How to File a Commercial Car Insurance Claim

Getting into a car accident can be a stressful experience, especially when you’re driving your company vehicle. But if you keep calm and collect all the necessary details at the scene, you’ll speed up your claims process and get yourself back on the road in no time.

When should I file a commercial car insurance claim?

While it may be tempting to pay out-of-pocket for minor repairs or try to settle a deal with the other involved driver at the scene of the accident, here are some scenarios when you must file a claim with your insurer:

1. When you cause damage to another driver’s vehicle or to another person’s property. If you’re found at fault for the accident, no matter if it’s major or minor damage, it’s best to avoid private deals and file an insurance claim instead. Settling in cash may seem like the easy way out, but don’t do it – it could botch the claims process and put you in a bad position. Always play it safe and call your insurer when you’ve been in an accident with another vehicle.
2. When the extent of the damage is unclear. Even a minor fender bender could lead to some serious, internal damage to your vehicle. Filing a claim saves you from a potentially costly surprise later if the damage ends up costing more than you expect.
3. If someone is injured in the accident or there is damage to property. If you’ve been involved in a car accident involving injury or property damage, you need to report it to your insurer within seven days. If you can’t report it within that timeframe, you need to report it as soon as possible. Making a claim will help protect you against paying out-of-pocket for medical expenses or lawsuits.

How do I file a commercial car insurance claim?

When you make a commercial car insurance claim, make sure you have the following information ready to go:

1. Your commercial insurance policy number, driver’s licence number, and vehicle registration information.
2. Details about the accident. Make sure you’ve written down a detailed description of what happened, the exact location where the accident occurred, the date and time of the accident, the weather conditions, and whether another vehicle was involved.
3. Injuries sustained by you, your passengers, or anyone else. If anyone, including yourself, was hurt in the accident, make note of the kind of injuries and whether you or others involved were treated at the scene or taken to the hospital.
4. Damage to any of the vehicles involved or other property. Make sure you have photos, videos, or written descriptions of the damage. You should also take note of whether any of the vehicles were towed away from the scene and where they were towed.
5. Information about all other drivers and passengers involved in the accident. Take down the names, addresses, phone numbers, driver’s licence numbers and expiration dates, vehicle registrations, and insurance information of anyone else involved in the accident. If the vehicle owners aren’t at the scene of the accident, make sure you gather the above details from whoever borrowed their car.
6. Contact information for each person who witnessed the accident. Collect the names, phone numbers, and addresses of anyone who may have witnessed the accident or stopped to help at the scene.
7. Details about police involvement. Write down the names, phone numbers, and badge numbers of officers at the scene, including the details about any traffic tickets issued to you or other drivers.

Before filing a commercial car insurance claim, make sure you take detailed notes of the accident, snap pictures of the damage, and gather the contact information of all involved parties.

We know that accidents happen without warning — that’s why they’re called accidents. It might not always be possible to gather all the information listed above at the scene, but your broker will always be there to help walk you through the claims process and get your commercial vehicle back on the road in no time.

Source: Economical