In my 20+ years in the car insurance business, I have dealt with hundreds of car accident claims. During this time, here are the most common mistakes that I have seen people make:
BEING TOO NICE - I have often seen scenarios in which a customer feels bad for the other person and so they try to help them out by not calling the police, or allowing them to pay for the damages. Unfortunately, this often leads to surprises because the other person stops cooperating or eventually blames our customer.
HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN SHOP OR YARD - Often at an accident scene, tow trucks show up ready to take the crashed vehicles. This can be a problem if the car is taken to a shop or yard with high towing and storage expenses, the insurance company may not cover some or all of those expenses, leaving the customer with a bill. I recommend taking the car home or a place that you trust.
NOT ENOUGH FOCUS - Accidents can be very emotional situations so often when we hear a version of the incident, it includes more details than may be needed and with a lot of opinions. This can make it tougher for the insurance company to understand and may create some uncertainty that can put the customer at a disadvantage. So I recommend sticking to the facts and be as clear and direct as possible. I also suggest avoiding anything that can create doubt by making statements that include “I think this happened..” or “I believe…”. Always be honest but the more clear and direct you are the better.
Experience does make a difference with managing claims so if you are involved in an accident, always suggest to call your agent so they can guide you through the process and have a better experience. For our customers, please call us at our Bell Gardens location to be connected to a claims specialist.
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