Our Orlando Car Accident Attorney Explains How to File a Car Accident Claim With American Family
You know you have to file an insurance claim or a personal injury claim after your recent accident, but you may feel overwhelmed reading through your insurance policy and trying to understand the process. Filing a claim can seem daunting, but it’s a vital step toward getting the compensation you need for your car damage or injuries.
Our dedicated car accident lawyers can help walk you through the process, and if your claim is denied, they can help you file an appeal. At Spetsas Buist, we’re ready to help you seek the compensation you need. Here, we explain filing claims with American Family Insurance if you’re an American Family customer or filing against a driver with an American Family policy.
How Insurance Claims Work
Even if you weren’t at fault, you should still report any car accident to your own insurance provider. You can generally follow the same process for filing a claim, whether you’re filing with your own insurance or that of another driver.
Filing a Third-Party Claim
If another driver caused the accident, you can file what is called a third-party insurance claim. In this case, you are the third party, and you file with the other driver’s insurance. You should plan for the possibility of a long wait to resolve your claim, as the other party’s insurer will investigate to determine whether or not their insured actually caused the accident.
Filing a Claim With Your Own Insurance
Usually, you file with your own insurance company, even if you weren’t at fault. You may need to file a claim with your own insurance company if:
- You couldn’t get the other driver’s information. Some drivers may not stay at the scene after hitting you. If this is the case, you should file a claim with your own insurance company. If you have any evidence that might help you find the person responsible (including photos, videos, a license plate, etc.), you should speak with a car accident attorney to learn your options for seeking justice.
- You’re in a no-fault state. No-fault states like Florida require all drivers to purchase personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, which is what you can use to cover personal injuries caused by an accident. At-fault drivers are still held liable for property damage, but you can only pursue compensation for injuries if the costs of medical treatment and other injury-related losses exceed your PIP coverage (usually about $10,000).
- The at-fault driver is underinsured. If you carry and file a claim with your underinsured motorist insurance policy, you can cover some of the costs of an accident with an underinsured or uninsured driver.
- You have a car loan balance. You may be able to cover the costs of a lease balance if your leased car is totaled and you still have payments left on the loan.
Preparing for Your Claim
Insurance companies want to pay out as little as possible in compensation. Even when you have a valid claim, they’ll often deny it for a variety of reasons, including the following:
- Issues with your policy and coverage
- Disputes over liability
- Missing documentation
- Too much lapsed time since the accident
An Orlando car accident attorney can help you review the denial documentation and determine the best steps for an appeal.
Whether you’re filing for compensation for property damage or injuries (for costs above your PIP coverage), you can strengthen your claim by gathering sufficient evidence to support it. Documents and other evidence you may need for your claim include:
- Photos or videos from the scene
- Contact and insurance policy information for other drivers involved
- Contact information for witnesses
- The police report
- The make, model, and license plate number(s) of all vehicles involved
How to File an Orlando Car Accident Insurance Claim With American Family
If you’re an American Family customer, you can file a claim through the MyAmFam app, online through the online claims center, or by calling 1-800-MYFAM (1-800-692-6326) or calling your agent’s contact information. Non-subscribers filing a third-party claim against an American Family customer can file online or by calling the same number.
An insurance adjuster will contact you after you submit an auto insurance claim to discuss the specifics, gather further information, and discuss details like damage estimates and repairs.
How Our Orlando Car Accident Lawyers Can Help You
At Spetsas Buist, we can provide helpful tips for dealing with insurance adjusters. It’s easy to make statements that can jeopardize your personal injury claim and reduce the amount of compensation you can recover. We can help you with every step of the process and handle negotiations on your behalf. We have years of experience dealing with insurance companies, so we know how best to protect your rights. Our client testimonials demonstrate just how much we value treating clients like family, so let us fight for you like family.
