Filing an Auto Insurance Claim

The aftermath of an accident is chaotic, traumatic, and overwhelming. Filing an auto insurance claim is probably the furthest thing from your mind after you have a collision. However, the sooner you initiate the auto insurance claims process, the faster you will receive benefits to cover your losses. Follow these eight steps to file a car insurance claim.

1. Call the authorities. If someone is hurt, call 9-1-1. Otherwise, call the non-emergency line for the police. You will need a police report in order to expedite your auto insurance claim.
2. Exchange information with all involved parties. Get phone numbers, license plates, car insurance information, and names. Ideally, you should copy the information off of the insurance identification cards of the other drivers.
3. Look around for witnesses. Ask people at the scene if they saw what happened and get their names and numbers. Make sure the witnesses speak with the officers at the scene as well.
4. Call your insurer immediately. Most car insurance companies have a 24-hour telephone number for filing an auto insurance claim. If you have a cell phone, you can call the number directly from the scene to get the process started as soon as possible. The prompts or representative will walk you through the process.
5. Talk to the other party's insurance company. If another driver is at fault, contact his/her insurance company to inform them that you will be filing a claim through your insurer and will request reimbursement for expenses your insurer refuses to pay, such as your collision deductible, costs of a rental vehicle, your vehicle's diminished resale value, and the time you missed from work.
6. Be prepared for a call from the other party's insurer. Particularly if there is an injury-related auto insurance claim, you need to be prepared for this phone call. Talk to your insurer or attorney before speaking with the other party's carrier. Practice your statement or even write it down if you must. If the case goes to court, a written statement will help you remain consistent.
7. Meet the adjuster. One of the final steps in the auto insurance claims process is meeting with an adjuster to assess the damage to your vehicle. The adjuster will estimate how much it should cost to repair your vehicle and will write a check for this amount (less your deductible) to the body shop.
8. If a dispute arises. If you and your insurance company cannot agree on a fair reimbursement for the damages your vehicle incurred, you will most likely have to enter into some type or arbitration where an impartial moderator decides on a figure.