Saturday, October 25, 2008

Taking Care Of Car Insurance Claims

By Susan Tanner

When your car is involved in an accident a" no matter whose fault it may be a" you will be required to file a claim with your insurance company. It is illegal to drive without insurance and you should always be knowledgeable of what your coverage takes care of and what it doesnat. Understanding what types of coverage are out there, coverage limits, and deductibles will ensure you come out of an accident unscathed financially.

When purchasing your insurance policy, you should shop around and find cheap car insurance that offers coverage you are comfortable with. Make sure to compare prices, this is done easily online at sites like Geico and Progressive. When you do find yourself needing to submit a claim you may find that one of these two companies has the easiest and quickest way to do so. If you have cheap car insurance, this means you are a savvy shopper, donat always expect that cheap means a lower quality of service.

When you do become involved in an accident, contact your insurance company immediately. Make sure they have all your information correct. Donat implicate yourself as the cause of the accident while on the phone with your insurance representative, this is for a police officer to decide. While on the phone, make sure to make a note of all the instructions you are given. Also make note of any case # you may be given.

Many insurance companies, including Geico, allow you to submit a car insurance claim online. If you are more comfortable with this method, you should utilize this service if it is available. Even if you do call your insurance company on the phone, it is likely that you can follow the status of your claim and get further directions on their website

Should you decide it is necessary to call your provider, make sure to follow the directions you are given in a specific and timely manner. Chances are that there will be a lot of paperwork to organize (depending, of course, on the severity of the accident). You will definitely need a copy of the police report, which you will need to go to the police department to receive a copy of it. Also, if your car has been stolen, hope that you have receipts of all the items you plan to claim. This is the only way you will be reimbursed, minus any deductible you will have to pay.

Other than paperwork, make sure your car is checked out. It doesnat matter how severe or minor the accident was, it needs to be inspected so that an estimate can be made for the repairs. Progressive sends a representative to your home or work most of the time, but this service is not always available. If this convenience is available, take advantage of it. Otherwise most companies will send you to a body shop of their choice for the estimate.

You should have received information from your insurance company about a rental car. Sometimes, if you have really cheap car insurance, this benefit may not be included. It can be an optional choice when you sign up for your policy, an important point as to why you should understand your coverage. If you do have rental car coverage, you can use it while waiting for your vehicle to be fixed.

Once an estimate for repair of your vehicle is made, the body shop will set up a time for you to leave your car with them. Make sure to discuss with them how long they will have your vehicle. When you do go to pick up your repaired car from them, it is imperative to look over the repairs and assure that they have been made to your standards. This is the time to speak up if you are unsatisfied, they should fix anything you are not happy with. - 15275

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