Being involved in an auto accident could affect your insurance rates and coverage even it wasn’t your fault. By knowing what to do to clear an accident from your insurance record, you’ll be able to pay lower rates and have a better record to show if you ever decide to change carriers. Here are four tips for keeping a car crash off your record.
Take Pictures
To have a better chance of proving the accident wasn’t your fault and keeping it off your record, it’s smart to take pictures of the damages on your vehicle as well as the damages on the other driver’s vehicle. It’s also best to take pictures of the setting where the accident occurred to make your insurance claim more substantiated. While it is best to have a professional mechanic appraise the damage for unseen problems, having pictures of both vehicles can help your insurance company and lawyers better determine the extent of the damage and who is at fault.
Consult with a Lawyer
A car accident lawyer can review your case and let you know if any legal action can be taken on your behalf to clear your record. Your attorney should be willing to negotiate with your insurance company along with the other driver’s insurance provider to try to limit your liability. Along with working to clear your record, the attorney you hire can put forth the effort to get you compensation to cover your damages and any personal injuries either by negotiating an insurance settlement or taking your case to court.
Don’t Admit Fault
Even if the accident was in fact your fault, you should refrain from admitting fault to the other driver or your insurance company. Your insurance company and the other driver’s provider will work to decide whose fault the accident really was. Upon further review of the incident, factors might indicate that you weren’t entirely at fault for the accident, and admitting fault right away could hurt your claim.
Choose a Provider That Forgives Accidents
Some insurance companies are willing to forgive customers for accidents that they caused and keep their insurance rates down. This might not work in your favor if you already have multiple accidents that you were at fault for on your record, but accident forgiveness may come into play if you’re dealing with a first-time at-fault accident and have an otherwise clean driving record.
Just because you were involved in a car crash doesn’t mean that your insurance coverage should suffer. By taking the right steps to clear an accident from your record, you’ll be able to continue driving with the insurance coverage that you need without having to pay a fortune.
Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure. You can connect with her on Facebook right here and Twitter right here.
