The Steps of Filing a Claim

Having a car accident can be a scary thing. However, the process of getting your car repaired by your insurance company should not be frightening or difficult. When you work with Mike Leonard Insurance, filing a claim is as painless as possible.

First, when you have a wreck, be sure to call local law enforcement to make sure that you have an accident report. If people are not injured, you can call the local police department rather than 911. If your accident does not involve another car or an injury, you do not have to involve law enforcement. In some cities in Texas, the law states that, if there are no injuries and the vehicle is still able to be driven, law enforcement will not come to the accident site simply to record the accident. If this is the case, write down the other driver’s contact information, license plate number and insurance information. 

Your cell phone camera is actually a great tool when you have had an accident.  Take a picture of the damage before moving the vehicles, picture of the other persons I D Card and vehicle tag number.  If the other person is at fault and admitting his negligence use your recorder to take his statement.  Often when the other person gets home and gets a little coaching sometimes the facts tend to get somewhat distorted.

 

Next, if you have a high deductible insurance plan, you should consider the extent of your vehicle’s damage. If the damage is minor and you were at fault, you may want to pay for repairing the damage out of pocket instead of taking the risk of having your insurance rate go up. However, if you are unsure, it will not hurt to get a quote to figure out whether you should file a claim.

After you get home, call your insurance company. At Mike Leonard Insurance, we work with multiple companies to give you the best possible coverage for your situation. For more information about filing a claim with Mike Leonard Insurance in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area, please contact us!