An automobile insurance claim can be tricky to deal with, given that it is a legal and tedious process, especially when you have just suffered a loss of your vehicle or your physical health. So here are some checkpoints to keep in mind that will make the whole process of car insurance claims easier for you.
1. Record the incident
If you have not suffered any severe physical damage, then it is much preferred to record the incident as proof of whether it is a coincidental mishappening or if a third party is responsible for the damages, which helps in the insurance claim.
2. File a police report
Reporting to the police ensures an official record of the incident. Keep a copy for submission with your insurance claim documents.
3. Contact your insurer and go through your insurance policy
Contact your insurance agent and inform him of the incident and the damages. It’s wise to send the insurer a video proof of the damage done. The next important step is to go through your insurance policy to know all the clauses and claims, and the services provided.
4. Make sure all the mentioned documents are available and authentic
It is very important to double-check all the mentioned documents in the insurance claim, as their absence might lead to an insurance denial. The mentioned documents should be authentic in case of offline submissions, and scanned documents in the case of online submissions.
5. Understanding claim denial vs claim rejection
- It is important to know the difference between an insurance denial and an insurance rejection.
- A claim denial occurs when there are issues with your submitted documents, errors in the claim process, or failure to meet specific policy requirements.
- An insurance rejection, on the other hand, can result from fake documents or any other serious forgery, such as fake accidents.
- A denied claim can be reapplied after correcting the mistakes, but a rejected claim cannot be reapplied, and further actions can be taken against you after the investigation.
6. Keep a record of everything while the whole process of the insurance claim takes place
Promptly ensure that you have all the records of receipts and every proof of all the legal processes, like a copy of your police report and your insurance number, to make sure the whole process is less tedious and you are not getting scammed or off track.
7. Important documents for insurance claim
- Vehicle registration certificate/mulkiya
- Drivers licence
- Insurance form after filling it
- Police Report
- Pictures, videos, and other evidence of the incident
- Medical reports of the insured party, if they suffered any damages
8. Additional things to keep in mind while filing for an insurance claim
- One critical factor to keep in mind is DUI, or driving under the influence. If there’s evidence indicating that there was some kind of alcohol and other substance present during the incident, it can quickly escalate things and can also result in serious legal consequences.
- There are other clauses in the insurance that provide coverage for the passengers, not more than 3, so make sure you go through your clauses and file for passenger coverage if there’s any.
- If your insurance claim is denied unjustly, then you have the right to appeal in court.