Notifying Your Insurance Company of An Auto Accident

Immediate Notification of Injuries

If you or anyone else has been injured or suspect that you may have been injured in the accident, make sure that the insurance company is provided that information as soon as possible. You will want the following information handy when you contact your insurance company:

• Policy number.
• Vehicle Information.
• Personal information including date of birth, social security number, and similar information for any family members involved in the accident.
• Other driver’s exchange of information sheet.
• Accident location and a detailed description of the accident.
• Investigating law enforcement agency.
• Responding paramedic information.
• The treating physician or at least the hospital you were transported to.

Get Medical Attention

Car accidents are stressful situations where adrenaline and shock will often prevent injured people from noticing their injuries and reporting them immediately. If there is any doubt as to the severity of your injury from an accident, you should always err on the side of accepting medical attention. When in doubt get checked out. Additionally, many muscular, ligament and other injuries will become progressively worse the days following the accident.

If no medical treatment was obtained at the scene or on that day, do not hesitate to follow up with a physician when the pain and injury become apparent. For these reasons if your insurance company asks if you have been hurt in the accident make sure to inform them of any trouble areas at that time. If you’re unsure of the extent of the injury, let them know you are experiencing pain or discomfort as a result of the accident.

Answering Injury Questions

If pressed for an answer of whether or not you were injured, the answer should either be yes or that you are not sure. If you answer the question with an affirmative “no” you run the risk of the insurance company attempting to avoid covering the injuries after they do become troublesome. Again, when in doubt get checked out.

In situations where the injury is severe and obvious, if possible and practicable, your insurance company should be notified of that fact either by yourself or a family member. Hospitals will often note whether the medical treatment was necessitated by a car accident and will then submit the bills directly to the insurance company if the proper paperwork is completed. However, in serious injury situations, no releases or paperwork should be signed without first consulting with a qualified accident injury attorney.

Be Careful What You Say

Be careful what you say when filing an insurance claim, even if you’re speaking to your insurance company. Insurance companies are not on your side and will look for any opportunity to devalue or deny your claim. The very people who are insuring you and who agree to pay you in the event of an accident are also the people who review your claim to see if you have grounds to recover compensation.

Insurance companies are skilled at getting out of paying claims and are usually hard to deal with. From the beginning of the insurance claim process, it is important that all the right steps are made. If you make a misstep with an insurance company, it can cost you greatly. To learn more read 8 Things You Should Know About Insurance Companies.