Experiencing an accident is a terrible thing on many levels. One of the ways an accident can be exceedingly awful is if your insurance claim is denied. There are several reasons why accident claims are rejected, but you can do a few things to help increase your chances of a successful claim.
Not Seeking Immediate Medical Attention
If you need to see a medical professional after an accident, do it. This is important not only for your overall health but for the insurance claims process. You will need documentation to prove any injuries sustained from the accident were the result of the accident.
Not Informing The Doctor Of Anything And Everything That Hurts
Some injuries take time to reveal themselves fully. Giving your doctor all the information you can upfront can help reduce this time and get you the treatment you need as soon as you need it. You might be stressed and wanting to handle other things at the moment, like the work that you’re missing or who’s going to be picking your kids up from school, but even something small, like a twitchy muscle, can be important. If you later find you need to claim the injury as it has proven harder to deal with than you initially thought, it will be difficult to claim that injury if you didn’t mention it to the doctor after the incident.
Not Keeping Track Of Information That May Be Useful
Starting right at the accident scene, it is important to note down all of the available information, taking photos on your phone if you are able. You would be surprised how faulty our memories can be, especially in emotionally charged situations. You may be entitled to compensation for many reasons, including lost income, being unable to continue serving as the primary caregiver in your home, medical expenses as a result of an injury, rehabilitation expenses, the wage of a needed attendant or aid, as well as additional expenses like the cost of family visits during medical care, housekeeping, maintenance, and lost or damaged property. Because of this, it is in your best interest to keep records of related expenses and missed opportunities, including your receipts. Maybe you also want to take photos of the damage (to you or your property).
Not Seeking Professional Guidance
There are many aspects of the insurance claim process that can be daunting and easy to mess up. Sometimes casual phrases uttered out of shock or habit can imply a fault in an accident. Sometimes knowing how statements will be interpreted can make a big difference in an insurance claim. You should speak to a professional about how to best handle your particular accident and claim.
Not Understanding The Claim Process
This is a broader one, but very important as it can affect your claim in many ways. Of course, you are stressed and uncomfortable, but directing that frustration towards those who work along the insurance claim pipeline is not going to help. (In truth, this might further slow the process. No one likes to help those who are speaking harshly to them, no matter if it’s their job or not.)
Make sure you understand:
- What information is needed to file a claim and the recommended method of filing. (You don’t want to wait in a long line or on hold on the phone for an hour only to realize you need to gather other material and do the entire wait again).
- Your policy. Read through your insurance policy. If you don’t have a copy, it should be relatively easy to download a copy from your provider online. If you were wondering, COVID-19 might impact your insurance).
- A claims adjuster will be assigned to you and might ask for additional information.
- How your insurance company determines fault.
- How the police act after an insurance decision is made. Sometimes convictions or charges can be administered.
- How the results of the process will affect your insurance moving forward.
- What you can do if you disagree with the insurance company’s decision.
Interacting With Other Members Of The Incident
Yes, accidents are frightening and stressful, and you likely have a lot of pent up emotions begging to get out. The other party in the accident is not the right person for this. Neither is social media. Neither is the other party’s insurance company. If you are wondering, insurance companies are absolutely accessing your social media data. If you end up going to a hearing or court, any text messages, phone calls, emails, or words exchanged can be brought up (and likely will be). If they send you messages, screenshot them and do your best not to reply. Yes, this is hard. Do it anyway.
There you have it, six vital things to keep in mind when dealing with the struggle of an accident and the ensuing insurance claims. Of course, every person’s accident is different and so every insurance claim is also going to be different. In no way, this article replaces professional legal advice tailored to your particular scenario and is meant to serve as a jumping-off point.