After a car accident, one of your goals will be to be adequately compensated by your insurance company. This can only be done if you file a claim with your car insurers. You will need to take the proper steps to do this, including reporting your accident quickly and contacting your insurers. In this article, we’ll tell you the steps you need to take to file a State Farm car insurance claim.
Generally speaking, if the accident was your fault, it’s probably not worth filing an insurance claim unless your damages are more than your deductible. If the accident was not your fault, you won’t be responsible for paying a deductible. However, your insurance rates may still go up even though the accident wasn’t your fault—although the rate increase if it happens at all, will be much smaller than the rate increase for an at-fault driver.
Coverage
The different coverages by State Farm car insurance include:
- medical payments and expenses,
- lost wages,
- lost earning capacity,
- property damage,
- out-of-pocket expenses, and
- pain and suffering.
What You Should Do First When Filing a Claim
1. Visit the Hospital for a Checkup
One of the first things to do after a car accident is to visit the hospital immediately for a checkup. Delaying a trip to a hospital could give the insurance company a reason to deny your claim. Go to the nearest hospital for a checkup, even if you think you are uninjured. Some injuries can take days to show symptoms. What’s more, if you’re seeking reimbursement for medical expenses, you’ll need supporting documentation.
2. Get a Polic Report
Contact the division and get a police report about the incident. It’s important to call the police even if the accident appears relatively minor, even if it’s an isolated incident. You will use a police report to support your insurance claim.
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Steps to Take to File Car Insurance Claim with State Farm
Before you begin filing a State Farm car insurance, it’s crucial to have different kinds of information on hand before submitting a claim. This comprises:
- Date and time of the accident
- Location of the accident
- Vehicles involved (make, model, license plate)
- Description of the accident
- Description of the damages
- State Farm policyholder’s name
- State Farm policy number
- Any photographs, police reports, or other evidence of the crash
- Name and address of the shop you will like to repair your vehicle.
To file a car insurance claim with State Farm, these are the steps to follow>>>
Step 1: Get a Police Report
Contact the division and get a police report about the incident. It’s important to call the police even if the accident appears relatively minor, even if it’s an isolated incident. You will use a police report to support your insurance claim.
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Step 2: Take Photos and Videos as Supporting Evidence
To confirm your claims, your insurer including State Farm may need onsite evidence of the collision. Take photos of the accident and the accident scene.
Step 3: Contact State Farm Insurance Agent
After the accident, you must contact an agent with your insurance company to report that you were involved in an accident whether you were at fault or not.
Step 4: File a Claim with State Farm
There are two types of insurance systems in the United States:
- At-fault insurance systems. In states that have an at-fault insurance system, the driver who causes the accident is responsible for the resulting damages. In these states, all insurance claims are filed with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
- No-fault insurance systems. In states that have a no-fault insurance system, each driver files a claim with their own insurance company regardless of who’s at fault for the accident.
Step 5: Negotiate with the Agent
After filing your claims, State Farm will assign an agent to you who will want to get other information about the accident. It is in your best interest to keep the conversation as minimal as possible. If you don’t know how to answer a question, simply respond that you don’t know rather than try to guess the answer. It is important to remember that the insurance agent is working in the best interest of State Farm, and not yours. Bad faith practices are common with most insurers looking to satisfy their investors.
To minimize the chances of getting underpaid you State Farm, you can hire an experienced auto accident attorney. An experienced personal auto attorney can help you in the entire claim process and can:
- help you gather information to identify liable parties,
- negotiate claims on your behalf
- file a lawsuit if negotiations break down or State Farm denies a claim.
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Deadline on Filing a State Farm Car Insurance Claim
State Farm does not have a specific deadline for filing a car accident claim. It does, however, require a claimant to file an initial report as soon as possible. Thus, it is best to file a claim with the relevant insurer within 24 to 48 hours of the incident when the evidence remains fresh. Waiting too long to file a car accident claim could give State Farm a reason to outrightly deny your claim. You can call State Farm to start your claim immediately, while still at the scene of the crash.
Filing State Farm Car Insurance Claims via Mobile App
If State Farm is your insurance carrier, you can log into your account on the Internet or through their app on a smartphone. The State Farm smartphone app walks you through the accident reporting process.
Filing State Farm Car Insurance Claim via Website
You can also file your Car insurance claims on State Farm using the website. Visit the claims section and follow the instructions on the screen. Click here to get started. If you run into any problems while filing your claim online, you can use State Farm’s online chat feature or call customer service.
Claims Phone Number
You can initiate a claim with State Farm by contacting the insurer directly at 1-800-of-claim (800-732-5246). This number is operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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