Steps To Process A Car Accident Insurance Claim
Accident insurance claims are actually very easy to file, but the excitement over the accident may make it more difficult to achieve correctly. If you file everything the right way your claim should be done within a week, although it may be a month before you get a check for any damage or medical bills.
When you have an accident, the first thing that you must do is ensure if everyone is fine. If the accident is of a serious nature, you must immediately ask someone to make a call at 911 for help. Another things to keep in mind is that, never accept your fault in front of the other driver. This is so because if later it is found that the mistake was not yours, still you may have to bear the consequences. Try to calm the situation and then have a talk with the other driver or drivers to exchange information.
You must approach the other party only to exchange contact details and information. You must get details like their names, address, and phone number. If you find that the other driver is upset then let the police officer arrive and take this information on your behalf. The police officer will draft a report with whatever information he can gather by talking to both parties and inspecting the accident area.
One of the foremost things to do is to take some pictures of the accident spot and surrounding areas. If the accident happens in a busy area then they may want to quickly clean up the mess and get the cars removed immediately. Therefore you must quickly click some pictures before anything is removed from the spot. You must click pictures of the damaged cars as well as the surrounding areas.
You must also call your claims representative at this time. If both the parties have a little time to spare then the claims representative can come at the spot and inspect. They assist in the claims process by taking pictures, questioning the witnesses, and preparing the report accordingly. The agents also assist you by filling up the form either with you in person or over the phone. The agents may want to know the accurate time and location of the accident. You may also get a copy of the police report and send it to the insurance company.
After you call your claims agent, take pictures, and get the other driver’s information you will be able to leave the scene. If you hit someone’s car and leave without leaving any information it is known as a hit and run. A check should come to you through the mail for the damages, but this can take a long time. You will probably have to pay for repairs out of your pocket before you are reimbursed for them.
You can ask several things to the claims agent to clearly understand the claims procedure. You may ask things like your coverage details, as different types of plans offer dissimilar coverage. You may question the agents as to when the remaining paper work is due, though its generally done in less than a week. In case of grave accidents, you may get your lawyer have a look at your legal formalities and paper work.
Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator for Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica?s leading car insurance portal.
categories: Car Insurance,Vehicle Insurance,Auto Insurance,Insurance Cars,Vehicles,Automotive,Personal Finance
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