation of a totaled car.

Contact state regulators – If you’re unable to reach an agreement with the insurance company, you can file a complaint with your state’s insurance department or attorney general’s office. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners may have your state’s contact information here.

Retain an attorney – You have the right to get legal representation to protect your rights and to represent you in disputes with an insurer.

Bodily Injury Claims: Getting Medical Care

It’s important to prioritize your health when getting medical care after a car accident. Consider the following as you seek medical treatment:

Get treatment immediately and as injuries become apparent – Don’t wait to get treatment after the accident or if aches and pains arrive later on. Car repairs can wait, but injuries require immediate treatment to avoid medical complications. Make sure all health care providers understand that your injuries are the result of a car accident. Provide them the auto insurance information for your policy and the other driver’s policy as well as any health insurance you have. Many health care providers will be willing to directly bill car insurance companies, but in some cases, you’ll need to submit the medical bills to the insurance company for reimbursement.

You can get help from an attorney for a liability claim – If you have serious injuries caused by another driver, it is a good idea to contact an attorney to represent you as you file a claim against the other driver’s liability policy. Personal injury attorneys provide initial consultations for free and will represent you on a contingency basis, which means they only get paid if your claim is successful.

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Community Discussion Submit Michael Quiroz @ Buster831 Property damage insurance claim unhappy with insurers decisions what are my options Reply · Delete Comment @ aturkett7276 I want to know wt I need to do when someone crashed into my fence on my property ran over and destroyed my fence what do I need to do to get their insuy* Reply · Delete Comment Mildred Poor @ mmbclement I stupidly tried towing a heavy object by tying a rope around the door rails of my car, resulting in a significant dent in one of the door rails. Will Allstate cover this under either my comprehensive or collision policy, or will I be out of luck because of my stupidity/ negligence? Reply · Delete Comment @ lundquistnorm I was in an auto accident and the other driver was at fault admitted to looking at his phone and my vehicle was totaled. Do I have to except the insurance companies offer if it's less than what I owe or can I reject or appeal it Reply · Delete Comment Mi le @ boocai091104 I had a collision..I hit a rear bumber of the car in front of me.. a little damage on his rear bumber and mine has no damage at all but mu insurance is insisting inspection in my car but totaaly my car is fine. Can I say no to inspection? Reply · Delete Comment Reba Buford @ Lilligirl2 If a non owner is driving the car and has an accident should his insurance companies be notified? Reply · Delete Comment Jitendra Vishwakarma @ Jitendra My car met accident in july. Insurance company took 5 months to get the car repaired..I think its too long..is there àny time limit for insurance company to get the estimate of repair required and getting complete the repair work?? Reply · Delete Comment @ jfkjr52 What can be done when the injuries you receive in an accident that is clearly the other drivers fault, they are saying that the at fault driver has already reached the policy limit. However the other driver who is not at fault will require medical attention for the rest of his life, is there any help in this situation? Reply (2) · Delete Marta coffman @ coffmanviana do not accept even if you have a attorney . Tell them what you want or the maximum insurance policy. The attorney will try to get all your money and s....w you. It happened with my husband. DO not believe if attorney say you are my friend. They sare afraid to go court and they also have kick back when they get you to accept what they offer. If the court rules over the policy they have to pay out of they pocket, Reply · Delete Toni M @ ClaimsAssoc1 If you have Uninsured/UNDERInsured Liability, your policy MAY pay you up to your Uninsured/UnderInsured liability limit.



Or...Sue Him. Reply · Delete Comment Bjrauch @ bjrauch2 My son was stopped at a red light on a freeway off ramp when he was hit from behind. When I contacted the other drivers insurance to start the claim I was told of possible coverage issue. The car was just purchased and the insurance company said it will take 3 to 4 days to make a decision on whether the car is covered. The adjuster wants to continue to ask more questions and details. My son is complaining of neck discomfort. Should I wait to hear about the decision of insurance coverage before my son talks to the adjuster to provide more details? Immediately they said to contact my insurance company. Reply · Delete Comment @ jsjohnsmith If you drive regularly, chances are that you will eventually be involved in an accident or have an incident that damages your car. If this does happen then you will need to follow certain steps to file a claim with your car insurance company to get reimbursement. Claim types include bodily injury claims for medical expenses and property damage claims to vehicle repairs and stolen property. You have to asses it yourself or with the help of a claim adjuster the extent of damage, and repot it online. To know more @ http://www.innitialliance.com/ Reply · Delete Comment Radhapriyanka rudrappasamy @ radhapriyanka Hi, I just met with an accident. In my case I was on a complete halt on a right only lane yielding for the other cars and the other guy came really fast possibly was on phone and hit my car real bad. I requested a third party insurance claim, but his insurance hasn't approved OEM parts to reduce the expense. My car is just about 3 years old and this being completely the other driver's fault would like him or his insurance to pay for OEM parts, can I insist on getting this? Reply · Delete Comment @ smlague65 Please answer the below question. BTW. Problems with ABS and train from 4088 miles and factory reset train, never test drove and I was never informed about problems with brakes by maintenance provider. All maintenance performed under contract with Dealer. Reply · Delete Comment @ smlague65 Do adjusters contact the manufacturers with an at fault driver accident if there is a question of third party liability and with the manufacturer pay? Reply (1) · Delete Anonymous Hi, last night I opened the door of my car and door hits to another car and he got dent so we exchanged our information. 24 hours are gone and nobody contacted me. Reply · Delete Comment More Comments

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