Insurance 101: Filing a Car Accident Claim with an Insurance Company

By Aline Miranda on August 31, 2018

Were you recently in a car accident in California? If so, you are probably trying to figure out how to file a claim properly with an insurance company.

California is a “fault” state. That means that you actually do not use your own insurance company to file a claim in most cases. Instead, the other driver should report the accident to his or her insurance company right away. However, it is often a good idea to let your own insurance company know about the crash as well.

Hiring a San Diego car accident attorney should be one of the first steps you take. That way they can assist with everything that follows in your case. You can use the following tips and suggestions to get you started.

Gather the Necessary Information

Before doing anything else, you will need to gather specific information to make talking with your insurance company easier. You should have your policy number and the start and end date for your policy handy. Next, note down the date and time that the car accident occurred.

You will also need the name and phone number for anyone involved in the accident. Try to get this information before leaving the scene. Lastly, make sure you have also written down the license plate numbers and information from the driver’s licenses for all drivers involved in the car accident. It may not always be possible to get all of this information right away. Your car accident lawyer can help you gather this vital information.

Contact Your Auto Insurance

Now that you have all the necessary information, call your auto insurance carrier to inform them of the accident. Always notify your auto insurance first, not the other driver’s auto insurance carrier. The other driver will generally take care of making their own claim. You will be able to get down your version of the auto accident first, helping to move the process along whether you were at fault or not.

Luckily, California has a shared fault law which means if it was partially your fault, you might still be able to receive some coverage for damages.

Car Inspection

It can be helpful to have your car inspected after filing your claim. This way you can have a clear understanding of what damage the accident caused and how much it will cost to fix. This may also be required to help you get a rental car if you are unable to drive your car after the incident.

Keep any receipts from repairs made on your car before receiving compensation. You will need them to get reimbursed if they are approved by your auto insurance or if the other driver’s insurance company will have to pay them.

Meet With Your San Diego Car Accident Attorney

Although your claim may go through the process smoothly and you receive compensation without question, this is not always the case. Hiring a car accident attorney can help ensure you get the compensation you rightfully deserve. In addition, an attorney may be able to help you get a better result than you would receive on your own. If you were injured in the accident, an attorney will also be able to assist with any issues related to that part of the claim, too.

Talk to a San Diego car accident attorney to help get your case moving forward. Eugene Bruno & Associates offers a helpful case evaluation that can be useful to help you work through your claim. Call today for more information.