How Can I File an Insurance Claim With State Farm?
Posted in Uncategorized on October 11, 2018.
State Farm is one of the leading auto insurance carriers in the United States. Car accidents happen every day all over the country, and most drivers dread having to file a Birmingham car insurance claim. While State Farm has a solid reputation as a fair and reasonable insurance carrier, dealing with an insurance claim is rarely a simple matter. It’s a good idea for all drivers to understand the insurance claim filing process and what to expect from filing a claim with State Farm.
Building Your Claim Report
When you file a claim with State Farm, you will need to provide the insurer with as much information about your claim as possible. This may include police reports related to an accident, photos, and other documentation. The State Farm app allows policyholders to quickly file claims using a smartphone, and this can be very advantageous after some car accidents when time is a critical factor.
Depending on how your accident happened, you may be filing against an at-fault driver’s State Farm policy or your own. In either case, an attorney can help you draft an initial demand letter if necessary. Having an attorney work on your claim makes your claim more credible and less likely to encounter pushback from an insurance claims adjuster.
The State Farm Review Process
Once State Farm receives your initial claim report they will investigate your claim. The more extensive the damage or the more expensive your claim, the more detailed and time-consuming the subsequent investigation will be. A State Farm claim associate may contact you for additional information for your claim report or to discuss details of your coverage.
State Farm will assess the damages in your claim and offer an estimate. In some cases, there may be a deductible you will need to pay before State Farm coverage applies. Once you receive an estimate from State Farm, you can approve it and then State Farm will authorize your repairs. State Farm may send payment directly to your auto repair center or deposit the payment into your bank account. If there is any need for State Farm to work with at-fault parties and recover payments, the subrogation phase follows the claimant’s payout.
Tips for a Stronger Claim
Hiring an attorney to help with your insurance claim offers several benefits. First, you have a trained legal professional who understands how the law applies to your accident and what avenues of compensation are open to you. Attorneys can also handle correspondence with insurers to encourage quicker resolutions to their clients’ claims. One of the best things a claimant can do to strengthen an initial claim report to State Farm is to collect as much evidence as possible to support the claim.
Immediately following an accident, check if anyone involved suffered injuries and call the police to report the accident if so. You should also notify the police of any accident that results in a fatality or significant property damage. You may need to move your car out of traffic following a collision, but try to take a few photos of the accident scene before you do so. Take pictures of the damage to your vehicle, debris in the road, the damage to the other driver’s vehicle, and any nearby landmarks. These photos will help a claims adjuster determine liability for the damages in a State Farm claim.
If you need to file a claim with State Farm but aren’t sure how to navigate the process or don’t know what documentation you will need for your claim report, an attorney is your best resource for assistance. Attorneys help discourage bad faith insurance practices and can help their clients maximize their insurance settlements.