Do not feel left out if you have never submitted an insurance claim. It is not one of the easiest things to do. Just like most of us out there, your day will come when you will have to deal with an insurance company regarding a claim. Listed below is a step-by-step guide to help you through your first insurance claim experience.
To back up a step, there is one essential step you must take before you ever get to the point of submitting a car insurance claim. Itas of key importance to first get a cheap car insurance quote and to buy the insurance policy (preferably a cheap car insurance policy).
Policy in hand you start on your adventure to your next destination. Your Insurance is in your glove compartment and you are feeling pretty good about all of the money you are saving. Thinking about how much money you are saving and why, you choose to drive carefully.
You are sitting at a stop light thinking about how you need to stop by the drug store on the way home but your too tired, another car slams into the back of you. You are disoriented but ok. First things first, you call the police. With the way the other person is mugging you can tell this is not the first thing they wanted to do. A word of advice though, insurance companies are much easier to deal with when the accident is not your fault and you have a police report saying so.
In case the accident WAS you fault, say you were changing lanes while fiddling with the radio and discussing the familyas Thanksgiving seating chart with cousin Betsy on your cell phone (aNo way! You absolutely canat sit Tom next to Rod, are you out of your mind?!a), you can probably skip that step. Itas likely the other driver will be more than happy to get the police involved.
Police always arrive quickly to a scene. Better to get this over quickly. After the police officer reviews the scene you move your car to the side of the road or near by parking lot. You then wait while he asks the person you hit a series of questions, watching them in the most animated way possible tell him what happened. Next is your turn, you tell him everything and give him your drivers license and proof of insurance.
Once everythingas been cleared up from the scene of the accident, and youare made it home or to another safe place with a telephone, pull out your copy of that cheap car insurance policy and call the number it lists to report a claim. Grab a drink and sit back and enjoy the call-waiting music.
Eventually, a customer service representative will come on the line. Fill this person in on every detail of the accident, however mundane. They will probably ask you to mail them a copy of the police report. The representative will guide you through the whole claimas process, and can explain how the coverage you selected when you set up the policy will work. They can help you set up an appointment with an adjuster to assess the damage and with a body shop for repairs. Soon enough, you will have made it though your first claim and will be back on the road.
Posted under Cars
This post was written by Susan Tanner on November 20, 2008

