Be Vigilant While Filing A Car Accident Claim Against A Driver Who Has The Same Insurance Company
If you are ever involved in a car accident with another driver who has the same insurance company as you, you still need to be just as vigilant with collecting information and reporting the details to your insurance company. Here are a few things you need to keep in mind when dealing with a driver who has the same insurance company as you do.
Make Sure You Still Collect The Other Driver's Information
The first thing you need to do is make sure that you are vigilant at the scene of the accident. You need to collect the same information that you would do in any other accident situation, including the other driver's:
- Full Name
- Telephone Number
- Email Address
- Home Address
- Driver's License Number
- Insurance Policy Number
- License Plate
- Vehicle Identification Information
You cannot just provide your insurance company with the name of the other driver and expect them to be able to find the right driver in their database. There could be multiple individuals with the same name who all have policies with your insurance company; you insurance company is going to need information beyond the other driver's name to accurately identify the other driver.
Be Vigilant At The Scene Of The Accident
Just like in any other accident situation, you should be as vigilant as possible at the scene of the accident. Take pictures of your vehicle, the other vehicle involved in the accident, as well as the surround scene. Despite having the same insurance company, an investigation is still going to need to take place to determine who was responsible for the accident.
The individual who is ruled responsible for the accident will have to pay from their insurance policy to cover all the damage. The accident will also go on the record of whomever was at fault, and will affect the insurance premium of whomever is ruled responsible.
Make Sure The Claim Is Filed Correctly
Finally, when you call your insurance company, make sure that you correctly submit the claim. Generally, your insurance company will contact the other driver's insurance company and submit a claim against their policy. Even if you have the same insurance company, this process still needs to take place.
If the other driver is ruled at fault for the accident, make sure that the claim is filed against their insurance policy and not yours. If the claim is accidentally filed against your insurance policy instead, you will have to cover the deductible in order to get your vehicle fixed and get reimbursed for medical costs. You could also experience an increase in your premium.
Be sure to continually verify throughout the claims process that the claim is filed on the other driver's policy.
If you have any questions about how to proceed with a claim against a driver who shares the same insurance company as you, be sure to consult with a car accident lawyer (like those at Arrington Schelin & Munsey PC). They deal with these types of situations every day, and can work with your insurance company on your behalf to make sure the claim is filed correctly.