Tips for making an auto insurance claim
“I don’t think I was at fault.”
That was what I told the tow truck driver before we went to file the police report. After driving for 11 years, I got into my first accident in June of 2015. I wasn’t sure how the process worked. I was nervous and stressed out as we all headed towards the police station to make a report. I was especially concerned about making an auto insurance claim.
Here’s what I learned about making an auto insurance claim:
You don’t have to file an auto insurance claim for every accident
Before making an auto insurance claim, it’s important to remember that you can settle things on your own. You can exchange information with the other party involved and settle it between the two of you. If there was nobody else involved, then you can repair the damages on your own without bringing your insurance company into it. Not every situation is worth reporting.
You need to gather all relevant information
It’s important that you take account of everyone involved in the process. These days it’s easy because you can take pictures of everything (the cars, the damage, and the insurance policy documentation of those involved).
Here’s the information you need after a car accident:
- Contact information of everyone involved (especially witnesses).
- Exact location.
- Pictures of the damage.
- What led to the accident.
- Possible injuries.
Your insurance company will ask you tons of questions. You need to be prepared for them.
If you are making an auto claim after an accident, there should be a report
Your insurance company wants all the facts before they decide how to proceed. In some cities, you have to visit the collision centre to file a report. In other municipalities, you might have to go to the actual police station.
Once you complete the report, you need to either get a copy of the report or find out how to obtain a copy when it’s ready. In my case it took forever to finally get my hands on the
report because I had to go pick it up from the head office.
Don’t do anything before you speak with the claims adjustor
As tempting as it is to bring your car to your friend’s auto shop down the street, you’re going to have to wait until the person in charge of your claim calls you. I waited until the claims adjustor called me. They told me exactly where to go with the car for an estimate. The insurance company has auto shops that they work with.
Wait to see what happens next
It’s pretty annoying, but you have to wait to see what happens next. The claims adjustor will do a full review of the situation. You’ll be instructed on where to bring your car. You drop off the car and get a rental for the duration of the repairs.
Check into your policy.
As the process was going on, I looked through my policy just to analyze the possible options. I was relieved to find out that my insurance company in Ontario allows me one “at-fault” accident without increasing the rates. I wasn't sure if I would be deemed to be at-fault or not.
Good luck making your auto insurance claim. Remember that your insurance provider isn’t out to get you. Try to get everything in order so that you can present your claim in a clear manner.