Should I Make An Auto Claim
To file or not to file; that is the question. There are certain situations where you should file a claim if your car was tarnished due to an accident. However, there are other instances where filing a claim for losses less than $1,000 may not be advisable . Here is some auto insurance advice to guide you.
Depending what your insurance policy says, a claim needs to be filed in cases where the amount of damage to the car is greater than the deductible. In addition, the law requires damage above a specific amount to be disclosed to the Department of Motor Vehicles. The amount varies by state.
For example, let’s assume you are parked in your car at the curb and another driver passes by so closely that he tears the side view mirror off your car. The first thing you need to do is to find out the cost to replace the mirror.
Later, you have to decide whether it is worth claiming this as collision damage. You can call the insurance agent and ask if this accident will boost your rates and how much, or you can absorb the cost of the replacement.
It should be noted that:
- Some insurance companies require that agents who receive questions of this type have to report the incident and, consequently, your premium may be increased.
- Some insurance companies will give you the information you seek freely without reporting it as an accident.
- Some insurance companies may not raise rates if the claim is under a pre-determined amount.
- Some insurance companies “forgive” a first-time accident based on certain criteria.
Another consideration is the amount of collision damage you presently have on your car. If you have the minimum $500 deductible, it may be a good idea to increase the amount to $1000. This will serve two purposes – it will allow you to file a claim for damages incurred through no slip of your own (such as the example given above), and it may lower your overall premium.
Even if the damage is slight in an accident you should report it . There are many instances in which an injury may be revealed later on and by reporting the accident , you are fully protected from the outset.
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