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Filing Insurance Claims After a Car Accident

Posted on 24. Feb, 2010 by Admin in Uncategorized

More often than not, filing a car accident insurance claim is almost as stressful as the accident itself. Insurance companies go through a lengthy process of determining who is at fault, how much the car is worth, how much damage it sustained, and how much the owner should be paid. These four steps can help vehicle owners through the insurance claim process and recover a fair amount from their providers.

Insurance policies

It always helps to know what one is covered for before the accident occurs. Most people have a general idea of their car insurance coverage—some of the more common types are collision, liability, and comprehensive. However, much of the misunderstanding comes in the fine print. Insurance agents can provide a better understanding of the policy and tell clients exactly what they are entitled to. Ideally, it’s best to get informed before an accident occurs, or at least do so as soon as possible after the crash.

Actual cash value

The actual cash value (ACV) is the basis for evaluating property damage sustained by a vehicle after a car accident. It is typically determined through dealer surveys, actual sales records, and online pricing data. Because it is also considered the cost of replacement, factors like taxes and title insurance also come into the picture. These values can vary from company to company, so it may help to do one’s own research and compare quotes with data from other sources.

Rental coverage

Many insurance providers will cover the costs of renting a car while the case is being settled. Not all of them, however, will provide insurance for the rented car as well. That means if a car owner crashes the rented car, he or she may have to pay the full costs to the leasing company, as well as medical expenses for any injuries sustained.

State regulations

Every state has a regulating body that ensures fair settlement for insurance policyholders. These bodies keep watch on insurance companies and make sure they do not cheat or shortchange their clients, provide misleading information, or deny coverage where it is due. Car owners can find a wealth of information from these offices, which can be useful in negotiating claims both with the insurer and in court.

This article is not to be taken as legal advice.

More information available from Texas Car Accident Attorney Kris Barber. Serving clients in Dallas, Texas.

Tags: auto crash, car accident claims, texas car accident attorney