Auto Insurance Claim Process

Getting behind the wheel is one of the riskiest things we do in our normal lives. Auto accidents account for thousands of deaths nationally every year, and hundreds of thousands of injuries. That’s not even counting the smaller fender-benders that result in no injuries but do cause damage to the vehicles involved. Through all those accidents, there is one common theme – the need to file an insurance claim.

If you’re like many of our customers in Georgia, Arizona, and Utah, you’ve never had to go through the auto insurance claim process before, or it has been years since you filed a claim and you don’t really remember the steps to follow very well.

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At Freedom National, we believe in providing you with more than just outstanding car insurance. We offer the guidance and education you need to understand your insurance and get on with your life quickly in case you do happen to get into an accident.

If you have been involved in an accident, we're here for you. If you're already a Freedom National customer, simply lcall the number on your ID card to begin the claims process. If you do not have access to your ID card, our claims department phone numbers are listed on this page. Depending on your state of residence, your claim may be handled by another office in your region.

Now that we have established how to proceed with your claim, we need to explore what to do in the event that you need to file a claim with your insurance company. Note that these steps will be different if the accident is the other driver’s fault, but you should still contact your insurer to alert them to the accident.

• Contact your insurance company and start the claims process. Provide them with information such as your policy number, who was behind the wheel, what happened, and the contact details for both the other driver and any witnesses. You’ll also need the other driver’s auto insurance information. If you're missing some of those details, don't worry - your insurance company will contact the other parties to try to fill in any gaps.
• If it was a serious accident, a hit and run, or theft, file a police report and make sure you get a copy. You will likely need to pick it up in person at the police department.
• Communicate with the insurance adjuster that is assigned to the case. He or she will ask questions, investigate the accident, and verify the damage to the vehicles. Work with the adjuster through this process and be sure to respond to requests and correspondence promptly to minimize delays.
• Review the determination of fault and any applicable settlement offers with the adjuster and ask any questions that you may have. If you are unhappy with the adjuster's decision, you can appeal it or request further information from the adjuster or a claims manager.

As you no doubt noticed from the information above, fault plays a significant role in the auto insurance claim process. Under no circumstances should you admit fault or try to assign blame at the scene. Your job is simply to collect information about the accident and the parties involved and relay those facts to police and insurance adjusters.

Ultimately, the adjuster on the case will determine who was at fault, based on the police report, witness testimony, and driver statements. In some cases, you and the other driver may share some degree of fault. In this case, typically both policies will pay out proportional to the fault of each insured driver. Some states have specific regulations regarding comparative fault, so be sure to discuss the nuances of your particular situation and state with your adjuster.

If the accident was your fault, you’ll file a claim with your own auto insurance policy and your policy will pay for the damages that you caused, up to the limits of your policy.

If the accident was the other driver’s fault, you’ll need to file a claim with their insurance company. It's a good idea to call your own insurance company, too, to start the process with them. Many people think that if they call their insurance company about an accident that their rates will automatically increase, but that's simply not true. If you're not at fault, then you have nothing to worry about there.

Finally, if there are serious injuries involved in the accident, it may be worth hiring legal counsel to represent you in court if the other driver was at fault. They will be represented by their insurance company’s attorney(s), but you will need your own representation if you don't believe that you're being fairly compensated by the other driver's insurance company.

If your car has been damaged, you will need to first allow the adjuster to examine it, and then follow their instructions. Have all work carried out by a reputable, licensed mechanic/body shop, as well. You are free to choose your own repair shop, but be aware that insurance companies typically settle claims based on the prevailing labor rates for the area. That means that if the shop that you choose charges much more than competitors in their area, you may have to pay the difference out of pocket.

If you have been injured, seek medical treatment immediately. If the injuries are serious or life-threatening, call for help at the scene. Continue to get treatment as injuries become apparent after the accident. Always inform your medical provider that your injuries where the result of a car accident and provide them with any auto insurance information they request. In some instances, the health care provider will bill the insurer, but in others, you will need to submit bills on your own for reimbursement.

We’ve covered the auto insurance claims process in a nutshell, but it is possible that you may still have questions. We are happy to discuss your claim with you. You can speak with one of our compassionate claims experts by calling the number on your ID cards or by calling our customer service department at 888-542-4222 (Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM Pacific time) to be directed to the correct claims department for your state.

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