Personal Injury Attorney Craig Swapp says statistics according to Fox Business suggest that motorists file insurance claims roughly once every 17 years or about three times during their driving life.
So what's the first step in getting your car repaired? Swapp says first of all, you’ve got to call and report the damage. Either to the at-fault driver’s insurance or your own. They’ll assign an insurance adjuster to your case, and that person will be your point of contact.
There are pros and cons of going through your insurance as opposed to the at-fault driver's insurance. Swapp says the biggest downside is that you may need to pay a deductible, at least, until the other insurance accepts fault for the accident, after which you will be reimbursed for your deductible. But, this is by far the faster option. option. Your insurance is generally much faster to process the claim than the at-fault insurance.
The at-fault insurance will give you a rental car once they’ve accepted responsibility for the accident until your car is repaired or an offer for a total loss is made. The bad news is again that they legally have 30 days to accept fault so in the meantime you can rent through your insurance or out of your pocket.
Swapp says the next step is to get your vehicle repaired or get a fair offer for it if it's determined to be a total loss. If the repairs to the vehicle are likely to exceed the fair market value of the vehicle, they’ll pay you that fair market value for your vehicle.
Swapp says your best resource after an accident is hiring an attorney with experience in car accidents.
If you’ve been in an accident and have questions about your vehicle, your injuries, or the insurance, get in touch with us at Craig Swapp & Associates by calling 1-800-404-9000 or visiting craigswapp.com.
