When You Have To Make A Claim | Auto Finance

By SteveJohnson
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Oh, no! Your car's been in an accident! You have insurance - does that mean everything will be ok? You calm yourself down enough to make a quick call to your insurance agent. That seems to be going OK, until they tell you that they can't help you, and you've got to call the claims department. What will they ask? What will they say? Now you really start to worry.

Before you get too worked up, take a breath. These days, submitting a claim to your auto insurance agency is really not that painful a process. Most companies have developed efficient, fair processes for handling claims. It saves them money, and good customer service helps them keep the premiums flowing in.

Agencies usually develop relationships with body shops and other repair shops in your area. They will know who does good work for an honest price. Your insurance company will ask you if you have a particular shop you'd like to work with, but it's usually best to go with their suggestion. If it is a shop they have a relationship with, they may be able to take care of the entire process by phone.

Usually, your claim will be processed without much involvement on our part. The repair shop will work directly with the company in terms of quoting repair costs and getting the insurance company's authorization. All they may need from you is a signature so that they can go to work on your vehicle.

Still, you need to protect your own interests. Before you sign that order, talk to the repair shop and make sure that they have carefully assessed the damage. Sometimes a small problem has a larger problem lurking beneath it. Also, when you pick up your car, inspect all of the work, and make sure nothing is left undone. It is very difficult to convince the shop and the insurer that a problem is related to the accident once you've driven the car away.

There are cases in which the decision process about repairs will not be handled by the insurer, but a third party. This is especially true when there is the possibility that repair costs are greater than the value of the vehicle. If this option seems likely, do some research to find out the fair market value of your car in the local market. You can go online to do this, talk to a local dealer, or a local bank loan officer may be able to help.

Some agencies outsource their claims, meaning that another company is actually in charge of making the decisions regarding repair. This is especially true if there is a possibility that the car will be declared \"totaled.\" If this is the case, make sure you know what the true value of your vehicle is. You can talk to a bank loan officer, a car dealership, or use the internet to get an idea of what this is.

Take heart though when submitting a car insurance claim. Most agencies have straight forward claim processes and will be more than helpful as you work through a difficult time. If you don't get the great service you expect, vote with your feet and take your business elsewhere.

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