How to File a Claim with Your Kansas Auto Insurance Provider After Your Car Has Been Totaled
They always tell you to be grateful when everyone walks away from an accident, but when you see your car-a faithful member of your family-gimping along (or laying there totally helpless), it hurts. We can deny it all we want, but sooner or later most of us form a sentimental attachment to our cars. Accepting the fact that your car may not walk away from the crash site is hard. Signing and sealing the auto insurance claims to total it and move on to another is even harder.
Sooner or later, however, it absolutely has to be done. If your car has been in
When your car's been totaled the only thing you can do is move on.
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· First and foremost, make sure you're keeping up with your auto insurance policy before disaster strikes and you need to file an insurance claim. Is your coverage up to date? Are all drivers on your policy? Are your minimum coverage levels up to par? All of these things are going to be vitally important the minute you need to file an insurance claim.
· As soon as everyone has been seen by the paramedics and you're back home you need to call your auto insurance company. The authorities will usually take care of making sure your car gets towed away from the scene of the crime (if you have AAA make sure you let them know as soon as possible so they can call a qualified tow service), but it's going to be up to you to file your auto insurance claims.
· The good news is, filing an auto insurance claim is usually fairly painless. All you have to do is call your auto insurance provider and let them know a) that you've been in an accident, and b) where the car is located. From that point on a claims representative should be able to walk you through the process of filing your claim.
· If you made the excellent decision to add rental car insurance to your insurance policy you're going to want to ask about picking up a rental car while your car's in the shop. As long as it's covered under your policy your Kansas auto insurance provider should take care of both arranging for a rental car and making sure the fees get paid.
· If you're going to want to keep your car for salvage after it's been totaled, make sure you let your insurance company know as soon as possible. It's not unusual for an insurance company to auction a totaled vehicle for salvage after an accident. If you want to keep your car from suffering this fate you're going to want to make those arrangements from the very beginning.
· While you're driving around town in your rental car your Kansas auto insurance provider is going to be sending a claims appraiser to look at your car and determine whether it's worth fixing. If the cost of the repairs plus your rental plus any depreciation (plus a couple of other factors that are escaping my memory right at the moment) is more than they'd pay to just total the car your insurer is probably just going to cut you a check and call it a day. This is always the hard part-the moment when you have to pat your old friend on the head and bid him goodbye.
Remember, every car has its day. Now it's time for you to take your insurance check and go shopping for a brand new set of wheels.