As a responsible motorist you’ve probably purchased Wisconsin auto insurance to protect your vehicle, but do you know how to make a claim? Although every insurance company may have slightly differing rules on how a claim is filed, some steps are common to many insurance companies.
• What to do after an accident: once you’ve established everyone involved is safe, your next step is to call the police and then your insurance company. Having an official police report can be crucial. Your insurance company may have long term associations with particular towing services and mechanics too, so before you arrange these details yourself call your insurance company for direction.
• Determining liability: determining which party is liable is usually dealt with by your insurance company based on information received. Police reports and photographs, statements from the parties involved and eyewitness accounts may all be used to determine liability.
• Replacing or repairing your vehicle: once your vehicle has been evaluated by your insurance adjuster, funds to cover the repair costs are usually paid directly to the repair professional. In the event your vehicle is a total loss, the payout might either be sent to your loan holder or to you if you own the vehicle.
Understanding how your Wisconsin auto insurance claim process works may be the key to coping well and staying calm if an accident does occur. Be sure to keep your receipts for any expenses associated with the accident, for possible future reimbursement.