3 Tips for filing a car accident claim

You haven’t had to deal with the stresses of car accidents before now and you’re unsure of what to do. You have insurance but you were just hit by another car and now you don’t what to do next. There are many tips for the moments immediately following an accident but you’re familiar with all of those. What you really want to know is how to file car accident claims with your insurance company.

Don’t worry, it isn’t inherently difficult to do but there are a few tips to help you along the way.

Let the insurance company know
Your first step in filing a claim is to notify your insurance company as soon as possible. If you let all of your bills and expenses stack up, then you’ll have a harder time getting compensated down the road. In fact, your insurance company might have a timeframe for filing car accident claims that if you miss, will result in the company denying you any compensation whatsoever.

Know the terms of your policy
It’s important to understand the terms of your auto policy so as to ensure you receive all of the benefits entitled to you. For instance, some insurance policies require that you make temporary repairs to protect your vehicle from any further damage. Your policy should cover these expenses and so you should hang on to any receipts. It’s also a good tip to take photos and videos of your vehicle before any repairs are made to a have an accurate record of the sustained damage.

You might have to negotiate
Your insurance company might offer you an initial settlement if you sustained an auto injury. However, it may be in your best interest to decline this initial settlement if it isn’t sufficient enough to cover the expenses incurred from your injuries. You can enter into negotiations with your insurance company but if you do, it’s a good idea to obtain legal advice from a personal injury lawyer or car accident attorney.

Obtaining legal advice under any circumstance in which you are trying to receive compensation for your injuries is a good idea. Even if your case doesn’t go to trial and is part of the other 95-96% of personal injury cases that are settled pretrial, an experienced lawyer can be significantly helpful.

If you’re in need of a reputable and experienced law firm in Mission Viejo, give us a call today.