Auto insurance coverage is purchased with the intention of protecting a vehicle and its occupants in the event of a collision. The reason consumers are willing to pay high premiums and sometimes endure less than stellar service is so that a company will pay out in the event of damage or loss, limiting the financial hardship suffered by the customer. Despite that, no one likes to make a car insurance claim. Policyholders are worried that their claim will be rejected or delayed, and that their insurance rates will go up no matter what they do. Even if they are not at fault in an accident, many people fear the claims process, and are concerned that their auto insurance coverage will not protect them sufficiently. While it is true that the claims process can be daunting and involve a great deal of paperwork, there are a number of ways to help improve the success rate of a car insurance claim.
The first is to be completely honest. This means that if you were not wearing your seatbelt, say so. When your insurance company asks exactly what happened, tell him. If they ask who was driving and it was not the policyholder, be upfront about that. Insurance companies are very thorough and will find any way possible to avoid paying a fraudulent claim. As a result of numerous cases of fraud and common ways in which it is committed, insurance companies have become very good at sniffing out small and big lies alike. If you choose to lie to the insurance company, they will find out, and your claim will be in jeopardy.
Secondly, be diligent and do exactly what your company asks when it comes to a car insurance claim. If they want a form filled out within three days, have it done and sent in two. If they ask for a particular statement or detail of information about your car, provide it as soon as possible. In many policy contracts, there are stipulations that if certain procedures are not followed within a certain timeframe, a claim can be denied. Even with new state insurance laws in many locations, companies are under no obligation to pay out clients that do not properly file their paperwork. Should a claim be denied, however, even after diligent paperwork and honesty, contact the state's review board and the claim can most likely be heard again and the decision possibly repealed.
While there are ways that a claim can be delayed or denied, being honest and diligent will go a long way to speeding the process and providing documentation for a court case should the matter ever need to be taken further.
