Tips for Auto Insurance Claims

• Be sure to document things such as deployed air bags.car crash image by dawn from Fotolia.com
  
  No matter what the reason, it can be a daunting experience to have to file an auto insurance claim. Keep in mind that your insurance is there to protect you against costs or losses, and that filing a claim is usually acting in your own best interests. The claims process is really straightforward, collecting useful information and then passing it all along to the insurance company.
  
  

Witnesses

• Talk to anyone who may have seen the incident. This includes other drivers or nearby pedestrians. Be sure to get a name and contact phone number for each person who will agrees to be a witness so that you can give the information to the insurance company. In some cases, a witness is your only link to the person who was at fault, such as a hit-and-run accident while you were shopping.
  
  

Pictures

• If possible, get pictures of the damage and accident scene. If there is no contest about who is at fault, you will not need pictures, but it always helps speed up the claims process to provide as much useful data as possible. If you have a video recorder in your cell phone, narrate the scene as it is recorded to give viewers some insight into what they should be taking notice of. In a majority of accidents, this type of evidence is not used at all, but it never hurts to make sure you have your bases covered.
  
  

Police report

• Get a copy of the police report. This will include all of the pertinent information about the accident, including the other person's name and insurance carrier, who was at fault, and what charges were filed, if any. In some cases, the officer who fills out the report will give you a copy, but you may be required to pick it up at the local police department. In some cases, there is a nominal processing fee for a copy of the report. It is important that you give your insurance company a copy of this report, as it will be the primary factor determining how and when your claim can be settled.
  
  

Insurance adjuster

• Contact the insurance company and notify it of your incident. You may be asked to bring the car in for an inspection, although most insurance companies have adjusters available who can look at the damage on site, at your work or home, or at the repair center it was delivered to. Talk to you insurance company before calling a tow truck, as the insurance company may have a specific location it would prefer you to use.