What is insurance?

What coverages do I have to buy?

What does "full coverage" mean?

How do I file a claim?

What happens after I file a claim?

Why do I have to pay my deductible when the other party is at fault?

Why did my adjuster deduct for betterment?

What is comparative negligence?

Why is my vehicle a total loss?

How will the insurance company settle my total loss?

What happens after I file a claim?
After you file a claim, your adjuster will investigate the accident. To do this, he or she will talk to and maybe take recorded statements from the driver of your vehicle, the driver of the other vehicle, and any witnesses. If the drivers or witnesses have different perceptions on how the accident occurred, your adjuster will order a copy of the police report and may talk to the investigating officer and conduct a scene investigation.

Besides finding out what happened, your adjuster will check to see if the premium has been paid. He or she will also try to identify any insurance fraud. The goal is to determine who was at fault, make sure the claim is legitimate, apply the appropriate coverages, and settle all covered losses.

If you file a claim against the other party's policy, you may experience a significant delay. This happens because the other insurance company will not issue a payment until it knows its insured is at fault and to what degree. Some investigations into the circumstances of an accident can take two or more weeks. If your vehicle is drivable, you can usually wait for a decision. If not, you should file a claim under your policy. When the other party is definitely at fault, your insurance company will try to collect everything it has paid and your deductible from the other party or his or her insurance company.