For as long as I can remember, the legal field has always fascinated me. While my friends watched sitcoms and cartoons, I chose to watch courtroom dramas and real life trials unfold. There was never really any question as to what I wanted to be when I got older. The only profession for me was that of a trial lawyer. Unfortunately, a serious car accident several years ago changed all that. Now, my injuries prevent me from leaving my home most days. However, my love for the law has never went away. While I may not be able to realize my dreams of becoming a trail lawyer, I still wish to help people with their legal problems. That is why I decided to start this blog. It is my hope that the information contained in these pages will help other accident victims like me when filing their personal injury claims.
When you get into a car accident, there is always a chance that the other driver involved may have the same insurance company as you. Even if they have the same insurance company as you, be sure to be thorough and don't fall for these common myths many people hold about being in an accident with someone who has the same insurance company.
Myth #1: I don't have to be as thorough at the accident scene because we have the same insurance company.
This is patently untrue. You need to be just as thorough as you would be at the scene of any accident. You still need to collect the driver's name, telephone number, email address, home address, license number, license plate and insurance information. Just having their name and insurance company will not suffice. Your insurance company will still need all of that information in order to process your claim in a timely manner.
Be sure to be vigilant in observing what happened. Just like with any accident, the police and your insurance company will investigate to determine who is at fault. Take pictures of the scene if you have a camera on your phone or a camera with you. If there are any eyewitnesses, try to obtain their contact information.
Most importantly, make sure that you do not accept responsibility for the accident. Let the police and your insurance company conduct an investigation like they would with any other accident.
Myth #2: I don't have to worry about the details when I call up my insurance company.
If you don't want to see your insurance premium increase, you need to be vigilant about how you are submitting your claim.
If you suspect, or the police determined, that the other driver was at fault, you need to submit a claim on their policy, not yours. That is why it is so important to get all of their contact information at the scene.
If you wrongly file the claim against your policy, you will have to pay the deductible and may face an increase to your insurance premium the next time you renew. However, if you submit your claim against the other driver's policy, you will not have to pay a deductible and it should not affect your insurance premium rate.
Double-check and make sure that the claim you are submitting is being filed against the other driver's policy and not your own policy.
Myth #3: It doesn't matter who is at fault since we have the same insurance company.
It does matter who is at fault. The police, depending on the reason for the accident, may issue a ticket against the driver who is at fault.
Additionally, your insurance company will increase the premium for whoever is at fault for the accident. Most individuals also don't stay with the same insurance company forever; and if you were incorrectly assigned fault for the accident, other insurance carriers will use that as a factor when figuring how much your premium would cost.
Don't fall for the common myths listed above. Even if the other driver has the same insurance company, you still need to be vigilant at the scene, file a claim against their policy, and never accept fault for something you are not responsible for. If you need help navigating this tricky process, you can always hire a personal injury attorney to help you out.
Share31 March 2015
