Car Crash Claim Checklist: Determine Damage and Advice for the Best Settlement

Making a car crash claim can appear to be a daunting prospect when it is not something that you have been through before. Being aware of the process and how to proceed with it can help you understand what to expect.

Accident

The circumstances of the accident will determine whether you are entitled to make any accident compensation claims. You should still be able to make a claim if the accident was partially your fault.

Vehicle Damage

The damage that the car suffers as a result of the accident will need to be assessed to determine what it will cost to return it to its original condition. If the vehicle has been written off, different steps must be taken to find the total value. The resultant figure will make up part of the compensation for the car crash claim.

Injury

Where injury has resulted from an accident, this will need to be taken into account as part of the car crash complaint. You will need to be examined by a medical professional to determine the extent of the injury and the prognosis. These details will determine what the injury is worth.

Advice

When a car crash claim arises, the insurance company of the third party will sometimes make an immediate offer. This is an attempt to bypass your own insurance company and/or legal advisors, which you should not allow. You will get the best settlement by getting the correct advice.

Related Questions and Answers

Unless otherwise notified, a motor accident claim form does not have to be notarized. Such a claim form is the start of the claims process in an accident, and unless the notary has seen the accident, there is no way that he or she can attest to the statements contained within the form. A notary is needed when there is a legal form such as an affidavit that must be filled out and attested to by an officer of the court. A notarized form may also be needed if there is some disagreement between descriptions of the accident and if there is a court action involved. Also, if there is a suit involved and interrogatories are to be filed with a court, then it is possible that a notarized form will be needed. However, for a standard accident form, there is no notary seal needed.

With an accident claim calculator, yes, there are several you can choose from. These can help to deal with an auto accident. You can find them online. Some of the popular online car accident claim calculators are: Auto Accident Claims and CollisionWizard. As mentioned before, these are just a few of the accident calculators that are available to you, and they will help you out in many ways. For example, you may find that you can get help in filling out forms involved, or if you just have a question you may need answered.

Depending on your car insurance provider, there are a number of different accident claim helplines that you can call for assistance. For example, if you are a member of the American Automobile Association, then you can call 1-800-222-4242, or if you have Liberty Mutual Insurance, you can call 1-800-225-2467. If you have Progressive Insurance you can contact Progressive at 1-800-776-4737. These are just three examples of lines you can call for immediate assistance. Other major vendors who offer help lines include AllState Insurance, State Farm Insurance and most others. One way to find out if there is a hotline available is to dial 1-800-555-1212 and ask if there is a listing for your particular insurance company.

An auto pedestrian accident will most assuredly be covered by your car insurance, even if the pedestrian was to blame. Yes, there are accidents in which pedestrians can, not looking both ways in traffic, walk into the side of your car and be injured. For the most part, though, the assumption in just about every jurisdiction is that since you are the driver you must be in control of your vehicle at all times, and if a pedestrian is injured by your vehicle then your car insurance must cover that accident. It is true that each state or local jurisdiction has its own coverage dependencies, but, by and large, the general overriding assumptions are the same. In other words, if a pedestrian is hurt by your car, your insurance coverage must honor the claim.

For the most part, a claim after a car accident is usually made within 72 hours. The reason for this time limit is because this also coincides with the filing deadlines for insurance forms following an accident that involves property damage or injury. The hurdle that property damage claims must clear is not very high, as they have to be more than $200. The same applies to injury claims. As long as there is an injury claim, the claimant has met the hurdle and it is then up to the insurance company, in consultation with doctors and other health practitioners, to determine the insurance level. This is a general rule, and it while it covers most states, it may vary in some others.