16 Sep Should You File an Auto Insurance Claim?

In a perfect world, you could file a claim at any time for any damage to your vehicle and have it fully paid for. You pay for your insurance, so you should be able to use it, right? Unfortunately, with deductibles and the rise in premium cost that some claims will cause, sometimes filing a claim is not always in your best interest. If you’re in a situation where you’re unsure about filing a claim, be sure to call your agent at 704-821-4460, and we’ll talk you through it. To give you some broad guidelines, here are a few common situations and the answer to whether you should file a claim.

You get into an accident and the other party wants to settle it privately. 

Yes, you should file a claim. Even if the accident seems minor, damage is often worse than it seems and people can be unpredictable. What seems like a fender-bender can turn into you paying thousands of dollars out of pocket. It’s always safer to go through insurance rather than settling privately.

You get into an accident, but it was someone else’s fault.

No need to file a claim since the other driver’s insurance should cover the costs, but you should still contact us to let us know about the accident. Besides, while it may seem clear to you who was at fault, the insurance carriers might still need to investigate. 

You cause an accident, but no one else is involved.

Maybe you should file a claim. This one really depends. Try to assess the damage. If it’s just a dent on the bumper for instance, you’re probably better off leaving it damaged or paying for the repair yourself. If your deductible is $500 and the repair would cost $400, it’s clear you shouldn’t file a claim because insurance wouldn’t pay for it anyway. But even if the cost is $800, it still may be smarter to pay out of pocket to avoid an increase in premium cost which an accident on your record will cause. But you may have accident forgiveness on your policy which would mitigate this. Be sure to call us and we can advise you.  

Your windshield gets damaged.

Yes, you should file a claim. Some policies carry a no deductible for glass claims. The cost will be fully covered. Also, damage to glass is considered no-fault. Your premium will not increase from filing a claim.

At Spivey Insurance, we want you to be able to make informed decisions regarding all aspects of your insurance. If you’ve been in an accident, or if you just want some more information about auto insurance claims, go ahead and give us a call at 704-821-4460. And be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest for more helpful tips and updates.