It’s important to ensure that you inform the insurance company about any accident you have been involved in. This holds true with any type of accident that involves loss of property and/or personal injury. You may not know if you’re going to file an insurance claim at the time of the accident, but it’s still in your best interests to let the insurance company know about the situation, in case you do file a claim.
When to Contact Your Insurer
Not everyone is clear about when they should notify their insurer about an accident. As a result, an injured person or someone who has sustained loss or damage of property may miss out on the ideal time to file and make it harder for them to make an actual claim.
Even if you’re unsure about whether you may file a claim, personal injury lawyer in Cornwall knows that it’s best to let your insurance company know about the situation within 3 days of the incident. Your specific policy may have a different timeline and may have details on notification deadlines. Be sure to read your policy. Sometimes the wording is vague in that it states that holders of the insurance policy must notify the insurance company of mental and physical injuries “within a reasonable amount of time.” If this is the case, the general rule is to notify the insurance company within 72 hours of the incident.
The type of incident you report to your insurer depends on your policy, and the injuries and damages sustained. Some incidents need to be reported to your insurer regardless of the level of injury or damage. In some policies, these incidents may be mandated. Here are a few examples.
• Any car accident with significant property damage or where there are injuries to you, driver or the passengers of other vehicles. At this time, you need to contact the insurance company to let them know, even if you have not been injured yourself. You also need to inform the insurance company if you were at fault or the other driver was.
• If guest at your house is injured at your property. It can be anything from a dog bite to a trip and fall injury. You need to let your insurance carrier know about the situation regardless of whether or not anyone makes a claim against you for the injury.
Contact the Insurance Carrier
When you contact your insurance carrier, you will likely be asked a series of questions about the incident in order to elicit all the necessary information. Be as honest and thorough as you can be with your own carrier. If you get a call from the opposing party’s representative, it’s best to avoid telling them too much.
Write notes about the call so you have a record. Note who you’ve been speaking with and get confirmation the information will be filed. Get a case number. If you don’t receive a formal follow up letter in a few days, be sure to follow up.