There are two main types of claims related to a car accident: property damage and personal injury. Knowing your responsibilities, like promptly reporting the accident and giving accurate details, is vital.
Only sign settlement releases once you are ready to settle your personal injury claim. You can settle your property damage claim anytime. If you can’t get the claim filed, it’s time to file a lawsuit. This converts your claim into a case.
Essential Steps Post-Accident
- Ensure Safety: This minimizes further harm.
- Document Evidence: A robust foundation for your claim.
- Seek Medical Help: Vital for health and provides evidence.
- Contact Your Insurance Company: Sets the claim process in motion.
- Consult Legal Counsel (if necessary): Safeguards your legal rights.
Remember, meticulousness is your ally. Photographs taken on-site and comprehensive medical records are pivotal for fair compensation.
How to get your claim started against someone else’s insurance.
AAA: Call (833) 806-7833
Allstate: (800) 255-7828, or create an account on their website to submit the claim.
Geico: (800) 207-7847, or submit the claim online.
Farmers: (800) 435-7764, or file a claim online.
Progressive: (800) 776-4737, or submit online.
State Farm: (800) 732-5246, or online.
The General: (800) 280-1466 or online.
Travelers: (800) 252-4633, or online.
USAA: (800) 531-8669, or online.
How to File Your Claim Effectively
- Documentation: Obtain the accident report, medical invoices, and repair receipts.
- Visual Proof: Photos of damages or injuries substantiate your narrative.
- Negotiation: Draft a clear demand letter with your losses and proposed settlement. Remember, initial offers might undervalue your claim, so review judiciously.
Other Pitfalls to Sidestep
- Procrastination: The insurance company is more than agreeable to wait to even look at your claim.
- Record-Keeping: Log every related conversation to prevent confusion.
- Truthfulness: Exaggerations or falsehoods can make your claim worse.
- Expert Advice: Contact a lawyer for clarity at any stage. Initially, talking with one for free can prevent you from “wrecking twice.”
Confronting Claim Challenges Head-On
- Managing Denials: Understand denial reasons and learn how to contest them. Often, it’s due to incorrect or incomplete data. More likely, the insurance company is not offering a fair settlement offer.
- Documenting Your Accident: Precise and thorough records – including photos, witness accounts, and police reports – solidify your case.
FAQs
What if the other driver is uninsured?
You might sue them or use your uninsured motorist coverage if you have it.
How long does a claim process last?
It ranges from a week or two to a month, depending on case intricacies and insurer protocol. If you have provided the adjuster with everything on your claim, there isn’t a good reason for the insurance company to wait longer than that to make you an offer. Waiting longer than this extends how long your case will take to resolve. If the insurance adjuster still plays the “delay, delay, delay” game, it’s likely time to get a lawyer involved.
Can you still file a claim if you were partly at fault?
Yes, assuming you were less than 50% at fault. The amount of your fault discounts the total value of your claim by that percentage.
Other Tips: Watch out for deadlines.
Oklahoma law allows only two years from the car accident date to file a lawsuit. This does not mean two years to file the claim. The claim is gone if a lawsuit has not been filed within the statute of limitations.
Settlement negotiations are crucial. Don’t settle for less than deserved. Insurance companies often try to minimize payouts. Consider seeking professional advice before accepting an offer. It’s common for the insurance adjuster’s first several offers to be significantly less than the claim settling for.
Filing a car accident claim in Oklahoma involves strict timelines and strategic negotiation. Knowledge can help secure fair compensation for losses.
