What Happens If Someone Files a Claim Against Your Car Insurance
People who have experienced a car accident will be very well aware of the situation created after they are involved in an accident and after causing unintentional damages to another’s vehicle because, in that case, there is a high possibility that the other’s vehicle owner may file a claim against you.
So, generally, in that situation, people always think about What happens if someone files a claim against your car insurance. How will I dispute it if it is incorrect and more? Thus, here in this article, we will provide complete information about what you can do when someone files claims against you, the types of claims, and more.
What is a Car Insurance Claim?
A Car Insurance Claim is one crucial way for someone involved in an accident to seek compensation for repairing the damages and personal injuries that occurred at the time of the accident.
Also, the third party, that is, any cyclist or pedestrian, can have a right to file a claim against you if they have suffered any injuries in the accident.
In other words, a car insurance claim is a way the other person can demand the amount of losses they have suffered in the accident from you, and they also have a right to add their medical expenses.
Types of Car Insurance Claims:
Generally, there are three types of car insurance claims which includes;
- At-fault Insurance Claim:
In straightforward terms, an at-fault insurance claim means that it is ultimately your fault for causing an accident, and here, you do not have a right to dispute it.
- Partial-fault Insurance Claim:
A partial-fault insurance claim is more complicated than the other claims, as here, both parties are equally responsible for paying their losses.
But if the other party is a cyclist or pedestrian, then they do not have an insurance policy for it; in such a situation, you only have to pay for the damages.
- No-fault Insurance Claim:
A no-fault insurance claim means you are not responsible for the accident. So, in this case, you have all the rights to file a claim against someone else, and they cannot dispute it.
What Happens If Someone Files a Claim Against Your Car Insurance, and How Would You Know?
This is one of the common questions many people have, specifically if they are new to this situation; who will inform them if someone claims them?
Thus, here, if you are involved in such a situation and exchange your insurance details with that of the other party’s driver, they will directly inform your insurance company about the claim, and later, your insurance provider will let you know about a claim that was filed against you.
Suppose you have yet to share insurance details with a third party. In that case, they can connect with your insurance firm using your identity and vehicle details and file a claim via an experienced lawyer.
But, here, we suggest never waiting for someone to claim you. Suppose you believe that you, too, are involved in the accident. In that case, your first responsibility is to connect with your insurance company and provide them with all the accurate information about the accident scenario. You get the solution when you inform your insurance provider about the situation.
How Do You Dispute a Car Insurance Claim Made Against You?
As we discussed earlier, there are three types of insurance claims, so it is imperative to check which kind of accident you have occurred; if the accident is entirely your fault, then you don’t have a chance to dispute the claim made against you.
On the other side, in the two different types, you have all the right to dispute the insurance claim, and for that, you can go through the below-mentioned steps:
- Step 1: Review the Claim Information
The first step to dispute the insurance claim is to check out all the details carefully mentioned in the claim filed against you. If you find discrepancies or inaccurate information, you can connect directly with your insurance company or the third party’s insurance company.
- Step 2: Collect the Evidence
Now, after reviewing the details of the claim, if you find that the claim made against you is partially incorrect or false, then your very next and immediate step is to collect the evidence of the accident, such as photos of the damages, witness statement, and even the police report will play an essential role here.
- Step 3: Connect Your Insurance Company
After gathering enough information, you need to contact your insurance company and tell them you want to dispute the claim as soon as possible. Share all the relevant details and the proof you have gathered from your accident scenario.
- Step 4: Cooperate the Investigators
This is one vital step to strengthening your side; you need to cooperate with the investigator, provide them with details about the accident, and give them whatever they demand.
- Step 5: Take Legal Advice
Now, if the dispute process is much more complex than expected, you can also get the help of a well-experienced lawyer, who will help you throughout the process and give you the best solution.
- Step 6: Dispute Resolution Process:
After following the legal advice, if you still cannot solve your disputes, Here, your insurance company will provide you with a Dispute Resolution Process, which means a mediator person will come and try to make everything better between both parties and give an equal solution to you.
- Step 7: File a Complaint
Still, if you are unsatisfied with the solution, you have a right to file a complaint to its state—the insurance department, which will perfectly handle your case and give appropriate solutions.
- Step 8: Communication
Politeness is a must when communicating with the third party involved in the accident, both you and their insurance company, as it can help you find a better and quicker solution to your problems.
Thus, these are the eight essential steps by which you can easily dispute the claim against you.
Will My Insurance Rates Go-Up If Someone Makes an Insurance Claim Against Me?
Several reasons affect your insurance costs after someone files a claim against you. Thus, here we are sharing why you need to pay high premium rates to your company after an insurance claim.
The first thing is that your insurance company will check every detail of the accident you mentioned in the dispute process properly; they will also review all the photos of the damages, police reports, and witness statements.
Now, after a complete investigation, if your company finds that you are 50% or more responsible for creating the accident, then they will pay all the damages expenses to the other party, and on the other side, they will double your premium rates,
If your firm finds you must follow the traffic rules properly, they can also increase your insurance premiums.
Final Words:
So that’s all, dear readers; by the end of this article, we hope that you have all the essential information about car insurance claims. Here, we also share a situation in which you can easily dispute the allegations made against you by following the above-given steps.
We have also provided information about the types of claims and much more here. Finally, we hope you get all the information regarding the car insurance claim. If you have any queries, please feel free to comment in our website comment section.