Whose Insurance Do I Call After a Car Accident?

Whose insurance do I call after a car accident? Call your own auto insurance representative after a car accident, but limit your comments to basic facts. Usually, it’s best not to speak to the other driver’s insurance company.

Then, connect with a Charlotte car accident lawyer who can offer critical protection and guidance as you proceed with an injury claim.

Notify Your Insurance Company After a Car Accident

You need to call your insurance company after a car accident. If the accident seems minor, the other party may encourage you to agree to forget about it or ask to keep insurance out of it. Unfortunately, sometimes seemingly minor incidents can still cause significant damage to your vehicle and to your body.

The other driver could also ask you to keep the accident to yourself, only to file a claim against you after they recognize their own injuries.

You May Need to Call Your Insurance About UMI Coverage or MedPay

If you have injuries and damage, but the other driver is uninsured, you’ll need to call your insurance about your uninsured motorist coverage. Every state is different.

For example, along with liability insurance, North Carolina drivers must purchase uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and the same applies to automobile insurance for South Carolina drivers. For Georgia drivers, uninsured motorist automobile insurance is an option, but not required.

Though not mandated, MedPay is optional additional coverage drivers can buy. It helps cover medical costs no matter who caused your accident. You may need to call the insurance company to discuss your coverage.

What to Say to Your Insurance Company

Insurance companies are businesses. Though they claim they are in business to protect clients, their top priority is protecting their own assets. Even when you call your own insurance company after a car accident, be careful about what you say.

Provide the adjuster with your policy number, your name, and your contact information. You’ll need to provide the basic facts of the accident, including the date, time, location, details of the other vehicles involved, and the other driver’s license, contact, and insurance information. When you state what happened, stick to objective facts.

It’s a good idea to consult with a car accident attorney before answering other questions.

What Not to Say to Your Insurer When You Call After an Accident

Avoid making admissions of fault or saying anything that could later affect your coverage. For example, the adjuster may ask how you are, even just as a “polite” greeting. If you say “I’m doing well” or “I feel ok,” those responses could cause issues if you seek coverage for injuries.

Your adjuster may inquire about injuries. Tell them you will be seeking medical care right away. Don’t dismiss the possibility of harm. Adrenaline can mask injury symptoms. You can inform the company of your injuries once you receive an official diagnosis.

Don’t speculate on the cause of the accident. Offering “I think” or “I’m pretty sure” type statements doesn’t help your situation. For example, if you aren’t sure if the other driver was speeding, don’t guess. Let the accident investigation reveal the facts.

Possible Consequences of Not Calling Your Insurance Company

Failing to provide your insurance company with prompt notification of an accident could cause problems if you try to involve them later. Many policies require you to notify the company of a crash, and some specify how long you have to make that report.

If you don’t comply with policy terms, the insurance company could use that non-compliance to deny coverage or policy renewal.

Do Not Call the Other Driver’s Insurance Company After a Car Accident

Don’t call the other driver’s insurance after a car accident. It’s best not to speak to those representatives at all. Their job is to protect the company, and they do that by denying their client’s culpability and blaming you.

The other driver’s insurance company may reach out to you with questions about the accident or your injuries. Refer them to your attorney. Those questions are often designed to generate responses that help them avoid making a payout or keep it to a minimum.

A simple question about the weather could prompt you to say it was rainy or bright and sunny, and adjusters could turn those statements into admissions that you failed to see the other car or make adjustments to avoid a collision.

Don’t Answer the Call for a Recorded Statement

States follow different negligence laws for car accident claims. States that follow a pure contributory negligence system are not friendly to accident victims.

However, other states allow you to seek damages if you are partially to blame for the accident. Some states allow you to recover damages if you are found to be 49% at fault or less, like Georgia.

Other states allow you to seek damages if you are less than 50% at fault, like South Carolina. The at-fault party’s insurance company could deny you fair compensation by assigning fault to you. These negligence systems highlight why you should not give a recorded statement to the insurance company or answer their questions without guidance from an attorney.

What if the Other Driver’s Insurance Company Calls Me With a Settlement?

The other driver’s insurance company may call after a car accident with a settlement offer. Again, refer them to your attorney. These initial offers may be presented as generous. You might even feel relief that your ordeal could end so easily, and accept the settlement. That’s the outcome the insurance company hopes to achieve.

These initial offers are typically far lower than the value of your claim. By convincing you to accept the insurance company’s first settlement offer after a Charlotte car accident, the other side gets away with paying less than what they owe. This risk applies no matter where your accident happens.

Your attorney knows the actual value of your claim and can prevent you from accepting an inadequate, unjust amount.

Call Your Insurance and Call a Lawyer After a Car Accident

Call your insurance after a car accident. Stay in compliance with your policy, but keep your responses limited. Then, call a car accident lawyer. An attorney can protect you from saying the wrong thing or from unfair treatment.

Sometimes, insurance adjusters delay a crash claim or otherwise try to deny you justice. An attorney can fight to hold companies accountable for honoring your policy and your rights as an injury victim.

We Can Handle Your Insurance Matters

Shane Smith Law can help you with all elements of your car accident claim. After a car accident, call your insurance company and then call our team for a free case consultation.

We’re here to help you get the coverage and compensation you deserve.