Your auto accident claim has many parts that may or may not be complicated or difficult to understand. Prior to filing your auto insurance claim, it is important to understand all aspects of what you are filing with the insurance company. Below is an explanation of the important aspects of your claim.
The Necessary Information
Most insurance companies will provide claimants with a form and instructions about how to file a claim. This form may or may not be specific, but at the very least will require you to include the contact information for all parties involved, the insurance information for the parties, the specifics of the accident and the amount of expenses you have incurred from the accident. The amount of money you seek may or may not be broken down or you might be able to simply request a lump sum.
Understanding the Purpose of Your Claim
Prior to filing a claim, it is important for you to understand the essential aspects of it and what you hope to accomplish. If you need money to repair your vehicle and to treat your injuries, then money is your goal. Any goal other than money will not be resolved through a claim.
What You Should Include
Just because the insurance company requests information does not mean that you should include it or be overly specific about your claim. Provide just enough information to justify your request but do not go overboard. Giving too much information can actually backfire because it may provide reasons for the insurance company to reduce or deny the whole or part of your claim.
The Purpose of a Claim
A car accident claim is not intended to serve as a means to automatically award the claimant money. Rather, it is intended to give the insurance company a starting point from which to investigate the facts of the accident and how much money, if any at all, it may need to pay to make the injured party whole.
The claim, therefore, is the starting point for your request. After receiving a claim, the insurance company will assign an adjuster to you. The adjuster will then investigate the facts of the claim, the amount of damage and injury it caused and value your claim. The insurance company’s offer will be the value the adjuster has assigned to your claim and, most likely, will fall well short of what you actually need.
Getting Legal Help
If after investigating your claim and the process you are still uncertain about your claim, seek legal advice. A lawyer will guide you through the claims process to assist you in obtaining the compensation you need to make yourself whole once again.
