The moment after a car accident is an unsettling experience. The chaotic event can be life-changing. Even if the injuries were not serious, victims still have a laundry list of “to-dos” post-collision. After alerting your insurance carrier about the crash, one of the more challenging is conversations with the insurance adjuster from your provider or the other driver’s insurer.
Additionally, supporting your claim is paramount, specifically documenting damage with pictures and repair estimates.
Initial steps
Contacting your insurer is paramount, mainly if injuries are considered severe, or property damage occurred. Not reaching out to your insurance provider could represent a policy violation and impact or end your coverage. Simply put, the sooner you reach out, the better.
Most policies require policyholders to report a car accident promptly. The reporting time frames may be brief, with some insurers requiring a timeline of 24 hours. Failing to meet the deadline could result in denial of your insurance claim.
Certain challenges
Inevitably, a conversation with the insurance adjuster will occur. Knowing what you say and, more importantly, what not to say is essential. The adjuster is not an advocate. They work for the insurance company and can still deny the claim. Talking about the accident should be limited to where and when it occurred and contact information of the other driver, their insurer, and the reporting police officer’s name and report numbers.
The best strategy is to keep things simple and stay with the basic information, such as name, address, policy number, and other data that won’t impact the outcome. Personal details should be avoided altogether.