If you own a motor vehicle, you need to have it insured by a third-party car insurance policy so that they are able to take care of any damages when an accident occurs.
As we all know, accidents can often cost a lot of money, not only to pay vehicle damages but also to cover medical expenses. Did you know that vehicle collision claims are filed at 5.9 claims every 100 years of insured coverage on the vehicle?
However, a carelessly filed claim can have negative consequences in the long run. Here are some common mistakes to avoid before you file for your vehicle claim.
Mistakes You Should Avoid Before Filing Motor Vehicle Claim
1. Filing a claim when you should not
The first step before thinking of filing a claim is to check properly if you should do it at all or not. For example, if you have bought an Own Damage cover for your car and there’s small damage to the vehicle, you don’t have to file a hefty claim.
If the cost of repairs is less than the deductible amount, you won’t be getting anything as it is.
2. Not going to the police
Whenever there is an accident, you need to inform the police. Even if you think it’s not a big deal, you should never make the mistake of not going to the police and not reporting the incident. You should ideally file an FIR and if the other party is in the wrong, they might try to avoid legal hassles.
However, filing an FIR quickly makes sure that your insurance claim can be done as smoothly as possible.
3. Not transferring the policies to your name
If you’ve bought a second-hand vehicle and the policy is not in your name, you won’t be able to raise any claims. The policy itself will be considered null and void simply because your name will be nowhere.
Make sure the seller transfers all the important documents to your name before you purchase the vehicle from them. It should be done within 2 weeks of buying the car.
4. Not informing your insurance company immediately
Your vehicle insurance company needs to be notified immediately if an accident has happened. You can either call them up directly or mail them, but make sure whatever you do is done as soon as possible.
If you don’t qualify for the claim, you will lose out on insurance coverage and ultimately will have to bear all the repair costs. Many insurance companies even have their mobile apps so that you can start with the formalities then and there.
5. Moving your vehicle
Never move your vehicle from the spot of the accident. Evidence can play an important role in insurance claims. Motor vehicle accident claim lawyers always make it a point to advise their clients to leave their vehicle as it is, even if the damage is a great one.
If you move the vehicle or drive away, you will not only tamper with the evidence but may also face rejections from your insurance company. Instead, wait for the police to arrive and take care of the scene.
6. Using your vehicle for commercial purposes
A car or any other private vehicle insurance policy is mostly limited to private use only. For example, if you’ve rented out your car to someone else and an accident occurs when they are driving, your insurance company will reject your claim.
In this case, your policy will be considered void and you’ll have to sort out the issue with the person you have rented your car to. So make sure you don’t use the vehicle for commercial or business purposes.
7. Driving under the influence of intoxicating products
If you drive while drunk or after consuming intoxicating substances, the entire cause of the accident will be on you. No matter how hard you try, no lawyer or insurance company will agree to cover your costs.
Not only this but you could also injure yourself or anyone else present with you in the car at the time of the accident. So never drink and drive.
Over to you…
These are some of the mistakes you must avoid before you decide to file for motor vehicle claims. Always remember to be as calm as possible after an accident and visit the nearest healthcare center to make sure you are physically and mentally fine.
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