Insurance can help people involved in motor vehicle collisions cover the cost of a recent wreck. State law requires that all drivers carry basic policies. After a crash occurs, the people involved often have questions about how to handle the claims process.
The unique combination of liability and no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) coverage required under New York law can make the claims process relatively complex. What steps do people generally need to take when pursuing compensation from insurance after a motor vehicle collision?
Consider securing assistance
For those already dealing with practical challenges related to vehicle damage and injuries, handling the minutiae of an insurance claim alone could be a frustrating complication. People may have the option of retaining the assistance of an attorney.
A lawyer can handle negotiations and paperwork on behalf of their client. The more costly the crash is and the more serious an individual’s injuries are, the more beneficial it may be to have professional assistance throughout the claims process.
Communicate with both insurance companies
As a general rule, those not at fault for the crash may have to file two separate claims. They file a claim against their own policy for injury-related expenses. Their PIP coverage typically pays the baseline expenses associated with an injury, up to their policy limits.
The injured party may also need to file a claim against the liability coverage of the other driver. Liability coverage can pay for property damage expenses. It can also help supplement no-fault PIP coverage by covering additional medical expenses and lost wages.
Notifying the insurance companies of the initial claim and then submitting invoices, receipts and proof of loss forms are often part of the process. In some cases, insurance professionals may offer a settlement to cover all collision costs in one lump-sum payment.
Settlement offers typically require careful review and negotiation. Those who are aware of their likely total costs and the applicable policy limits can use that information to push for more appropriate amounts of compensation. In some cases, people may need help dealing with insurance and may need to consider filing a lawsuit if their crash costs are particularly high.
Learning about the insurance claims process and having proper support can help people obtain the financial support they require after a major motor vehicle collision. Insurance claims can be complex in scenarios where people must secure PIP coverage from their own policies and liability coverage from another driver’s policy, so trying to navigate this process alone is generally unwise.