Car Accident Insurance Claims: What to Do
Getting into an auto accident is always shocking, frightening, irritating, and frustrating. Compounding to what is an already unpleasant situation is dealing with insurance companies after the accident. While no one likes dealing with the hassle of an insurance claim, not to mention the threat of increased premiums, keeping open communication with your insurance company is always better in the long run. Just ask your attorney, or if you don’t have one, contact and hire one as soon as you can. There are seemingly countless attorneys out there, especially if you live in a big city like Los Angeles. Having a strong lawyer to represent you, and an insurance company that knows what actually happened, will exponentially increase your rate of success in the long run, should you need further legal proceedings down the road. In the meantime, follow these tips on how to deal with your insurance company after a car accident.
Read your coverage and your exclusion plan in your insurance policy. Yes, it will be tedious. However, knowing how your coverage works, and what types of claims it actually covers, before calling the agent, will make the conversation easier for both parties. Additionally, make sure that you pay attention to everything being said by everyone you talk to. If you can, take notes. Jot down names, numbers, and anything else you can remember to take down.
Check to see if you have an umbrella policy, which often holds many different types of coverage for different claims under it overall policy. If you do, then make sure the type of accident you have found yourself in falls under the coverage of that umbrella policy.
Take pictures if you can. Having an accurate representation of the streets, the cars involved, and the damage incurred can only help you in the long run, and will make things easier for your insurance company in their assessment of what can be covered and what can’t. For your lawyer, this will also help in the long run because pictures may be admissible as evidence to help your argument should any claim go to trial.
Make sure you are forthcoming with your insurance agent about everything that has happened. Even if you may be partially at fault for an accident, telling your insurance agent what happened is very important because all information is likely to arise in the long run anyway. If you have withheld important information, you may be ineligible to claim what is rightfully yours. Honesty is always the best policy.
Finally, get a good lawyer. Part of the reason you will want a lawyer to help you through the insurance claim process is for peace of mind. Insurance policies and the ways insurance companies operate can be mind numbing, confusing, and seemingly archaic. Personal injury lawyers who deal with insurance companies and accident claims on a daily basis know how to navigate that world, understand its lingo, and can help you through what can be a very taxing process. If you live in a city or state with particularly complex insurance regulations, such as Los Angeles or California generally, you will want lawyers with the experience and the knowledge base that can guide you in a manner that is professional and empathetic. Contact the lawyers at California Attorney Group for a consultation, and start your journey down the post-accident path with the knowledge that you are not going through this process alone. It will keep relations between you and any insurance companies you are dealing with clearer, and ultimately get you the compensation and damages owed you.
