About Claims
Insurance is one product in life that we buy hoping we'll never need it. The sad news is that, in the times we do need the insurance, chances are the company you paid to protect you and your family will be your adversary rather than your rescuer.
It is the job of the insurer to restore you financially. This doesn't mean that they will agree with your understanding of exactly what that means. You will need to prove your losses to them in order to have the things you've lost replaced.
Do Not Compromise Quality
When you are making a collision claim, you may find that a shop within your provider's network of preferred repair centers might be able to fix your car more quickly because he doesn't have to quibble with an adjuster over the cost of repairs. The downside of that is that these providers have an agreement with insurers to keep costs involved in the repairs down, which may result in lower quality. Find a repair shop with a good reputation or one that you trust to complete the repairs rather than going with any repair shop simply because they are on the list of approved repair shops.
Make sure you aren't getting ‘generic' parts for replacements. This is particularly necessary when those parts are hoods or fenders as they will not fit properly nor will they prevent rust they way original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts will. Make sure you see the repair order and argue against any parts that are not OEM parts; chances are that your demands will be met on this issue if you stick to your guns.
If your insurer still refuses to supply OEM parts and you have a costly car you should have an appraisal performed in order to determine how the repair with these parts will affect the value of your car. Your policy should allow you to receive the difference between the old and new value.
There are some instances in which the insurance company will decide that your car is ‘totaled'. This means that the amount of money required to repair your car is greater than the amount of money that would be required to replace the car with a car of the same age. In this case, the insurance will pay the value of the car rather than paying for the repairs.
Cars are valued as though they were in average condition prior to an accident. If your car was in mint or exceptional condition before the wreck you will need to provide proof in order to support the fact. You probably shouldn't purchase comprehensive coverage on a car that has already been totaled because it will be very difficult to prove that a car that has been ‘totaled' twice has any value that merits compensation to the insurance company.
Information Is The Best Protection
When you are making a claim, you need note as many records as you can find. After an accident you should take down names, license numbers, and witness information. You should also record your version of what happened before you forget pertinent the details and take photos if at all possible. You need to get a copy of the police report and call your insurer immediately. You should also keep records of all calls and conversations with your insurance company as well. You need to also record and keep track of all expenses that are related to the accident (medical bills, home care, baby-sitting, even housekeeping expenses that may be covered by some policies).
Read, Read, Read
You should know your policy inside and out because knowing before an accident what is covered will help you understand your settlement better and receive greater satisfaction from your settlement. You should also be sure you pay careful attention to the exclusions in your policy so that you are also well aware of things that are not covered.
You should read through all of the material and understand it. Knowledge is the difference between comfort and calamity in many cases.
You should also make sure that you report teenagers that are preparing to drive immediately to your insurance company. It will cost more but it pays to have the added protection and the knowledge that, if your child is in an accident, your insurance company isn't likely to deny your claim or drop you the next day. It is difficult to try to find new insurance coverage once you've been dropped from another policy.
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