How Does Auto Accident Insurance Claim Process Work?

Having auto insurance itself is a mental relief, as you know in the back of your mind that your insurance company will have you covered if you get into an accident. But that relief might turn into a series of stressful episodes, typically right after an accident.

Insurance claim process isn’t a smooth sail like how it’s portrayed as a straightforward process, it has a load of complexities involved, and it can significantly vary across different states in the USA.

Your insurance company will thoroughly verify your claim and if they find any justifiable reasons then it may get denied. That’s why it’s crucial for you to know how the auto accident insurance claim process works.

So, to guide you through the articles discusses on what to do right after an auto accident, when and when not to file auto insurance, steps to file an auto insurance, the way insurance claims are processed, and what you should do if you face complications.

What Should You Do Right After an Auto Accident?

Whether you’re residing at an at-fault state, or no-fault state, it can be quite confusing what to do right after an auto accident. Depending on the severity of the accident, you will have to manage your vehicle damage, property damage, and bodily injuries.

At the same time, you may also have to cover the same expenses for the other driver, and the occupants of that vehicle, especially if you were at fault in the accident.

If you’re visualizing the scenario of the accident right now, it seems quite overwhelming. Doesn’t it? Well, it sure is stressful, but desperate times call for desperate measures. So, here’s what you will need to do immediately after an auto accident.

Get to Safety

Getting yourself to safety should be your first priority here. There might be broken glass shards around, or your vehicle’s gas might be leaking. So, it is recommended that you move away to a safe distance from your vehicle right away.

Check for Vehicle Damage and Bodily Injuries

Do a quick inspection right away to identify every possible vehicle damage, and bodily injuries. If you can stay at the scene even briefly after the accident, then it is crucial for you to be aware of the overall damage. If it’s possible talk to the other driver to find out whether they got injured, and to what extent their vehicle was damaged.

Call the Police

Don’t wait, immediately call the police, and report the auto accident right away. After any road accident a legal inspection is crucial especially to verify how the accident took place, and who was at fault. The police report is one of the most important documents when it comes to claiming your auto insurance.

Document Everything

After an accident, your phone is your ultimate resource to collect all sorts of information, and evidence. Use your phone to take pictures, and videos to record any vehicle and property damage including shots of traffic signals, and important landmarks.

Also make sure to take pictures of the current road conditions after the accident, whether it was rainy, snowy, or a clear day. If there are visible marks of bodily injuries, record that too.

Take permission from the other driver and take pictures, videos of their vehicle damage, and bodily injuries. Make sure to have your date and timestamp on from your camera’s settings to document the exact date and time.

Exchange Information with the Other Driver

While it’s essential to exchange information, don’t overdo it. This is because anything you say can be used against you, especially if it’s recorded, or documented by any means. For example, let’s say you were partially at-fault, or not at fault in this accident, if the other driver can somehow make you say that it was your fault then you may be imposed to compensate the other driver. So, keep the conversation limited, specific and to the point.

Speaking of being precise, make sure to specifically collect the following information from the other driver:

01. Name

02. Address

03. Phone Number

04. Insurer’s Contact Number

05. Driver’s License Number

06. VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)

07. License Plate Number

08. Brand Name, and Model of the Vehicle

It may be necessary for you to have their information verified, so it would be ideal if you could take pictures of the other driver’s license, VIN, and registration.

Get the Necessary Information of Witnesses

It is essential for you to have the name and contact information of the witnesses. By providing the contact details of the witnesses to your insurance company, you can strengthen your auto insurance claim and reinforce it to some extent.

When it comes to investigating insurance claims, witnesses can provide vital information, even the ones that you may miss out on. So, to make the best of the opportunity here, it is very important for you to document the witnesses and provide the details to your insurer.

Seek Immediate Medical Care

Even if you or your passengers didn’t get injured, it is very important for you to seek immediate medical care. Sometimes, the injuries may not be visible, and you may not feel any pain but later it might lead to health complications. And, without having any medical documents it can cause certain issues when your insurance provider verifies your claim. In some cases, if you don’t have any prescription, doctor’s note, test results, or any medical documentation at all, they may not compensate you properly, and it may even get denied. Especially if they can somehow justify that you didn’t get harmed in the accident.

Prioritize Collecting the Police Report

When you claim your auto insurance, the police report will be strong evidence to back up your claim. So, it is crucial for you to collect the police report as soon as possible.

Obtain a Repair Estimate

Take the vehicle to a nearby garage, and have it checked by an auto service technician. You can take the vehicle to your preferred technician, or get it checked by the one recommended by the insurance company.

If you can’t drive the vehicle to the garage, then you can have it towed there. Or, if it’s already impounded by the police, contact the impound lot.

You will have to show your driver’s license, provide proof of your vehicle’s insurance, and provide a fee to get the vehicle out of the impound. So, once you get your vehicle to the garage, get it checked to know how much it will take to repair the vehicle. Don’t get any repair work done, that may violate your insurance policies. Just get the repair estimate.

Contact Your Insurance Company

Usually, it is recommended that you contact your insurance company immediately after an accident.

So, instead of contacting them promptly, it is best to take some time to collect evidence, and the necessary documents mentioned above.

By providing the documents and evidence, you can make a strong claim and prove the legitimacy of your claim. Even with all the evidence, your insurance company will still do their own verification.

Don’t worry though, if you have provided the essential documents and evidence then it really shouldn’t be much of a problem. Yet again, if your insurance company challenges your claim based on their investigation, there are ways for you to tackle it.

Typically, you have about 30 days to claim your insurance after an auto accident. So, try to contact them as soon as possible cause the more it’s delayed the more complicated it can be. To stay on the safe side, it’s recommended to claim your insurance within 24 hours of the accident.

When and When Not to File an Auto Accident Insurance Claim?

It’s natural to feel tempted to file an auto insurance claim to cover any vehicle damage, and or medical bills. But here’s something that you should consider before deciding whether to file an auto insurance claim.

Assess the overall situation based on who’s at fault, what’s the repair cost of your vehicle, whether there were any injuries, and if so, how much is the total medical cost? Also, whether you reside in an at-fault state, or no-fault state.

If you’re residing in a no-fault state, then it doesn’t matter whose fault it is apparently. The cost will come from either your insurance depending on the coverage that you’ve purchased, or your deductibles.

If you’re located in an at-fault state, or a hybrid state like Michigan then you are legally liable to compensate the other driver either partially, or fully, depending on the extent of your fault in the accident.

We understand the process of claiming auto insurance is a complicated process. So, if you’re looking for an auto Insurance Agency in Michigan feel free to get in touch with us.

In this regard, you should focus on the overall cost that you need to spend, and possibly compensate the other driver. So, if the vehicle damage is minor with a negligible expense to fix it which you can easily cover from your own pocket, then you shouldn’t claim the auto accident insurance.

For instance, if your vehicle has minor scratches and the estimated repair cost is $500, it might be more cost-effective to pay out-of-pocket rather than risk potential increases in your insurance premiums.

More importantly, if there were minor bodily injuries which you can also cover from your medical insurance, or from your deductibles then you shouldn’t file for the auto insurance either.

Remember, the main purpose of auto accident insurance is to cover expensive repairs and medical bills that you cannot afford within a few hundred dollars. So, it would be wise to only claim it, when you have to cover, and compensate a hefty amount.

How to File an Auto Accident Insurance Claim?
Before filing an auto accident insurance, it is essential to ensure that you’ve all the necessary documents, and evidence. So, before you contact your insurance company to claim your auto insurance, it would be best for you to have all these documents prepared beforehand.

Documents and information that you need to submit for filing an Auto Accident Insurance

When you’re filing for an auto accident insurance make sure to have the following the information, and documents which includes the following,
01. Your insurance policy number
02. Your driving license
03. Your vehicle’s make, and model
04. Your vehicle’s VIN (vehicle identification number), and registration
05. Your vehicle’s license plate number
06. Your medical documents (if you have any)
07. Date, time and location of the accident
08. Weather condition of the location of the accident
09. Details of the accident
10. The other driver’s name, address, contact details, VIN, license, and registration, vehicle’s make and model.
11. Details of passengers, or pedestrians who were injured
12. Details of the witnesses
13. Copy of the police report
14. Name and badge number of the police officer (if the accident was reported)

Step by Step Guide for Filing an Auto Accident Insurance Claim

1. Gather all the documents and evidence: This is the most crucial step before and while claiming your auto accident insurance. By providing all the necessary documents, and evidence, you will significantly have a strong advantage of getting compensation within your coverage limits.

2. Call your auto insurance company: Communicate with your insurer and describe the auto accident precisely how it happened. Make sure to only specify key details of the accident like location of the accident, weather conditions, possible reasons, overall vehicle damage, and bodily injuries. Take notes of everything that you need to do.

Initially, even if you think you’re at-fault, leave it to the insurance company, and police to investigate it. Although if you’re certain that it’s partially or totally your fault then you can tell them.

3. File the Auto Insurance Claim: Some insurance companies have this online form to file, and claim your auto insurance, while there are others that have an app for filing insurance claims. These days a lot of insurance companies maintain a website, and an app for filing an insurance claim online.

Alternatively, you can even download the form, take a printout, fill in all the details, and then submit it via email. Contact your insurance provider to find out the options they provide for filing an auto accident insurance claim and submit your insurance claim based on the suitable option for you.

Make sure to attach pictures, drive links, and any other essential documents to support your claim regardless of whether you submit it via their online form, mobile app, or email.

What to do After Filing an Auto Accident Insurance Claim?

So, after filing the auto accident insurance claim, their public adjuster or claims specialist will communicate with you, usually within 3 working days.

The insurance company’s adjuster will ask you for details of the accident and investigate your claims. They will visit the accidental site, look into police reports, and talk to witnesses that you’ve mentioned, or the ones specified in the police report.

If you, or the other driver and anyone else affected by the accident requires medical care, the adjuster will investigate that too, and determine the total medical costs required.

The adjuster will also ask you for an estimate required for repairing or replacing your vehicle. In this case, you can get the vehicle examined by an auto repair shop recommended by your insurance company, or you can get one from your preferred garage.

But it would be better to have the vehicle repair or replacement cost checked by your insurer’s trusted auto repair service. Based on the adjuster’s investigation if your claims seem legitimate to them, they will compensate you for the agreed amount based on the coverage that you’ve purchased.

If the repair, or replacement cost exceeds the auto insurance coverage then you will have to fund the remaining maintenance cost from your deductibles.

If the other driver appears to be at fault for the accident, then the public adjuster will represent you in dealing with the other driver’s insurance company. This is only applicable for at-fault states.

On the other hand, if they find justifiable reasons to either compensate you less, or deny the legitimacy of your insurance claim, then you will have to take legal steps to reclaim your auto accident insurance.

What happens if the Auto Insurance Claim is Denied?

If the auto insurance claim is denied, then you basically have two options:

1. Hire a Public Adjuster: You can challenge the claims of the investigation of your insurance company by hiring a public adjuster. Your public adjuster will reinvestigate the entire incident, and if your claims are true, and if they’re legit then you can reclaim your auto insurance by presenting the evidence, and documentation.

Regardless of that if your auto insurance company denies compensating you then you can go for legal action against them.

2. Send a Legal Notice: You can hire an insurance lawyer and send your auto insurance company a legal notice. This will basically act as the final warning. If your claims are valid, your auto insurance company should agree to mutual terms and compensate you accordingly. Yet if they still deny it, and if you’re absolutely convinced that they’re being unfair to you then you can file a lawsuit against them.

Well, your last option would be to file a lawsuit against your insurance company. Lawsuits can be expensive, and it can take years to get a verdict from the court. Plus, if there are certain conditions that can give your insurance company the upper hand, then you may want to reconsider the idea of suing them.
It’s best to talk to a public adjuster, and an insurance lawyer to determine whether it would be viable for you to seek legal action against your insurer. Also, calculate how much they will compensate you if you win the case, because if you need to invest more just to fight the case, it’s a huge risk.

Also Read: What are the New Auto Insurance Laws in Michigan?

Wrapping Up: Know the Auto Accident Insurance Claims Process Properly

The hard truth is that it’s a walk in the park to call and talk to your insurance company after an accident. Filing the application is easy too, especially if you’re aware of the steps discussed in this article.

But the process that comes after filing the insurance can get lengthy, and complicated. Regardless, if you submit all the documents and evidence then it shouldn’t be much of a problem, especially if you’re complying with the agreed insurance policies.

Yet again, based on our line of work, we understand how overwhelming it can be. If you’re struggling with complications regarding your insurance claim, and if you’re seeking professional advice, feel free to contact us. Our consultant will talk to you and see what we can do to help you out.

FAQs

What are the steps of an auto accident insurance claim?

Gather all the documents, and evidence, and then call your insurance company and describe the situation to them in precise detail. Also, ask them for a brief guide on how you can file an auto insurance claim, and based on that file for auto insurance by filing in the form on their website, app, or via email.

What are the documents and evidence required for the auto accident insurance claim process?

Your insurance policy number, your driving license, your vehicle’s VIN (vehicle identification number), and registration, your vehicle’s license plate number, your medical documents, the other driver’s name, address, contact details, VIN, license, and registration, copy of the police report.

What do I have to do after filing the auto accident insurance claim?

You will have to wait for a few days, the public adjuster or claims specialist of your insurance company will contact you within 3 days. The adjuster will ask you about the incident, and how it happened. Plus, the adjuster will verify your claim by going through the documents, evidence, and the police report.

What is the auto accident insurance claim settlement process?

After the verification is complete by your auto insurance company’s public adjuster, and if they find the claim legitimate then your claim will be settled. But you will have to submit all the relevant documents within 30 days.

What should I do if my auto accident insurance claim gets denied?

You can apply to re-evaluate your case or hire a public adjuster to re-investigate the entire case and send them a report defending your claim. Yet, if they reject it, you can send a legal notice via an insurance attorney. But only do that, if you have strong evidence to justify your claims, and its legitimacy.