Understanding How Vehicle Repair Claims are Processed

One of the first things you should do when you’re injured in a vehicle accident is to file a claim. You may file it with your insurance company or the other driver’s insurance company. You may be thinking: how exactly do I file a claim? Over the years, the process of how to file an auto insurance claim has changed, and still varies depending upon your individual insurance company. At Badell’s Collision, we make it our mission to not only repair your vehicle to its best condition, but to also guide you through dealing with insurance.

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What Is A Claim?

Before we get in too far, let’s define a claim. The word “claim” refers to an actual event and involves a loss. For instance, an auto policy claim or loss would be a stolen car or an accident. You file or submit a claim to your insurance company requesting coverage or compensation for a covered loss or policy event.

What to Do After an Accident

Call 9-1-1 if anyone is injured.
Call the police department to file an accident report.
Call a tow truck or roadside assistance if you need it.
Call your insurance company or go online to start a claim.
Gather contact and insurance information from those involved.
Collect witness names and numbers.
Photograph damage.
Don’t apologize or take fault for the accident.
Discuss accident details with the police, insurance agent, and claims associate only.
Don’t leave the scene until okayed by the police.

Be sure to always call the police and make a report after an accident. Do not let the other party talk you into exchanging information and letting them pay you out of pocket. You never know how these scenarios will result. When you do not make a police report, you will have to go through your own insurance, which means your rates could go up and you’ll have to pay your deductible.

Find out more about Badell’s Top-Quality Collision Repair Process.

How to Start a Claim

All insurance claims processes are different, but generally you will either call your insurance company’s 800 number or go online to start your claim.

You’ll likely be assigned a claims associate who will guide you through the process. This claims associate will:

Gather facts about the accident
Explain coverages
Help schedule inspection of the vehicle
Arrange for a rental car, if needed

Some Questions You May Want to Ask the Claims Associate

Am I covered for these losses?
What is my deductible?
How long will it take to process my claim?
Does my policy have a time limit on filing a claim?
Is there a time limit during which claims must be resolved after they are filed?
What are those time limits?

How Your Claim Is Processed

After it’s determined that your accident is covered, your claim will be assigned to a claims adjuster. Within a week or so, the adjuster will evaluate the damage and loss to your vehicle and determine how much you can claim under your policy. This figure will be the insurance company’s estimate of what they will pay to repair your car – the total initial claim payment. This is just a starting point.

Don’t Let Insurance Delay the Claim Process

If you’ve given your insurance company reasonable opportunity to inspect the vehicle within a week of the accident, and they’ve still not returned an estimate of how much you can claim, do not wait. Involve an experienced body shop that is familiar with claims and your specific insurance policies and procedures.

How to Arrange for Vehicle Repairs through Insurance after an Accident

It used to be so that after an accident, you would need to file a claim and run around to get three repair estimates (in an effort to save the insurance company money). Nowadays, some insurance companies don’t even require an estimate before choosing a repair shop; others accept photo estimates; and others still have their own “concierge shops” for estimates.

The thing to keep in mind here, is that you have the right to choose your own repair shop. You should not feel like you have to use one of the “preferred partners” that an insurance company recommends. (In fact, you likely shouldn’t most times: here’s why.)

Get a Quality Estimate, Not Just the Easiest One

All of this said, the process of filing a claim, obtaining payment from your insurance company, and finally choosing a shop for repairs can be quite time consuming. We urge you to seek out quality referrals from local auto body shops and select where you want your car to be repaired. These are our top 4 recommendations:

Do your homework on your coverage
Ask your claims associate questions
Keep the pressure on the insurance company for a timely appraisal (but do not wait longer than necessary to begin repairs)
Research the shops you get repair estimates from

Get more helpful information on Why You Should Shop Your Auto Insurance Every Year.

We Can Help You Navigate the Claims Process – Badell’s Collision

If you’ve been in an accident, Badell’s Collision can get you towed, estimated and start building your claim with the insurance company. Then, we’ll negotiate the claim on your behalf. We deal with insurance companies on a daily basis, and take pride in doing so because it makes our customers’ experiences simpler.

Quality is a huge point of pride for Badell’s Collision. We stand behind our work and provide a lifetime warranty on all our workmanship. We use premium paint, ensure professional application, and offer a transferable warranty that NOBODY in our market has. Why? Because we care about our vehicles and have extreme pride in our workmanship. Badell’s Collision has performed accident and auto body repairs for customers throughout the Delaware Valley for more than 14 years. Call our office today or request a free estimate using our simple online form.

About The Author

Brandon Badel

Brandon Badel is the owner of family-owned Badell's Collision. Brandon's "customer first" approach and true commitment to going above and beyond is what distinguishes him from other local shop owners. Brandon is proud to have two locations to better serve Chester and Delaware County car owners, and looks forward to a future full of success for his team.