Imagine that you get into a car accident. There are a lot of things that will happen in the immediate aftermath of the wreck, as well as the days and weeks to come. But one of the big steps that anyone will take during this period is to contact their car insurance provider.
Many people may think that this is a simple and easy step that you can just do whenever you want and without much thought. However, it is important to realize that contacting your car insurance provider after a car accident is a huge moment in the wake of a car accident, and you need to go into this moment prepared.
So what should you do to ensure that you are in the best position possible when you are talking to your car insurance provider? First of all, you need to contact them immediately just to let them know that an accident happened. You should also take photos of the accident scene so that you have some evidence and information to help your cause. Also, be honest in your discussions with your insurer. Bad information or outright lies can only hurt you.
Then you need to review your policy. Make sure you understand what you are covered for, and what you aren’t covered for.
Eventually you are going to want to reach a final agreement with your car insurer over the accident, but before you agree to anything, you will want to check with an attorney. Their offers may be lower than you can reasonably expect or they may try to slip a release or waiver by you (or into your deal) that wouldn’t benefit you.
Source: FindLaw, “Car Insurance Claims: Dos and Don’ts,” Accessed Feb. 11, 2015