What Do I Do After My Claim is Filed?

Everybody knows what you do after your auto accident happened, file a claim with the auto insurance companies. After this step is done there are many people that don't know where to go or what to do. What should I expect after I have filed my auto insurance claim? This question is posed to me multiple times everyday and I have the same answers for them that I have here for you.

Though you have already described the accident and given a lot of your information to the person that filed the claim, you will likely have to do this a couple of times more. Be ready to get multiple calls from both insurance companies to clarify the description of the auto accident. Calls may be from liability adjusters, vehicle adjusters or injury adjusters. Just be patient and be prepared to repeat yourself.

Understand that regardless of how clear the auto accident was to you or the other party at the scene, the adjuster was not there. They do not know what happened and need you to explain it to them as clearly and accurately as possible. Be prepared for the auto insurance adjusters to ask you to do a statement, recorded or not, and have your answer ready. If you intend to use an attorney be sure to advise the adjuster.

Plan on getting a copy of the police report if one is taken in every auto accident you are involved in. Sometimes the police will not do a report if there are no injuries or if the accident took place on private property, but if they do a report, get it! Insurance companies will attempt to get the report, but it is generally available to the general public much quicker.

Be patient, but be diligent. If you file an auto insurance claim the insurance company must follow up on the claim, but this doesn't always go quickly. Be patient in understanding that it might not be concluded overnight, but be diligent and get regular updates on the progress of the claim.

Last, and absolutely not least, take care of your vehicle in the meantime. The concept of "mitigation" is that you will take proper precautions to ensure your vehicle will not become further damaged after the accident until the insurance company can make a decision. If you don't take care of your vehicle, you could end up footing the bill!