Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Guide To Filing Chicago Auto Insurance Claims

Getting into a car accident is an overwhelming time, and filing Chicago auto insurance claims doesn't have to be a complicated process if you know what to do before an accident occurs. Waiting for an accident to happen before learning how to file a Chicago auto insurance claim is never a good idea, since you're worked up from the accident. Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the process of filing a claim, and if the unfortunate occurs and you are in an accident, you will already know how to go about filing a claim.

There are two types of claims people make; one involves damage to your vehicle , and the other involves injury to people or their property. If you hit a mailbox with your vehicle, you would file a Chicago auto insurance liability claim. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, you would file a Chicago auto insurance collision claim. If you have cheap auto insurance, it's possible that you don't have full coverage for collision in which case the cost of damages made to your vehicle will not be covered by your auto policy. In your vehicle, you should keep your Chicago auto insurance agent's contact information. This allows you to call them at the scene of the accident for immediate advice and to get started filing the claim.

After you report a claim to your Chicago auto insurance agent, often a claim's adjuster will be called to assess the damage. They will often provide you with an estimate of damage, but keep in mind you can sometimes prove that the amount the adjuster provided is too low by obtaining further analysis by several mechanics if you feel the adjuster reported an amount that is too low to have your vehicle repaired.

After the accident, you might be required to provide further information to support your Chicago auto insurance claim. A medical report, police report, and auto repair receipts are often required as proof of the claim.

If you pay very cheap auto insurance rates, it's possible that you'll have very high deductibles. Deductibles are the amounts you'll have to pay before your Chicago auto insurance policy will pay any money towards your expenses. It works similar to a medical insurance deductible; if your deductible is $500, and your total losses are $1500, than your insurance company will pay $1000 and you will pay your deductible of $500.