Car Accident Insurance Claims
The Utah Personal Injury Law Firm Blog has posted an article that gives a good idea of what to expect when dealing with insurance companies if you are involved in a car accident.
If an accident is caused by an uninsured (or underinsured) driver and you should file the claim with your insurance company. If that is included in your policy then insurance should pay for all repairs and damages. Everyone should have as much uninsured/underinsured coverage as possible as such a high percentage of drivers in Alabama don't carry insurance or don't carry enough. Talk to your agent about how cheap it is to have as much um/uim coverage as possible.
If your vehicle is decided to be a "total loss," meaning it would cost more to repair than get a new one, insurance should figure out the value of your car prior to the accident and reimburse you accordingly to buy a new car.
They determine the value of the car by finding comparable vehicles as close to your residence as possible. You do not have to accept their first offer and should be prepared to make a counter-demand by finding your own comparable vehicles.
After an accident your insurance premiums may rise. This is normal, especially if you are responsible for causing the accident. Some insurance companies raise rates if you are involved in more than one accident, even if you're not at fault.
As we always say, if you are injured make sure and seek appropriate medical treatment as soon as possible. If you have any questions call us at 205-879-2447 or send us a message through our blog by filling out the contact sheet on the left side of the screen.
