Information About Filing An Insurance Claim After A Car Accident

 Posted on April 11, 2013 in Personal Injury

If you've been involved in a car accident—whether it's a slight fender-bender or a severe wreck—it's important to file an insurance claim as soon as possible. Hiring a car accident attorney can help you work through the often complicated processes, but there are also some basic steps you should know how to handle yourself. The first major rule in filing is not to procrastinate. As soon as the wreck occurs, you should contact the police, or call an ambulance if you or someone else is injured. After this, it is also imperative that you contact your insurance company and tell them the details of the car crash. From this point on, it's best if you only discuss the details with your insurance company. While talking with them, you'll need to provide the basic information such as your full name, your auto insurance policy number and effective dates, and the date the accident occurred. Additionally, they'll need general information (names, telephone numbers, and addresses) of the other driver(s) and/or witnesses. You should also give them the driver's license and license plate numbers of all drivers involved in the wreck. If another driver caused the accident, you have the option of filing a claim with the other driver's insurance company. This is called a third-party claim. Usually, they won't settle your claim until you sign a release for damages—simply put, this release states that the amount they offer you is final. Once it's paid up, you won't receive any additional monetary compensation for the crash. However, there are many more facets that can affect the settlement outcome in a third-party claim; you can learn more from this Illinois insurance guide. Although the basic information above seems simple, you never know when something will come up that can negatively affect the outcome of your insurance claim. Speaking with a knowledgeable attorney can help ensure you receive the most out of your claim. Our offices cover multiple counties in Illinois (DuPage, Kane, Lake, and Will) so contact us today for your free consultation.