Making Sure Your Insurance Claims Stick

Posted on Nov 2nd 2009, 07:50 am, under Are You Covered?

When you're filing an insurance claim because of a vehicular accident, the last thing you want is a dispute with your insurance company. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happens to many policy holders. It can be extremely frustrating when you have to haggle with your insurance company over how much compensation you deserve, in addition to dealing with the physical and emotional stress from the accident. 

So from the very onset, you have to do everything possible to ensure your claim is ironclad. Here's what you'll need to do:

1. Call your insurance company as soon as possible. When you get into an accident, your primary responsibility is ensuring your safety and that of your passengers. Have a medical check-up done on everyone involved. Then, immediately inform your insurance company about the accident. If you can't recall the terms of your insurance policy, this would be the time to look it over again. Review what it covers and familiarize yourself with the procedure for making accident claims.

2. Put as much detail as possible into your claims statement. Provide your insurance company with clear and concrete evidence of your accident. Besides giving them a detailed written statement, include pictures of the damage done to the vehicles involved and the accident site itself. You should also enclose the medical reports of any injuries sustained by yourself and your co-passengers, no matter how minor it may appear. Finally, to really strengthen your claim, include the names and contact information of any witnesses to the accident.

3. Keep a record of everything that happened since the accident. Never really on your memory for this; with all the stress of dealing with an accident, you'll never remember each and every detail. Instead, you should insist on getting documentation for all events related to your insurance claim. This includes any conversations you have with your insurance agent, interviews with the police, and records of your medical bills. Keep all documents in one file for easier access.

4. Review your insurance policies. If you happen to have several policies, you may be able to file a claim under each of them. You should know what you're entitled to; this is why you have to stay informed about all details regarding insurance claims.

5. Lastly, always be honest. Never fabricate any detail regarding your accident or injuries. Always operate in good faith; otherwise, if you're found out, your entire claim will be automatically disqualified.