Can I Make an Insurance Claim Due to Being Involved in a Single-Vehicle Accident?
If you were involved in a single vehicle accident, you may be wondering if you can file an insurance claim. Okay so here’s the question and the answer: This blog post will explore the answer to that question.
Many factors can contribute to a single-vehicle crash, including weather, road conditions, distracted driving and more. Having an awareness of that helps drivers not get into times like this where they are involved in a single-vehicle crash.’
Summary of a car insurance policy
A car insurance policy is a legal contract between you and your insurer, specifying how much coverage you have, your rights and responsibilities and exclusions or limitations. It is adjustable according to your exact needs, and it aims to guard you from losing money if you are involved in a collision or other auto accident, or if you damage someone else’s vehicle.
It can also help cover medical bills and other charges you incur if you’re involved in an accident that’s caused by at-fault drivers without enough liability coverage to pay for your care and other expenses, or if you’re hit by uninsured drivers. Some policies also cover roadside assistance.
One of the biggest factors in how much your policy costs is what kind of coverage you choose. Your rates will differ based on your age, driving record and location. For instance, higher rates apply to city drivers, those with luxury or high-performance vehicles and those who drive for business.
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So, What Are the Different Types of Car Insurance That Protect You Against Accidents? Your policy should also have limits, or dollar amounts that your insurer will pay on claims in each category.
The most common types of car insurance are liability and personal injury protection (PIP). In exchange for the agreed-upon premium, they cover the cost of damage you cause to other drivers, their passengers and property, up to a pre-set limit between you and your insurer.
Comprehensive coverage covers damage to your car from something other than a collision with a pedestrian or another vehicle, such as fire, hail, theft, vandalism, windstorm and floods. Glass coverage may be covered under this type of policy, which would pay for the repair or replacement of your windshield if it were broken.
Nearly all states require some type of car insurance for car owners. If you fail to maintain appropriate coverage, you can be fined, have your license suspended and serve jail time if you are at fault for an accident.
What is a deductible?
A deductible is the amount you have to spend on health care services until your insurance plan will start to pay for your coverage. If you have a plan, that amount may be higher or lower.
You might save money on your monthly premium with a high deductible plan. But it also means that you pay more out-of-pocket costs until you hit the deductible. So if you have a chronic condition or are part of a big family, finding a low deductible plan might work out cheaper for you.
Be sure to look closely at what a deductible entails when selecting one to ensure you have a clear understanding of it as well as how it functions. Deductibles are often described in a plan’s booklet or website.
Deductibles are plan-specific but generally fall between $0 and $7,500 on individual plans and $0 and $15,000 on family plans. These deductibles are typically reset annually.
While some plans have a family deductible that applies to everyone in the plan, like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, others may apply an individual deductible for each person covered by the policy.
Your deductible is specific to all covered medical services, so check your plan’s terms for details. That means most preventive services (flu shots and vaccines, for example) and some screenings (such as mammograms).
After you reach your deductible, you and your plan split the remaining costs. Your insurer pays 70 percent and you pay 30 percent.
A deductible is a simple way to take control of your health care expenses, especially if you’re self-employed or have high out-of-pocket costs. If you are not sure what your deductible is, ask your health care provider.
Your deductible can also be viewed online or on a member ID card. To plan ahead, it can be helpful to remind yourself what your deductible is as you’re approaching your next doctor’s visit.
Two types of deductible dollar amount deductible and percent deductible. They are a feature of homeowners policies and are determined as a percentage of the home’s insured value.
How much compensation am I eligible for?
The amount of compensation you can receive is not fixed. Those include your medical bills, the cost to repair or replace your vehicles, and the amount of your lost income. And, if you were injured in an accident from another party’s negligence, in addition to the damages already mentioned, you may also have the right to recover other damages for pain and suffering.
The first step to determining your compensation is to gather all of the medical bills related to the crash you have experienced. Your attorney will then multiply these numbers by a multiplier normally between one and five, depending on the severity of your injuries and if there were any aggravating factors during or immediately after the crash.
Once you have totaled all your expenses, your lawyer will be able to assess how much your case is worth. This will depend on various factors, including your medical bills and how long it took you to recover from the crash.
Your lawyer will also be able to figure out how much the accident costs you in terms of lost wages and property damage. Most of the time, you will be eligible to recover all of these losses, but it is critical to realize that some accidents can be extremely complex, and challenging to support.
Similarly, if you were harmed in an accident due to someone else’s carelessness, your attorney will know those responsible parties, and recover their compensation. This could greatly raise the number in your settlement but keep in mind to work with an experienced personal injury attorney.
Lastly, your attorney will also be able to assist you in recovering more damages that you didn’t incur directly as a result of the accident itself. These include lost income and non-economic losses such as pain and suffering.
If you have suffered in a single vehicle crash contact out office today and speak to an experienced car accident lawyer for free! We will assess your case and outline all of your legal options so you can begin recovering the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
How do I file a claim?
If you are involved in a single car accident there are certain steps you should take to protect your legal rights. This means, among other things, that you need to alert law enforcement about the incident and make a claim with your car insurance company.
Also try to take as much notes as possible on the incident itself (your contact details, what time of day you were online, etc). This will aid your attorney in figuring out who may be responsible for the crash.
Even if you don’t feel you were responsible for the crash, it’s still helpful to call your insurer to discuss your accident and become familiar with how they handle claims. That will allow your insurance company to assess your entitlement to compensation under the provisions of your policy.
Like any insurance claim, you want to put as much information on paper as you can about the crash. This will allow your attorney to determine who may be liable for the crash and the process of obtaining compensation.
There are many different factors that may contribute to a single-car accident. Driver fatigue, distractions and driving under the influence are among the top cause.
In some instances, a road defect may have precipitated the crash. That may include potholes, construction debris left on the road and other roadway issues.
In the event that a road defect led to your single-vehicle crash, you may have grounds to file a claim against the local state or federal government agency that is responsible for maintaining safe roads. You could also have a case against a private contractor or landowner responsible for maintaining private roads.
If you choose to pursue a claim against the government, however, you should contact an experienced car accident lawyer who can investigate the case. This ensures that you give yourself the best chances of a successful settlement or jury verdict.
It’s also important to submit a claim as soon as you can. A delay can also allow the statute of limitations to run out, and you can no longer pursue your case. It may cause delays to get the medical treatment or other compensations that you deserve.
Insurance Claims in Single Vehicle Accidents: See FAQ
What if my insurance is not enough to pay for the damages of a single car accident?
In the event that your insurance is not enough to pay for the repairs or any costs associated with a single vehicle accident, you would be responsible for any costs paid out of your pocket. You should check your policy before an accident happens so you know what kind of insurance you have, and how much it covers.
Who is to blame when an accident occurs involving only one vehicle?
An investigation will be required to determine if the driver was at fault, but in a single vehicle accident, the driver is often presumed to be responsible for damages from the incident. That said, it may be that other circumstances could be taken into account when determining liability, including road conditions, distracted driving, and mechanical failure.
Do I still have a claim on my insurance if I was partly at fault in one vehicle accident?
Yes, you can file a claim, even if you’re partially responsible for the accident, based on the details of the accident and your specific insurance policy. Most insurance policies generally cover “acts of nature” or some other unavoidable occurrence that results in an accident with just one car.
Single Vehicle Accidents: What Claims Can I Pursue Following An Accident?
Yes, you specifically file with either a first party or third party claim depending on who was to account (your liability) and how many cars were involved. An example of a first party claim is filing with your own insurance company for damages incurred by your own vehicle or property as a result of an act of nature or another liable party that is not covered by the insurance policy (i.e., police officer). A third party claim means filing with someone’s insurer if their negligence caused damage to your property or vehicle (or vice versa).
