Car Insurance Accident Claim: How to Determine to Actual Value of the Damage

If you've been in a car accident of any kind, regardless of the extent of the damage, you will need to file a car insurance accident claim with your insurance company. This is the process by which you inform the car insurance provider you have been in an accident. Using the information presented in the damaged car claim, the insurance company will calculate accident cost figures and determine how much money they will compensate for the loss or damages that have arisen as a result of the collision. It can be difficult for you as a driver to determine exactly how much the damage will cost you, but the best way is generally to trust the examination of experts who are professionals at calculating damage costs on cars involved in accidents of some kind.

The Post-Accident Inspection

After you've gathered up the necessary and pertinent car accident information and communicated with all of the other drivers who were involved in the accident regarding their insurance plans, you are then free to go about your business. You'll want to report the accident to your insurance company as soon as possible. If the laws in your state mandate it, you'll also need to report the accident to the police and/or the DMV in your area.

The typical way a car is valued for damage is by an inspection company recommended to you by the insurance company. In many states, insurance companies are legally required to inform you aren't obligated to have your vehicle inspected or repaired by any particular company that they recommend. Other states allow them to give you a limited list of companies to work with. Be sure to check in with your state regarding this so you have the most flexibility in your selection of inspectors.

Shortly after you've notified the insurance provider company about the incident, they'll provide you with information about potential insurance inspection and damage calculators in your area. Call one or more of them to schedule an appointment.

Visiting the Inspector

When you take your vehicle to the inspector, you should be prepared to give them the full account of the accident, just as you reported it to the insurance company as well. They will examine the car carefully and take photographs to document the condition of the vehicle. Their job is to take note of all of the various things that occurred to the car and calculate the cost of repairing them, including parts and labor expenses as well.

If you feel the inspector has miscalculated the costs of repairing your vehicle, take the car to a separate mechanic for a second opinion. You should then report the second opinion to your insurance company. Be aware if the actual costs of repairing your car are lower than the estimate, you'll need to inform your insurance provider so as not to be committing a form of insurance fraud.