As any person who goes on the internet already knows, any information you find on there is 100% true and accurate, so I thought it would be fun to read about a few real life insurance claims I just happened upon while surfing the world wide web.
Enjoy!
“I left for work this morning at 7am as usual when I collided straight into a bus. The bus was 5 minutes early.”
“Coming home I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree I don’t have.”
“The guy was all over the road. I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him.”
“As I approached an intersection a sign suddenly appeared in a place where no stop sign had ever appeared before.”
“I didn’t think the speed limit applied after midnight.”
“I thought the side window was down but it was up, as I found when I put my head through it.”
“In an attempt to kill a fly, I drove into a telephone pole.”
“To avoid hitting the bumper of the car in front I struck a pedestrian.”
Sometimes life unexpectedly happens and you ask yourself – what happens when I file a claim?
First of all, time is of the essence. Call your agent or insurance company when you first discover damage in your home or have an auto accident.
Your insurance company will take your details of the damage or accident and forward this information to an adjuster. If possible get a name, claim number, and a call back number for your reference. Many times the company won’t have the name of an adjuster until the claim has been assigned.
Unless you’re talking with your agent, the claims office won’t have all the details to your policy deductibles and coverages. The adjuster will have the most information and will be in control of your entire claim until it’s complete. Please work with the adjuster closely and complete all paperwork in a timely manner to ensure a speedy process.
If you have an auto claim do not admit fault. This could take some leverage away from your insurance company in defending you if in fact the accident involved multiple parties. Your auto carrier sees hundreds of accidents a year and their knowledge will be invaluable when it comes to claim resolution.
Witnesses to the accident are also invaluable resources you will not be able to get after the fact. Accidents are stressful and adrenaline kicks in but if you can remember to get contact information of witnesses or tag numbers it will greatly help your case.
When you have a house claim it is your responsibility as the homeowner to do anything necessary to prevent further damage. This may mean getting a tarp put on your roof, calling a restoration company in the middle of the night, or boarding up your broken windows. Make sure you keep all receipts for the adjuster and these costs will be included in the cost of the claim.
Keep in mind your agent is there to guide you through the process. Agents cannot determine coverage or the amount of the claim. Your policy coverages and adjuster will determine what is paid and how it’s paid. So, if you tried to cut corners when taking out your insurance policy you may wish you hadn’t when you have a claim. Have a policy review with you agent once a year.
