Auto Accident Lawyers

in West Palm Beach, Florida

Dos and Don’ts on Insurance Claims

Dealing with insurance companies is best done by an experienced auto accident lawyer on your behalf. It speeds things up and prevents any runaround.

Besides obtaining medical care, reading your policy closely, and keeping detailed notes on any conversations with your insurance company, here are some more actions to either Do or Not Do.

More Things to Do
Check to see if you have any other insurance policies that might cover the accident. Look at your homeowner policy, any “umbrella” policies, and paperwork that came with your credit cards.
Take lots of photos of your damaged vehicle and have them taken of your injuries. Photos make strong evidence in a court of law.
Be honest and straightforward with your insurance company, even if some of the facts are a bit embarrassing. Any failure of honesty could justify them in denying coverage and might invalidate your policy.
Get clear on the difference between replacement coverage for your vehicle and depreciated or “actual cash value”. If you have replacement coverage don’t accept a sum that covers only actual cash value. Be aware that to receive any replacement coverage, you might have to replace lost items first.
In between the date of the accident and the day you reach final settlement with your insurance company, you may have related expenses. For both recovering from injuries and pursuing your legal claim, you may be paying for meals, purchases or lodging. Keep all these receipts.

More Things to Not Do
You may feel under pressure from your insurance company to agree to their settlement terms. Don’t succumb to this pressure. Besides not accepting any lowball offers, not allowing them to record any of your conversations with them, and not signing any documents without obtaining legal advice, here are some more things not to do.
Don’t accept a check if it says “Final Payment” unless you and your auto accident lawyer have agreed that you should do so.
Don’t disregard your policy’s time limits. There may be a signed proof of loss required by a certain date. There may be a set time period during which you can file a legal claim if no satisfactory settlement has been reached. Often this is one year, so keep track of those months and if the eleventh month arrives, contact a vehicle accident lawyer immediately. Otherwise, you could lose your right to bring any legal claim.
Don’t forget that an insurance policy is a contract between insurer and insured. As long as your premiums are paid, your insurer is legally obliged to provide the promised coverage. Make sure you get that enforced, with the help of your attorney.

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West Palm Beach, Florida, auto accident lawyer Craig Goldenfarb represents clients throughout South Florida, including the cities of Palm Springs, Stuart, and Fort Pierce, and residents of Palm Beach County, Martin County, and St. Lucie County. Our office in West Palm Beach, Florida, is located a quarter mile west of I-95 on Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., behind Chick-Fil-A in the IKON Building.