What steps should you take when filing an insurance claim after a San Diego car accident?
After an auto accident in San Diego , one of the first steps you should take is contacting your insurance company. But filing an auto insurance claim is complicated, and simple mistakes could have dramatic consequences for your financial recovery. To protect yourself, you must make smart decisions, avoid falling for insurance company tactics, and make sure you clearly understand your rights under your auto insurance policy and California law.
Here is a basic overview of the critical steps to take to file an auto insurance claim after a San Diego car accident .
1. Contact your insurance company
The first step is to contact your insurance company. You should do this as soon as possible after the accident, although seeking medical attention should always be your first priority. You can file your claim over the phone or using your insurance company’s application; And while it can give you basic information about what happened, you should not :
- Accept that you were at fault (or could have been at fault) for the accident
- Make any assumptions about what may have caused the accident
- Provide information without being sure or without remembering certain details
- Access to have your vehicle repaired at a workshop recommended by insurance without first obtaining an independent estimate
2. Calculate your losses
Under California law , after a San D auto accident that resulted in physical injury, you may be entitled to three different types of insurance claims: (i) Personal Injury Protection (PIP) , (ii) Bodily Injury Liability (BIL), and (iii) Uninsured or Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UIM). To determine which claim (or claims) to file, one of the first things you should know is the severity of your physical, financial, and emotional damages.
3. Determine who was to blame for the accident
In order to get BIL or UIM coverage, you will have to prove that another driver was at fault for the accident. Even if you have collected evidence at the scene of the accident to help prove guilt (such as photographs and a copy of the police report), convincing insurance companies to provide coverage that is based on fault generally requires the help of an experienced car accident attorney.
4. Talk to a San Diego Auto Accident Lawyer
From calculating your losses to proving fault, and from advising you when it comes to settling to representing you at trial, there are many ways San Diego auto accident attorneys can help you with your insurance claim. To make sure you don’t settle for too little too soon, you should immediately request your first free consultation with a San Diego Accident attorney .
Request Your First Free Consultation With A San Diego Auto Accident Attorney Today
We are SanDiego personal injury attorneys representing car accident victims in all types of insurance claims. To get the help you need and maximize your financial recovery, request a free consultation with a San Diego car accident attorney now .