Avoiding The Pitfalls Of Insurance Claims

Disaster strikes! Your car has been in an accident! That's your baby, your transportation! But its OK because you have insurance, right? After you get over the stress of the accident itself and you've settled down, you call your insurance agent. Good so far. Then they tell you that you have to call the claims department and that they are not allowed to help you further. Now you begin to worry.

Before you get too worked up, take a breath. These days, submitting a claim to your auto insurance agency is really not that painful a process. Most companies have developed efficient, fair processes for handling claims. It saves them money, and good customer service helps them keep the premiums flowing in.

Agencies usually develop relationships with body shops and other repair shops in your area. They will know who does good work for an honest price. Your insurance company will ask you if you have a particular shop you'd like to work with, but it's usually best to go with their suggestion. If it is a shop they have a relationship with, they may be able to take care of the entire process by phone.

In fact, you may have very little to do with the whole process. Most claims are processed \"behind the scenes,\" with the insurance companies and shops doing all their work, and then simply asking you to authorize the work. Many times, all you have to do is sign the repair order.

Even with all the conveniences today, when submitting a car insurance claim, you need to be a discerning customer. Make sure that the repair order fully covers the damage to you car. Sometimes damage can be hidden. A superficial bang can often mask the true problems. Discuss this with your repair shop before and after the work is done. Also be sure to fully inspect your car before you drive it off the lot. Submitting a car insurance claim twice for the same accident is always more troublesome.

There are cases in which the decision process about repairs will not be handled by the insurer, but a third party. This is especially true when there is the possibility that repair costs are greater than the value of the vehicle. If this option seems likely, do some research to find out the fair market value of your car in the local market. You can go online to do this, talk to a local dealer, or a local bank loan officer may be able to help.

There are some agencies that outsource claims to a third party. This is especially true if the damage to your vehicle is significant and a decision to replace rather than repair is made. These third parties make their pay by keeping the cost down. If you are in this situation, prepare yourself for their ploys. Know the value of your vehicle in the area you live. There are many online resources that can help you or you can talk to the loan department of your banking institution.

Don't worry too much, though. Most of the time, submitting an auto insurance claim is a quick and straightforward process. If it isn't, and you feel you were poorly treated, take your business to the competition and show you insurance agent what you think of their service.

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