How Do Car Insurance Companies Investigate Accident Claims?

If you ever have the misfortune of getting into a car accident, then there are a lot of different things that you need to think about. From taking care of any injuries to thinking about repairs to wondering how you will get around, there are a lot of different things to consider. One concern that may not immediately spring to mind, but which is extremely important, is filing an accident claim. 

Of course, filing paperwork is not the first concern of most people after a car accident, but filing an accident claim can affect all of those other concerns. That is why it is important to retain the services of a lawyer after an accident because they can help you with the accident claim and assist you in dealing with the insurance company. The personal injury attorney in Central Florida, Abercrombie, P.A. can help any residents from that region.

Filing The Claim

Before the insurance company investigates your accident claim, you need to file it in the first place. The first step is to contact the police if you are able to because, not only will they help to sort out the situation and get help for all involved in the accident, they will also record details of the accident in their police report. That police report could come in handy when you file your claim. After calling the police, you should call your insurance company. They will let you know what you should do next and what information you will need to give them. 

If your car is undrivable, then they can arrange to get it towed for you and reserve you a rental car, though this depends on your policy coverage. Once you have filed a claim with your insurance company, they will assign an insurance claims adjuster to ascertain the legitimacy of your claim. If they believe that your claim is valid, then they will help you settle your claim. They will also investigate your claim on behalf of the insurance company. Keep in mind that sometimes the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident will try to contact you, but you do not need to answer them if you don’t want to.

Why Does The Insurance Company Investigate Your Claim?

Insurance fraud is one of the main reasons why insurance companies investigate claims. They want to make sure that you are not making a false claim in order to get the insurance money. If your claim is real, then they will investigate to make sure that it is not exaggerated so that you get more money than you actually need. The instances of either type of fraud are rare, but insurance companies need to investigate them nonetheless.

In some cases, the insurance company will investigate a claim in order to pay as little as possible. An insurance company is a business, and like any business, it needs to make a profit and they do not make a profit by paying out a lot of money. So, they have an incentive to deny or lowball legitimate insurance claims.

How Does The Insurance Company Insurance Company Investigate Your Claim?

The insurance investigator will gather the relevant data about the car accident in order to try and reconstruct what happened. The reason is that they are trying to find out if their re-creation of the accident matches the description of the accident. You should be ready to give them any information that they need and answer any questions that they may ask. Once the insurance investigator starts, they will perform the following tasks:

• Talk to anyone who may have witnessed the accident
• Inspect the damage done to your vehicle
• Visit the scene of the accident
• Examine physical evidence from the accident
• Take a look at your medical bills
• Request a copy of the police report

They will also conduct an interview with you about the accident. They will ask you about the details of the accident, the damage done to your vehicle, and the extent of your injuries. They will ask these questions because they want to find out if your answers match the findings of their investigation. You should answer honestly and let them know if you cannot remember something or are unclear on any details. You should not try to fill in any blanks if you do not know the answer. The interview will be recorded and you can ask for a copy of the recording if you desire. If they ask you to sign anything, do not do so unless you are absolutely certain.

Should You Hire a Lawyer For Your Insurance Claim?

You should if the insurance company is giving you the runaround. If you suspect that the company is trying to give you the lowest payout possible, then you can call a lawyer to negotiate on your behalf. You should definitely call a lawyer if they are trying to outright deny your claim. You can also call an attorney to help you deal with the insurance investigator if the insurance company assigned one to you. 

Sometimes an insurance claim will go smoothly, but if you believe that you are getting any pushback from the insurance company or that they are taking too long to process your claim, then it is time to get an experienced personal injury lawyer involved in your case.