Dealing with an insurance company after a car accident is a hassle and can be time-consuming. However, before you even get to the claim part itself, there are several important steps you need to take to help maximize your car accident settlement. Here are some tips that should help you get through the process.
What to do after a car accident
1. Get to safety. Do the best you can to get to a safe area so you aren’t in danger of traffic. Make sure you put your hazard lights on if you are able to.
2. Call 911. Check for injuries to yourself and others. Call 911 to get an ambulance and police to the scene.
3. Gather Information. This is an important step. You will want to get as much information at the scene as you can. If you don’t get the other driver’s information, it can prevent you from filing a claim because you either don’t know who their insurer is or you don’t know who they are. You will want to collect:
• Other driver’s name and address;
• Other driver’s insurance company and policy information;
• Copy of driver’s license and registration;
• Statements and contact information from witnesses;
• Pictures of the accident scene
We recommend using your smartphone’s camera to take pictures of all of the above (front and back of the license, etc.). This way all of it can be stored right on your phone for easy transfer. Some car insurance company apps even have a checklist you can use.
4. Seek Medical Attention. This is another extremely important step in maximizing your car insurance claim. You want to get a full diagnosis of treatment for your injuries. Sometimes injuries can take weeks to manifest themselves. But it is still important to get to a doctor right away to assess the damage. This way, when you speak with the insurance company you will have a solid grasp on the extent of the situation.
5. Contact the Insurance Companies. Every car insurance policy has a duty to notify your insurer that you’ve been in an accident. You must contact them immediately. If you plan on hiring a car accident attorney, don’t speak with the at-fault party’s insurer yet. They will try to get you to say things that hurt your claim. Once you hire an attorney, they will handle the communication with the insurance company. If you decide to handle the claim yourself, make sure you only stick to the facts of what happened.
6. Gather Information. You will need to collect medical bills, medical records related to the accident, paystubs, property damage estimate or actual invoice, and anything hard costs you’ve incurred due to the accident (ex: rental car). You will also need to have the facts of what happened, including the time, place, date, photos of the scene, a copy of the police report, and names and addresses of those involved. If you have witnesses, you can use their statement to back your claim.
7. Investigation. The claims adjuster in charge will begin their investigation. They will assess the damage to the vehicle and your damages. It is important to note here that if you are handling this yourself, insurance companies will use tricks like trying to get more of your medical records than they are entitled to. They will also delay in getting back to you in hopes of trying to find something to use to diminish or deny your claim. The investigation process must be conducted in a reasonable time, but can be very frustrating for accident victims who are in need of money.
8. Settlement and Release. If you aren’t at fault, the insurance company will offer you a settlement. Typically, the first offer is not the best. Make sure you have a clear idea of what your damages are. Many people who are handling their own claim look at things subjectively instead of what the numbers are. One way of coming up with an offer is to take your hard costs (medical bills, lost wages, car damage, rental car) and then multiply by 3x. For example, if the hard costs totaled $10,000, you would ask for $30,000. This doesn’t mean you will get it, but it’s a good starting point. Once you have agreed on an amount with the insurance company, they will send you a “Release.” This means that they will send you a check for you agreeing not to sue in the future. It’s extremely important to make sure you’ve recovered to the maximum you can, because once a release is signed you will not be able to sue for anything else that happens. (Ex: you sign a release without getting a full diagnosis and find out surgery is necessary. You will not be able to seek reimbursement for those medical costs after a release is signed).
Insurance companies play tricks with people all the time because their business is to make money. They do this by finding ways to poke holes in claims. Even if you decide to take it on yourself, almost all car accident attorneys will give you a free case evaluation or consultation.
If you’d like to talk to us about your claim or have questions about the process, please feel free to give us a call at (916) 619-5452 or fill out our case evaluation form online.
