Auto Insurance Claims
After the Wreck: The Joy of Filing
Car Insurance Claims
Okay. You’ve had a wreck.
Now what?
After your teeth quit
rattling, and you realize
you’re not dead, and even
though it felt like you were
hit by something flying at
you at the speed of light,
you need to get a grip on
yourself and take the
following steps:
1. That small voice
in the back of your head is
not just making small talk
if it’s telling you it’s
time to call your agent.
Like now. Even if it’s the
middle of the night and
regardless of who hit who or
whose fault it was. Ask your
agent if you’re covered for
whatever happened – with the
exception of being blasted
by alien space rays, since
it’s unlikely that’ll be a
rider in your policy.
Mentioning you forgot to
wear your special,
anti-space-ray aluminum foil
hat probably won’t help
either, for the same reason.
Even if the accident seems
minor, your insurance
company needs to know, so
don’t hesitate to contact
them. You never know when
someone will develop
incapacitating spinal
injuries from a fender
bender or at least swear up
and down that’s what
happened. The insurance
company may also smell a rat
if you have a future
accident and try to claim
damages from a previous one.
So how do you explain the
left back bumper being
smashed when the car hit you
head on? Don’t risk being
taken off the list of
calendar recipients your
insurer sends out – or even
being cancelled or
non-renewed because your
greediness got the best of
you.
2. Since you’ve
already waked your agent and
have him/her on the phone,
go ahead and find out what
paperwork will be needed for
your claim. Your insurer
will ask for a “Proof of
Claim” form and – if
anyone’s had the presence of
mind to call the police – a
police report.
3. Supply whatever
information your insurer
requests – even if you need
to use your dictionary. We
all know how hard “I ran a
red light” can be to spell.
Fill out the claim form
carefully, don’t use pencil,
and don’t smudge the ink.
Keep good records even if
details drive you nuts. Get
the names and phone numbers
of everyone you speak with
BEFORE you say something to
aggravate them and be sure
to make copies of all bills
having anything to do with
the accident – but don’t
bother with the receipt for
the aluminum foil.
Alien-ray-deflecting hats
are considered out-of-pocket
expenses nowadays.
More things you might need
to ask your agent:
– Are there time limits for
filing claims, submitting
bills or additional
information, for resolving
claim disputes? Or is this
thing going to go on
forever?
– When will the insurance
company contact me? Ever? Or
have they all been abducted
by aliens?
– Are repair estimates
needed for the damage to my
car? Or will the insurance
company just take my word
for it, even though I wear
foil hats?
– Does my policy include car
rental during the time my
car is being repaired, or am
I expected to hitchhike to
work? If it does, how much?
If it doesn’t, can the agent
give me a ride? Will foil be
supplied in the event of the
alien problem?
More and more insurance
companies are making it
possible to monitor the
progress of your claim
online, so check out their
Web site frequently to see
how it’s going if you keep
getting your agent’s voice
mail because, for some
reason, he’s no longer
answering your calls.
Every state in the Union has
its own laws regulating
claims processing. If you
have more questions that
aren’t answered here, you
can always go bother your
state insurance department
at
III.org - State Insurance
Departments, or you can
try your agent again from a
different phone number
he/she won’t recognize. And
be sure you’re wearing your
foil hat – you never know
who’s watching. And even
aliens need a good laugh.
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