When you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, you can file a car insurance claim in order to get some compensation that you can use to repair your car. Depending on who is at fault for the accident, you may or may not get a substantial sum of money. Unfortunately, there are a number of different factors that can hurt your car insurance claim, including the ones listed below.
Fault
Car insurance companies look closely at who was at fault for an accident. In order to prove who was at fault, you’ll need some sort of police report. You can also make a statement regarding what happened. It will be between both insurance companies to determine who is at fault and who will be receiving compensation. If you were involved in an accident but were not at fault, you have the potential to get the amount of money that you’re looking for. If you were at fault, you’re likely going to get less money than you would like. For example, if it can be proved that you were distracted while driving, your insurance claim will be negatively impacted. According to St. Louis Federal Bank, you’ll want to make sure you have liability coverage, which pays for any damage you might cause in an accident if you are at fault.
Police and Medical Records
You want to gather every bit of information and documentation that you can. After the accident has taken place, you should think about calling law enforcement to come to the scene. Their report is incredibly important because the officers involved will interview both parties. You can get a statement from the doctor who treated you at the hospital as well. According to The Cagle Law Firm, failing to seek medical treatment immediately following an accident can hurt your claim by not making your injuries seem as serious. There’s also the chance that you’re injured, but you may not know that you’re injured at the time. Adrenaline in your system post-accident can really make a big difference in how you feel. Once that adrenaline high runs out, you can end up feeling quite sore.
Witness Reports
If there were people on the road at the same time the accident occurred, you would benefit by getting statements from them. It can be hard to get this information unless someone stops their vehicle to see if you’re alright. Most people like to continue on their way once they see that everyone is okay. A lack of witness reports can be harmful because an insurance company will assume it was a general accident where nobody was at fault. According to Justia, a witness filing a report can help the insurer to make a definitive decision regarding who was at fault.
If you have been involved in a vehicular accident, you should contact your insurance company right away. They can provide you with tips regarding the information you should try to gather before you leave the scene. Once you have made it home after being checked by a doctor, you can contact an attorney to see if there’s anything they can do to help your case. They’ll be able to give you a good prediction of what you can expect from your claim.
If you’re in the market for car insurance, TCG Solutions can help. Get a quote from us today!
