| Car Insurance Facts | Car Insurance Quotes | Car insurance guide | Car Insurance Tips |
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A car accident can be a harrowing and traumatic event. One will be shaken and often not thinking clearly. If you are involved in a car accident, you have to think about your condition as well as the events that took place because you will most likely have to file a auto insurance claim. In order to prepare for the results of a car accident, the following steps should be followed in order to make a proper claim: 1. After an accident, your heart will be racing and you may be disorientated. You need to gather your thoughts and think about how to proceed. If you are hurt, and the car is not a danger such as on fire, retrieve your cell phone and call 911. If there is no emergency such as a serious injury, call the police. Check to see if anyone else is hurt. Ask for people who witnessed the accident to stay and talk to the police. 2. Swap contact information, including phone numbers, license plate numbers, and car insurance details with the other drivers involved in the accident. When the police arrive share all the details you remember about the accident so that they can write an official report that can be given to the insurance companies. Make sure you tell the police officers that you want a report. If the officers won’t do it because the accident took place on the property of an establishment like a store parking lot, then ask the store owner or a security guard to write something up. If you have a camera, take pictures of the accident scene that includes any vehicle damage. 3. Contact your insurance company, even if you are not at-fault. Also, compensation is based on the extent of fault so you need evidence to support your claim. Most insurance providers have a toll free claim number. Make sure you have your policy number available. If the other person is at-fault, you must make a claim. You are entitled to have the insurance company process your claim and resolve any disputes. Your insurance company will advise the other driver’s insurance provider that you are making a claim and seeking compensation. You will have to make a list of all items damaged. If the other driver does not have car insurance, you will have to negotiate directly or go to court. Some experts suggest that if the other party is at fault, you should file claims with both insurance providers. 4. Once you have submitted all of the paper work to the insurance companies, they will sort out the claim. You may have to speak to the other driver’s provider about your recollection of the accident. Your insurance provider will tell you what statement is required. Before you give your statement, write down what you remember about the accident. 5. A claims adjuster will inspect your damaged car in order to assess the costs of the loss. They will also assess if the damage can be repaired or if you require financial compensation. If you are financially compensated, the insurance company will write you a check minus the deductible. A car accident can be a very emotional time in one’s life. It is important to remember that you need to keep yourself together so that you can make the right decisions regarding your physical well-being as well as filing a car insurance claim. About the Author:
Member driven organization delivering roadside assistance, auto insurance Ontario, travel, home and car insurance Ontario.
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Posts Tagged ‘automobile;truck’
Car Insurance: Steps for Making a Claim
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009Will You Have To Undergo A Car Inspection When Getting Car Insurance?
Monday, August 17th, 2009| Car Insurance Facts | Car Insurance Quotes | Car insurance guide | Car Insurance Tips |
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Normally when purchasing auto insurance you probably will only be asked for basic information about your vehicle. You are typically asked to provide the year, make, model and to provide the accurate mileage from the odometer. You will also need to provide some idea as to the condition of your vehicle and project your driving needs. Car owners who travel long distances for work are charged higher premiums than those who drive less frequently. Armed with this basic data and your car or truck Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), the insurance company is able to generate a quote after a quick check of collision history of your vehicle. While you may think your car is in excellent condition, it may be only in average condition. And if you are planning on buying a policy that insures the car for far more than it is worth, you are only hurting yourself financially by throwing money away on expensive yearly policy premiums. Since the insurance company is interested in protecting its interests, they may require you to have your car inspected just to get an overall assessment of the total value of your car. If your car is in excellent condition, they then can match it up with the appropriate blue book value and write you the appropriate policy. However, if you have a leaking radiator, a slipping transmission, or leather seats that have rips and tears in them, the insurance company will most likely downgrade the value of your car and find the appropriate blue book value. Typically vehicle inspections are very rare. The situation that most often tends to draw the extra attention of insurance companies are customers who insure older cars for full-coverage. Such inspections make sense for both insurance companies and car owners. It is in the insurance company?s best interest to verify that vehicles they insure are valued properly and, additionally, it may lead to lower premiums should car owners over-estimate their vehicles? worth. Providing true statement about the amount of damage that the vehicle has encountered, which was not previously claimed is always helpful, as honesty might save you from paying fines or from a serious conviction against Insurance frauds. In case of Inspections by the Insurance companies, if at all they do occur, being honest and then requesting a quote will make more sense, than showing a missing fender which might categorize you under fraudulent activities. This might affect you from renewing your Insurance coverage and might also lead to refusals of quote from Insurance companies in the future. Honesty is the Best policy and Honesty is best for getting policies too! About the Author:
Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator for Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica?s leading car insurance portal.
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First Time 4×4 Insurance Buyers
Monday, August 17th, 2009| Car Insurance Facts | Car Insurance Quotes | Car insurance guide | Car Insurance Tips |
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Different vehicles require different types of insurance. Each type of insurance is specifically geared toward the vehicle it is insuring, whether a motorcycle, truck, or regular car. 4×4 insurance must be tailored to fit the needs of the vehicle and the driver. This insurance is often more expensive than regular car insurance because of the specific risks involved with owning this type of vehicle. Before you purchase a policy you should do as much research as possible to find the best one for you. Your insurance for a 4×4 vehicle will vary depending on exactly how you will be using the vehicle. People who use them as normal day to day trucks don?t have to worry about the extra costs of getting off road insurance. 4×4?s are specifically designed to handle off road driving. Although this can be very fun and exciting, it puts you at much higher risk for vehicle damages and injuries. Make sure your policy covers off road driving before you attempt it. If necessary you can get an all terrain insurance policy for a day or two just to have some fun. The types of 4×4 insurance are not unlike regular car insurance. You have your basic liability, which will only cover what happens to other people and vehicles in a crash. You also have comprehensive and theft coverage which compensates you for damages from vandalism and theft that might have occurred. The highest costing insurance plans will cover the cost for fixing other peoples vehicles and hospital bills as well as your own. Make sure you revise what is in each policy before you choose one because companies will vary slightly within the terms of each agreement. Repairs also make 4×4s more expensive to insure. Parts for these trucks and SUVs are in shorter supply compared to mass produced vehicles. Insurance companies will take this into consideration when they determine how much your 4×4 will cost to fix in an accident. Extra features on 4×4s usually require extra insurance as well. Just like sports cars, add-ons are not traditionally covered by your insurance company. If you would like these parts to be insured you will have to have them added on for an extra cost. Wide screen are very popular types of add-ons that are not usually covered. Check the policy terms to see if it is included or not. If you like to work on your 4×4 you may want to add salvage retention rights to your policy. If you are involved in an accident this gives you the right to keep the parts for other vehicles while still being covered for the damages. This only applies if your vehicle was totaled and you have to get a new one. Salvage retention also lets you put on your own additions and updates without worrying about affecting your insurance coverage. Often times these alterations can cause your insurance to become invalid without specific coverage. Your original 4×4 insurance policy will most likely not include salvage retention rights, so be sure to add it on if you require it. About the Author:
Susan Reynolds is the content coordinator for a leading South African Insurance Provider who specialises in Car Insurance Options.
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