Auto Claims-Learning by Experience

"Consumer Information on Insurance Claims"

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Learning by Experience

I have been appraising cars now for over 20 years ( the thoughts of that make me feel old). Well, anyway I feel the Internet offers a rare forum for sharing knowledge and ideas. In this section of our website, I will share with you some of my experiences and insights related to the automotive appraisal business. Hopefully, by sharing this information I can save you some aggravation and maybe some money, too. I am using a bold type, because at age 42 my eyes need all the help they can get, maybe yours do too.

Meeting by Accident

Appraising cars in the field allows the appraiser to talk to many thousands of people that have had the misfortune of being in an accident. For many,this is a first time experience. There is a common thread to almost everbodies "tale of woe" that I think we can all learn from when faced with being in an accident.

Numero Uno: If at all possible try and have a Police Officer complete an Accident Report. The other person may beg you to not call the Police, but believe me, more than one person has changed their story after the fact. Many people rethink things after the shock of the accident (or speak to their spouses) and than suddenly the light that was "red" is now "green". Call the Police and protect your interests!

Numero Two: What really makes a lot of difference to Insurance Companies is other witnesses. As chaotic as the accident scene is, try to obtain the names and phone numbers of anybody that might have seen the accident. The initial witnesses tend to disappear rather fast, so try and obtain this information as soon as you can. If there are no witnesses, it could turn into your version versus theirs.

Numero Three: Some people may try and settle with you without getting the Insurance Company involved. This usually works until you get an estimate from the body shop. All of a sudden, the party that hit you thinks you're nuts. At this point 2 weeks have gone by and the other party is getting harder and harder to reach. Try to avoid this option. Most people get nailed this way. Now you have got to put a claim through the other persons Insurance Company (if you ever did get the name, policy number, etc.)

Numero Four: If your car is disabled in the accident, be careful who tows it. At the scene be sure and get the information as to the tow companies name, address, etc. You would be surprised how many people do not have a clue where their car is a week after the accident. Keep in mind that in most cases you can request your own tow service. Also, you are not obligated to have your car repaired at the towing facility. If you have a body shop you are more comfortable with, call them and have them retrieve your car. The tow company is entitled to the original tow and a reasonable amount of storage per day. That's it!

Topics to follow:
Filing Your Insurance Claim
-Choosing a Body Shop
--Dealing with the Appraiser

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