Top 7 Things You Need to File an Auto Insurance Claim

While you're well-prepared with adequate insurance coverage in the event of an accident, you may end up having to file an auto insurance claim at least once during your lifetime. Filing a claim can be fairly simple when you have the right set of supporting documents and have taken steps to gather the specific information insurance companies need. Every insurance company has a slightly different claims-filing process, but all of them require you to fill out an official claims form and provide supporting materials. If you are working with a car accident attorney after your incident, he or she can help you file the claim and reduce the chances that your claim gets denied.

Here are the top seven things you need to file an auto insurance claim:

1. Contact information of witnesses. Anyone who saw the accident can be a valuable resource when filing your claim. A witness testimony can support your claim but it's not always easy to get this information. Try and collect contact information at the accident scene so that you can follow up with these individuals later.

2. Police officer's information. It can take several weeks - even months - for an official police report to be sent to your insurance company. However, your insurance company can contact the police officer who was at the scene for more information. They will need the officer's full name, badge number, and the report number if it's available.

3. Photos of damages. Ideally, you'll want pictures from the accident scene so that the insurance company has an accurate idea of what happened. If you didn't get a chance to take pictures at the accident scene, make sure you send along pictures of the damages before your car was towed.

4. Vehicle information of all cars involved. Your insurance company will be able to process your claim more quickly when they have accurate information about the year, make, model, license plates and VIN numbers of all vehicles involved.

5. Condition of the car right after the accident. Was your vehicle totaled, slightly dented, or still drivable after the accident? Provide an accurate description of the condition of the vehicle right after the accident so that the insurance company can estimate insurance costs accurately.

6. Exact location of the incident. Provide the street address, city, and state where the accident occurred, as well as the time of day of the incident. If you can print off a map with the exact location of where the accident took place, even better. This information should also be included in the police report.

7. Number of people affected by the accident. In addition to the driver and passengers in both vehicles, were any pedestrians involved or injured from the accident? If somebody died, which of the deceased's family members will be bearing most of the loss? You'll need to make a list of all people who were affected by the accident and forward this information to the insurance company. This information can help with a fair settlement process.

Sources:

Bankrate.com - 8 steps to filing an auto insurance claim

CarInsurance.com - Simple steps to filing your car insurance claim

21^st Century Insurance - Filing an Auto Insurance Claim after an Accident