How Car Insurance Companies Handle Car Accident Claims

Edmunds.com

How Car Insurance Companies Handle Car Accident Claims

Here's an in-depth look at what auto insurance companies do when you file a claim after a car accident.

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bassrockerx

in Alabama it is against the law to purchse insurence to protect yourself from uninsured drivers. so there is no such thing as "uninsured motorist" or "under insured motorist" insurance here. in highschool and college i drove a 92 pickup that was not worth that much money and collision insurance was not affordable or worthwile (in the 4 years i owned the vehicle i would have purchased the vehicle twice in insurance costs)

when an uninsured motorcycle rear ended my truck and did thousands of dollars worth of damage (i was stopped at a red light) i was BONED my insurence told me "if you had collision insurance we would have fixed (totalled) your truck but there is nothing we can do because the motorist is uninsured" i would have had to take him to civil court to get funds to purchase another vehicle wich costs lots of money up front plus it takes months to even get a ruling and then 90 days after that before i would start seeing any money.

if you are a first time motorist especially in a state like alabama read up on all the insurance laws and ask you agent a lot of questions. don't ever assume you are protected get it in writing keep it somewhere safe.

bassrockerx

Another Alabama related law that i found out in a different incident is that you are allowd by law to CHOSE your repair shop if your vehicle is damaged and you are claiming the damages to your insurance. NEVER go to the shop that the insurance "recommends" THEY WORK FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANIES NOT YOU!

here is what happened to me. i was driving an older vehicle 92 lexus sc. and i hydroplaned into a ditch and bent my driver side fender preventing my door from opening. that was the only damage i occurred from the incident. being from out of town i was not sure where to take my vehicle i went where the insurance company suggested.

the shop then walked around the car and started claiming every single nit picky thing they found to my insurance. and all of the damage they claimed was from the condition i purchased the vehicle in they wanted to repaint the entire car! and fix other bits that was on the other side of the vehicle than the incident occurred. they came up with this absured dollar figure and my car ended up being totalled wich made me upside down on the loan i had on it because they had to value the vehicle as a salvage now. i was not trying to get my car restored i was trying to be able to open my door.

what i learned is find a shop you trust go there first say "i want this fixed i need an estimate" and THEN get your insurance involved give them the estimate and go from there.

lovelynd

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