A Step-By-Step Guide To Submitting A Car Insurance Claim

Submitting a car insurance claim can be a very stressful experience. You've probably just been in an accident, which is stressful enough, and now you are worrying about getting everything right so that your claim is approved and you can get back to your normal life. While nothing can make the stress of a claim disappear entirely, insurance companies, especially those offering cheap auto insurance, have made this a much smoother and easier process than it used to be.

The very first thing to do after any accident is to determine whether anyone needs medical attention. Take a moment to assess your own condition, and make sure there is nothing serious that the adrenaline is hiding. If all is well, take some deep breaths and get on with the process of documenting the accident. If there is any sign of injury, make sure that is taken care of before doing anything else.

* Write down the make, model, and license plate of every car that stops at the scene of an accident, whether they were actually involved in the incidence or not. Those who were not in the accident may be important witnesses that you will need later.

* Each driver who is actually involved in the incident should provide their name, address, phone number, and their insurance information. Look at their insurance card and copy down all the information on it, especially the company name, policy number, and company phone number.

* Ask any witness to the event to give you their name, address, and phone number. Also, try to get a brief account from each of them. These can be very helpful later on when the insurance company assembles their account of what happened.

* Write down your own account of the accident, giving as much detail as you can, and working through the events in order, if you can. You can start with the date, time, and where the accident happened. Important details include which lane you were driving in, whether there were any unusual conditions, such as construction or heavy rain, the level of traffic, and so on. Then try to recall the events before, during, and after the accident as accurately and completely as you can.

* It is helpful to have photographs of the vehicles and the scene. You can use a cell phone camera for this, or, if you don't have one, keep a disposable camera in your car. Take pictures of anything that might be relevant; if you're not sure, go ahead and get a picture.

* You should talk to your insurance company as soon as possible after the accident. They will ask you a lot of questions, but their process is very efficient and based on thousands of accident reports, so all you have to do is answer carefully and completely.

* If the police are called to the scene, they, too, will have a set procedure for getting information about the incident. Be patient and polite, and answer their questions as completely and accurately as possible, too. Make sure you receive a copy of the accident report, as this will be important as part of submitting a car insurance claim.

After the accident, it will probably take some weeks before the claim is fully settled. During this time, it is important to check in with your insurance company, to make sure they have all the information they need and that the process is proceeding normally. If they contact you, reply as soon as you can, so that the process isn't delayed. Finally, once the claim is completely settled, talk to your agent about any changes to your insurance.

Accidents are always distressing, but you can relieve much of the stress if you stay calm and follow these steps. Just make sure you check off each one, and soon it will all be taken care of.