When you have been in a car accident, a work accident, or have damage to your home or business, filing an insurance claim is your first step in regaining any losses you may have suffered. After an accident you may feel overwhelmed with everything you’ll need to do, but filing a claim with your insurance company doesn’t have to be overwhelming. So how do you report a claim? What steps do you need to take? Here is some information you should be aware of before filing a claim.
Things to Know Before You Need to File a Claim
Having a good understanding of your insurance policy before you need to use it is important. If you are unfamiliar with the details of your policy when you get in an accident, you likely won’t have the time or energy to investigate before calling your insurance company. Being in an accident is stressful, having major damage to your home is stressful, in both of these situations you won’t want to take the time to understand your policy before calling, so knowing the details of your policy before you need to use it is essential.
Things to Consider Before Filing
Before calling your insurance company to make a claim it is a good idea to be well aware of your deductibles and any penalties you may encounter as the result of a claim. If you’ve been involved in an automobile accident, for example, you may want to consider the cost of your deductible vs. the cost of your damages. In some cases the difference in cost may be minor and you may be better off paying out of pocket for the repairs, and not submitting a claim at all. Why? Because some policies can raise your insurance rates because of accidents, making your overall cost higher in the long run.
In most cases involving a big insurance claim, however, submitting the claim to your insurance is preferable. In car accidents with others involved your insurance will help cover the other driver’s expenses if you were at fault. Likewise, if your car was new or relatively expensive the repairs may be very costly. Each claim is unique and each situation is different. It is important to know your policy and insurance provider well so you can make an educated decision after an accident.
Timing is Everything
Once you know whether or not you’ll be submitting a claim to your insurance company, it is important to submit it as quickly as possible. The sooner you submit your claim the sooner you can get back to life as normal. Time is also an important factor as a surveyor will need to come out and assess the damage, which is best done quickly.
Having a good understanding of your insurance policy before getting into an accident can help make the whole process of submitting a claim much less stressful. Being involved in an accident is stressful enough, so knowing what to do when submitting a claim is essential. If you are in the market for a new insurance company or policy and you need someone to walk you through your options, contact us at Freedom Insurance today! To speak with an insurance agent in Carroll County give us a call!
