3 Things You Need To Know About Filing An Insurance Claim

If you get in a car accident, it is important that you know what to do so that you can get the money that you deserve after the accident. Most insurance companies are more than wiling to work with you to get your claim filed and fulfilled, but in some cases the person makes critical mistakes that end up hurting them later. Here are some things that you should and shouldn't do when filing an insurance claim after a car accident.

1. Don't Ever Leave The Scene Without The Other Person's Insurance Information

After the car accident it is very important that you exchange insurance information. You may think that you caused all the damage so it is only important that you give them your insurance information. Or the other party might say that they don't' want to file a claim with their insurance, they will just pay for your damage in cash so they don't give you their insurance. All of this can end up with problems later. For this reason, insist that the other party give you their insurance information, and you always give them yours. If they refuse to give you insurance, make sure you get their license plate number.

2. Always Call Your Insurance Before Taking The Car To An Auto Body Shop

Naturally, you are going to want to get the car fixed as soon as possible. Thus, you might have the car towed somewhere right after the accident or take it in right away to a repair shop. The concern is that your insurance may not honor any repair shop that you use. They have certain companies that they work with and respect, and so if you take it to someone else, you may not be able to get the claim filed appropriately. Thus, call your insurance provider before taking it to any shop.

3. Don't Put Off Going To The Doctor

Lastly, you might think that because your injuries were minor that there is no need to see a doctor. Unless you have a medical assessment, you cannot be sure about how much damage there really was. It is not uncommon to have someone have a problem down the road from an accident they were in previously, but because they do not have the medical records to prove it, they can't include it in the insurance claim. A doctor will be able to document all the injuries so that you are protected.

By doing these things you can protect your right to file an insurance claim.