How to Access Accident Car Claim Insurance Liability
A person is killed in a car accident every 13 minutes in the U.S., reports Car-Accidents. Since many states require people who drive to have auto insurance coverage, many of these car accidents result in insurance claims. If you are the at-fault driver that caused injury to someone, then you could be sued for damages. Having auto insurance with adequate liability limits will usually pay for lawsuit settlements to third parties on your behalf.
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Instructions
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Review your auto policy liability limits. Your insurance carrier will usually send you a declaration page (a document that lists your insurance coverage) when you start your auto policy. If you do not have this document, then contact your insurer to get a copy. The declaration page lists your auto limits of liability so you to know the maximum amount your insurer will pay to injured third parties on your behalf in case you are sued. The third party in an accident is the person who has incurred damages due to your negligence while driving.
The two forms of limits of liability are single and combined. With single limits, the policy will pay each injured third party separately and base the payout on a maximum amount per person. Combined limits pay one lump sum per occurrence or accident. (Reference 3) Your auto policy liability coverage will pay up to a predetermined amount for bodily injury (physical damage to someone else) and property damage (destruction to someone's property). (Reference 4)
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Make a police report. If the injured party did not make a policy report, then you should call the police to report the accident. It is best to call the police before leaving the scene to ensure that authorities collect all applicable evidence for an accurate report.
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Call your insurance company claims department to report the accident. Whenever an auto accident occurs, you should immediately report the incident to your insurance carrier. Your insurer's customer service or claims number should be on the back of your insurance card. When speaking with the insurance company, indicate the specific details of the accident such as the location, time of day, and exact location.
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File a claim. Be sure to advise your insurance carrier that you want to file a claim. While on the phone with the customer service representative, you should get a claim number before the end of the call. Document this number for your records and write down the name of the representative with whom you spoke.
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Provide any documentation to your insurance carrier such as medical records and the police report. This will help your insurer to process the claim and aid the adjuster in investigating the claim. The claims adjuster is a professional who works for the insurance company. He makes decisions about whether a claim should be paid.
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Communicate with your insurance adjuster. If the injured party sues you for damages, the adjuster will either pay the injured party or deny the claim. Either way you will be notified. If the claim is paid, the injured party will received a payout up to the maximum limits of liability of your auto policy.
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Tips & Warnings
Contact your auto insurance agent at each policy renewal period to review your limits of liability to ensure you are adequately covered.
References
- Car-Accidents.com: Car Accident Statistics
- Online Auto Insurance: What is an Auto Insurance Policy Declaration Page?
- CarInsurance.com: How does split limit differ from combined / single limit insurance coverage?
- CarInsurance.com: Insurance Coverage Definitions | Car Insurance Coverage
- U.S. Department of Labor: Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators
- Photo Credit car crash image by dawn from Fotolia.com
