How To File Car Insurance Claim After An Accident?

Car insurance claims, it can be made in two ways, either as a cashless claim or as a reimbursement claim. If the policyholder chooses to repair their car at a registered or networked garage after an accident then they need to pay any money by themselves, as the cashless payment will be directly transferred by their insurance company. On the other hand, if the policyholder repairs their car at a service station not registered under the insurance company, they will have to pay the costs of repairing themselves and the same would later be reimbursed by their insurance provider. 

You can choose to get your car repaired in whichever way suitable to you but there is a general procedure that you need to follow. In this article, we are going to tell you how you can file a car insurance after an accident. 

How To File Car Insurance Claim After An Accident?

The following list will help you to understand how you can file a car insurance claim after an accident. 

• Inform Your Insurance Company 

Immediately after an accident, you must inform your insurance company to inform them about the accident. This needs to be done within 7 working days, failing which your claim settlement is liable to getting rejected. You can either call or email your insurance provider to intimate them about the accident. 

• Lodge an FIR 

In case of accidents, you need to file an FIR in your nearest police station. It is mandatory to recover losses caused to your car by a third party, theft, vandalism or road accident. This is required for the police to examine the nature and extent of the damages caused to your car. Along with this, you should also file a case to the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal having jurisdiction over the place where the accident happened, in case you suffered from third party damage. 

• Document Proof

In accidents, it is extremely important to have proof of the damage caused to your car. Be sure to take photographs or videos as necessary, that comprehensively document your car’s damages and your bodily injuries as proof for the claim settlement process. You can also note down the driver’s name, contacts of witnesses and the third party, if required. 

• Submit Documents 

After filing a FIR and documenting proof, you need to submit all of your documents to your insurance company. Submit a duly filled in third party or own damage claims application form along with copies of your policy documents, driving license, registration certificate, FIR and medical bills in case of bodily injuries.

• Request A Surveyor 

Once you have completed all the above steps, request your insurance company to send a surveyor to assess and inspect the damage caused to your car. You can also do this online in case your insurance company has such a facility. If your insurance company is satisfied with the veriy of your documents and the amount of damage caused to your car, they will initiate the claim settlement process and reimburse your money after excluding the deductibles. 

Take Away 

Claim settlement can be a little complicated process but if you follow the guidelines mentioned above, it would turn out to be smoother than you think. Since accidents can occur anywhere, anytime, it is crucial for you to secure your car with an insurance policy for receiving financial support against own-damages during times like these. You must read all the policy documents carefully to be spared about the confusion regarding inclusions and exclusions at the time of claim settlement.  

Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.