However, accidents do happen, and it’s not uncommon that at some point you’re glad you have car insurance.
In Canada, car insurance is mandatory, although the nature and extent of coverage varies by province and territory. Even rental cars must be insured! In general, you should at least have liability insurance, which covers damage you cause to other vehicles, people and property, as well as some type of personal injury protection which covers medical expenses if you are injured. . Remember that this type of basic coverage does not protect your car or the belongings in it in the event of theft, loss or vandalism. That’s why it’s always important to think carefully about the type of protection you want, and to look for the policy that best meets those needs.
Of course, we hope never to have to rely on this protection. But let’s say you’re driving on a freezing winter morning and try to turn into your driveway, only to feel your car swerve toward your neighbor’s fence as your tires begin to slip on the frozen ground. You crash into the fence, damaging it and leaving a scratch and maybe even a dent or two on your car. It’s not a great situation, but it can happen. Fortunately, you have insurance! But before making a claim, there are a couple of things to consider.
What to consider before making a car insurance claim
Here’s the tricky thing about insurance claims: Every claim is a mark on your file, and the more claims you make, the riskier you’ll appear to insurance providers. And if there’s one thing insurers hate above all else, it’s risk. The more claims you have, the higher your monthly premiums will be, because insurers will consider you a high risk and charge you more. If you have a lot of claims, it might even be difficult to find a provider willing to insure you at all.
As such, you should really consider whether it’s worth filing a claim if the damage is only minimal and you could easily fix it out of pocket. The situation changes slightly if the damage suffered was not your fault. So, if you were hit while you were parked, your insurance may not change your premium, since you did not cause the damage.
If you find yourself having to file a claim, the process is quite simple. However, if a crime has taken place, such as theft or vandalism of your car, you must first file a police report before contacting your insurance.
In all other cases, you will need to contact your insurance and let them know that you want to file a claim. You will need to provide your insurance policy number, as well as the other driver’s insurance information if another vehicle was involved. In most cases, it is possible to do this online.
Write down every detail
Try to write down exactly what happened right after the incident, so you don’t forget important details later. Who was with you at that time? Memory is fallible, and the more time passes, the more difficult it will be for you to remember important details.
Take pictures
It can be extremely helpful to take photos of the scene and the damage so that your insurer has a clear idea of what happened. In an ideal scenario, you will have “before” photos of your car to show your insurer how the car was damaged after the incident.
Keeps a record of all communications
Be sure to keep a written record of all communications, whether with the other driver involved in the incident, the police, the mechanics or your insurer. Keeping a record of all communications surrounding the case allows you to keep an overview of all parties involved in the claim while protecting you in the event of miscommunication or misunderstanding.
Once your insurer has received all the information it needs, it will make the decision to accept or reject your claim. If they reject it, you’ll have to pay the damages yourself. If he accepts it, your insurer will cover the damage insofar as your policy provides for it. So, in the case of the damaged neighbor’s fence we described above, your insurance would most likely cover the damage to the fence, since it would fall under basic liability coverage. However, unless you also have coverage that protects your vehicle, you may have to pay to have the damage to your car repaired.
If you’re looking for car insurance that offers the coverage you need at the price that’s right for you, then we’ve got you covered. With YouSet , all you have to do is answer a few questions before you get the policies that best suit your needs, with a best price guarantee. Once you find one you want, you can buy it directly from our site. You are curious ? Come to see us !