Archive for category: Car Accidents

How to Report Your Car Accident to Your Insurance Company

Car accidents in St. George, Utah are a common thing. Lots of folks wonder what they should do right after an accident. There are certainly things that must be done at the scene of
the accident. Once those are complete, filing a claim with your insurance company is the next
item on your plate. You should always let your insurance know that there has been a crash, but
sometimes you may choose not to actually file a claim. Typically, filing a claim is a good idea,
but there are several things you should know before you begin that process.

Photo Bydigitizedchaos

1. Right up front, the most important thing after a car crash is to be safe. Check everyone
   around you for injuries and seek immediate medical attention for anyone that needs it. If
   no one is hurt, don’t call 911. You will just clog up their lines with something that is not
   urgent. Once you have assessed the situation, make sure that you are in a safe place.
2. Start out by getting the other driver’s name, license plate number, and insurance
   information. You can do this by taking a picture of his license plate number, driver’s
   license, and insurance card. Some driver’s will try to get out of exchanging information.
   They don’t want you to call in an insurance claim. However, an insurance claim is
   usually a good idea for you, and it is always a good idea for you when the other driver is
   at fault.
3. Never leave the scene without a police report. A call to the police should be the very
   first phone call you make after your collision. It is the only way to ensure you will have
   a neutral third party statement available to be used later. Other driver’s may try to change
   their story after the fact. These reports are not necessary for insurance companies to
   determine fault, but they sure do make everyone’s lives a lot easier and they are free to
   obtain, so get one!
4. If possible, when someone has witnessed your accident, the ideal situation would
   be to have them wait for the police so they can file a statement in the report. The more
   documentation, the better. If they won’t wait around, taking down the contact information
   of a witness is the next best thing. Insurance companies and your personal injury
   attorney can contact those witnesses later, if need be, to collect statements.

After the initial four steps, take enough time to make sure that you are calm, you are in a safe
place, and you have collected your thoughts. It will now finally be time to contact your insurance
company. You can look it up online, or call you insurance agent, but the easiest way to contact
your claims department directly is by using the phone number located on the back of your
insurance card. Keep in mind that you are speaking with your own insurance provider first; they
are there to protect you. Still, the conversation will be recorded and you need to make sure your
claim is not undervalued from the start. That is why it is sometimes wise to not call at the scene
of the accident. Only in severe accidents do people realize that quickly that they have been hurt
while they are still on the scene of the accident. Do not tell your insurance company that you
were not hurt and the property damage is minimal. You are not a doctor, and you are not an auto
mechanic. Leave those issues open for them to decide. Tips to keep in mind:

1. Do not be emotional or make exaggerations on the phone. Be factual and practical.
2. Failure to report an accident can cause huge problems for you in the future, you do not
   have to call from the scene, but DO NOT avoid calling altogether.

If the adverse driver’s insurance company contacts you, do not speak to them. Refer them to your
personal injury attorney. Always consult with a personal injury attorney after an accident. He or she can relieve the majority of the stress that comes with a car crash.

This article is offered only for general information and educational purposes. It is not offered as and does not constitute legal advice or legal opinion. You should not act or rely on any information contained in this article without first seeking the advice of an attorney.

Auto Accident Insurance Claims Process

Photo By Robert Spiegel

You need to know what you are doing before you make a call to report an auto insurance claim to your insurance company. If you don’t, you may be shorted and you may not get the amount of money that is fair based on the damage that you have suffered. Anyone who was in the car at the time of the car crash has a right to file an insurance claim. Understanding the process of filing an insurance claim will give you the advantage that you need to make sure you are taken care of.

The initial thing to do is to make the phone call to your own insurance provider to report that you have been in a car accident in St. George, Utah. The person on the other end of the line will be extremely inquisitive as to the details. They want to know who was involved, how it happened, when it happened, and nearly everything else you can think of relating to the accident. Once they have all that info, they will open your claim. It is important to remember that they are recording your phone call. There is usually no way to know how badly you were injured before seeing a doctor. Oftentimes, back and neck pain can take days before the pain shows up. In the meantime, do not be tricked by the at-fault driver’s claims adjuster. He or she will likely call you, and will likely be very friendly. Their intention is to record you saying that you have not been hurt. Do not lie to them. Telling them that you were not hurt would be one way to lie, because, immediately after the accident, you would have no way of knowing if you have been hurt.

Helpful Tip:If you were in fact injured in your accident, you need to call an experienced auto accident attorney. That may sound like an overgeneralization, but you can obtain a free consultation to discuss your claim. If nothing else, they can give you guidance on how to take the next step whether or not you actually choose to hire an attorney.

After you have called in your accident to the claims department for your own insurance provider, you will be contacted by your own claims adjustor. You do not need to be quite as guarded when you receive this phone call. Your insurance company is there to protect you. They will assign an adjustor to handle your property damage to your vehicle, and probably a different adjustor to handle you PIP matters if you live in Utah.

The property damage issue is quite easy to take care of. Your insurance company will pay to get your car fixed. They will likely seek reimbursement later from the other driver’s insurance company if you were not at fault. You don’t need to worry about that. Your adjustor will likely recommend a body shop to get an estimate. You do not have to use their body shop, but it may make the process much quicker if you do. You also do not have to fix the car, assuming that it passes inspection. After you get the estimate, and give it to your insurance company, they will write you a check. You could choose to just pocket the cash.

Once the property damage issue is resolved, things get much more complicated. Determining fault and valuing claims for bodily injuries are both matters that require a personal injury attorney. Prior to choosing one, some important things to keep in mind are that you always want a police report at the scene of the accident, and you must never sign anything you receive from the other driver or his insurance company.

This article is offered only for general information and educational purposes. It is not offered as and does not constitute legal advice or legal opinion. You should not act or rely on any information contained in this article without first seeking the advice of an attorney.