Filing Your Auto Insurance Claim After An Accident

Automobile accidents are increasing in number, and an accident can be quite a traumatic experience, and you should be glad if you have escaped unhurt. Once you find that you are physically safe, your thoughts will go to the state of your car. In any accident the car bears the major brunt of the damage, and one should know the proper procedure to file for an insurance claim, after an accident.

There are certain things to be done, at the site of accident itself. The law requires that you immediately stop your vehicle and call 911 for police and medical assistance. Even if the accident seems to be minor, it is advisable to have the police there for clearing the area and getting an accident report filed. Try to gather as much information as you can about the accident, and also get a copy of the report filed by the police officer. The information should give details about the time and place of accident, the weather conditions, the state of the road and any special circumstances which would have caused the accident. Take down the complete details of the other parties involved in the accident and also of witnesses, like their contact details, addresses and so on.

It is essential that you call your car insurance company, as soon as possible, as your claim will start to get processed only after you have filed it. The insurance company can deny a claim if you do not report the accident in a reasonable period. Check your insurance policy, and see the time period that is mentioned there, and make sure to file your claim, much within that period. Your insurance company should agree to pay the claim, before you start any repair works on your car. Usually the company will send a person for visual inspection of you car to evaluate the damage. It is good if you are present at that time and make sure that the person is recording all the damage. You should know all the details that are mentioned in your policy, so that your claim is not rejected on any grounds. Sometimes the insurance companies have their own list of repair shops approved by them, and you will have to take your vehicle only to these garages. Keep all the receipts of the repairs, and the detailed itemized list of the parts that were replaced.