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| Insurance Claims - Do's and
Don'ts |
If you have been involved
in any kind of accident in which someone has been injured or
killed, whether it is an auto accident, 18 wheeler accident,
explosion, or fire, you will inevitably have to deal with your
insurance company as well as the insurance agents of others
involved in the accident. Filing an insurance claim and handling
insurance adjusters can be intimidating and confusing as well
as frightening. In an event, we have prepared a list of "Do's
and Don'ts" which may you may find helpful.
 Do
contact your insurance company as soon as possible after the
accident or injury as possible.
Do
take time to read your insurance policy and understand it.,
paying particular attention to the "Coverage" and
"Exclusions" sections.
Do
get as many details of the accident as possible, including taking
pictures of the damaged vehicles, the accident scene,
the injuries sustained and collecting the names and numbers
of any witnesses to the accident.
Do
get the insurance details of any other person or vehicle involved
in the accident.
Do
keep a written account of any conversations and dealings with
the insurance adjusters, agents, lawyers, company
officials and any other people involved in the claims process.
Make sure to get the names, titles, and phone numbers
of everyone you speak with about your claim.
Do
save receipts and bills for any and all expenses relating to
your claim, bills for any repair work on damaged
vehicles, statements for any medical costs incurred on the treatment
of any injuries, receipts for meals, lodging, and
purchases made while pursuing your claim or recovering from
your injuries from the time of the accident until final settlement.
Do
take the time to review all your insurance policies to see if
you may have more than one insurance policy that
provides coverage for the particular accident or injury. Be
sure to also review materials that come with your
credit cards.
Do
be honest with your insurance carrier. Failing to be honest
with your insurance carrier might invalidate your
policy or cause a denial of coverage.
Don't
admit to any kind of liability on your part. Liability is affected
by different circumstances. It is not your duty
or obligation to admit fault. The facts and evidence will determine
liability.
Don't
give anything in writing to any insurance adjusters or
agents, whether your own or the other party's, if
you do not understand any part of your policy or claim.
Don't
let any time limits to file your insurance claim run out. All
insurance companies require you to file an insurance
claim within specified periods of time after the accident or
injury. Don't disregard this time limit or else
your claim may not be considered valid.
Don't
accept their estimates without doing some estimation of your
own. Insurance companies try to give you estimates
of losses that are lower than your actual losses. Insurance
companies will often try to get you to accept their
estimator's or contractor's repair or replacement estimates,
which might be a bit low.
Don't
sign any document that is a release or a waiver of any kind.
If you are not sure about what you are being asked
to sign, consult an attorney.
Don't
take any check as a full and final payment unless you
are certain that it is a fair compensation for your
losses. A bad financial situation after a major loss may make
it seem necessary for you accept a premature, inadequate
settlement.
Don't
give any recorded statements to your insurer if you do
not think you understand the insurance coverage.
You are not required to allow the insurance company to record
your telephone conversation. If you have doubts,
consult an attorney.
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