Filing an Auto Insurance Claim

You've taken the time to compare auto insurance quotes and chosen the best policy for you, but accidents do happen and you've just been involved in one. How do you file a claim on your automobile insurance?

Take a deep breath and follow these easy steps:

• Your first action after determining no one needs medical attention is to call your auto insurance agent as soon as possible. You want to find out if you are covered for the loss and your agent will want to know about any accident you are in even if it seems minor at the time.
• Get information from your agent on what steps you need to take and what documentation you need for your auto insurance claim. These forms include a "proof of claim" and police reports.
• Provide your agent all the requested information for your auto insurance claim and be sure to keep records for yourself including names and phone numbers for anyone you deal with and copies of all paper documentation.
• Make sure you ask your auto insurance agent any questions you might have such as, if your policy has time limits for filing your claim, resolving disputes, submitting bills and providing additional information on the claim. Also find out if you need to provide estimates for the damages to your car and if you are eligible for a rental car while your is in the shop.

Sometimes after an auto insurance claim is filed you might have problems settling with your insurer. If that happens be sure to contact your auto insurance company or the head of your insurer's claims department and let them know the nature of the problem you are having with the claim. A dispute with your auto insurance provider is the time your careful record keeping while filing the claim comes to your aid.

Look over your auto insurance policy to find out how to settle the dispute if you don't get satisfaction from your agent, the head of the claim's department or the company. Most likely your case will go to an independent arbitrator, but in extreme cases you might need to consult an attorney as a last resort.

One fear those with auto insurance might have is a concern their premium could go up, or their policy could even be cancelled, after a claim. Claims that result in charges against your policy will most likely cause your premium to increase once you reach a certain dollar threshold, and if your driving record becomes too poor your auto insurance policy could not be renewed. Not reporting an accident, even though it might result in higher premiums, is risky because if the unreported accident turns into legal action against you, your insurer might not honor the policy.