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How to deal with insurance companies after an accident

Posted at 2:09 PM, Jan 02, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-02 16:09:03-05

Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Craig Swapp of Craig  Swapp & Associates joined us with some good advice on how to deal with insurance companies after an accident.

If you're hit by another driver, Swapp says the best thing to do is call the police.  They'll make sure accurate information is exchanged and will usually provided all drivers with a 'driver exchange sheet' that includes the auto insurance information for all of the involved parties.

Swapp says get your vehicle repaired or replaced by filing a property damage claim with your auto insurance or the auto insurance of the driver who caused the accident.  But, there are benefits and disadvantages to both.  Swapp says, "If you file with the at-fault driver`s insurance you won`t have to pay a deductible, but they may take up to 30-days to accept responsibility and start the claim. If you go through your own insurance, you`ll have to pay the deductible, at least until the at-fault insurance accepts responsibility, but generally, it`ll be processed faster.  An insurance adjuster will give you an estimate to repair your vehicle or will give you an offer for the vehicle if it's determined a total loss."

Medical bills and other damages like lost wages and pain and suffering should be covered by the auto insurance of the at-fault party.  Getting compensated can be tricky says Swapp.  Insurance companies are businesses motivated by saving money.

Swapp says the best thing to do is to hire a personal injury attorney to help.  The attorneys of Craig Swapp & Associates deal with insurance companies every day and have years of experience in negotiating with these companies.  They know how to maximize a car accident victims' settlement so you can focus on healing.

Call 1-800-404-9000 or visit craigswapp.com for more information.