While no one expects to be in an accident, we should nevertheless all be prepared for the realities,and paperwork,of dealing with one. "It's important to remember that the insurance company or their agent wasn't there to see what happened," Jackson points out. "Oftentimes, however, we have an expectation that the agencies that have been established to assist us in the case of emergencies somehow possess psychic abilities. While the events are perfectly clear in our own minds because we were on the scene, communicating that to an agent or claims adjuster sometimes loses something in translation."
Further, the pain of injury and the vexation of being inconvenienced for any duration often cause claimants to embellish, exaggerate, or even ascribe motive to the other party's actions in order to win sympathy. "To the best of your ability," he recommends, "try to stay calm and stick to the facts as you know them to be. For example: 'The driver entered the intersection of Fair Oaks and Howe after the light had already turned red' instead of 'The jerk looked like a drop-out who was obviously doing drugs and showing off to his girlfriend when he decided to ram right into my car.'"
Another tendency which people have at the scene of an accident is to immediately start apologizing and/or accepting complete blame for what happened. "Even if the accident was your fault," Jackson advises, "don't admit liability to anyone. Simply provide all of the pertinent information to the other party and to the police, including proof of insurance coverage, and call your insurance company as soon as possible." And don't forget to get the information from the other driver as well. (This means copying it down from a look at the actual source and not just taking the other party's word for it.) If there are no police at the accident, take photos of both vehicles (front, back and sides) and diagram the circumstances if you are able to.
"In filing an insurance claim," he continues, "it's important to understand your rights as a customer. Most states have strict regulations on how insurance companies are supposed to communicate with you and how promptly they are supposed to resolve your claim." The Department of Insurance in your state will have that information on its website or by calling and asking to speak to someone.
Last but not least, while insurance is there to protect you from loss, that doesn't mean that you go off and ignore them once your claim has been filed. "Stay engaged in the claims settlement process from start to finish," Jackson advises, "and make sure that your insurance company is doing its part to deliver on the promises that you have paid for."
