If you’ve been in a car accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries, damage to your vehicle, lost wages for time you had to take off work to recover and other damages. But financial compensation after a car accident is not guaranteed. Here are six reasons why your car accident insurance claim can be denied.
1: The Accident was Due To Your Negligence
If the insurance company finds that you were at fault or negligent in causing the accident, your claim for financial compensation can be rejected. The reasoning why is pretty clear, after all, if the accident was your fault or the result of you driving recklessly or negligently, you shouldn’t be able to recover damages for injuries that were essentially your own fault.
Claims also can also be denied if the insurer thinks that you have done something intentionally that isn’t under the terms and conditions of your policy. Such activities may include driving without a license, obstruction of traffic rules, or drunk driving.
2: You Filled False Information in the Insurance Application
Insurance is a type of agreement built on trust between the insurer and the policyholder. But, many applicants provide false, inaccurate or wrong information in the application. For instance, some people try to deceive the insurance company with false previous accident records, while others lie about the car’s information such as mileage, previous accidents, etc.
Filing false information in your car insurance application can prevent you from receiving a car accident settlement and if your insurer discovers the falsified details, the company likely won’t process your claim or discuss a settlement. Not only the claim gets denied, but your policy may also get canceled. So, make sure to provide accurate personal and automobile-related details. Or, the money you have paid in the form of premiums could be wasted.
3: Failing To Document the Entire Scene
In order to get a car or auto accident settlement, it is essential to prove that you were involved in a road collision and have incurred damages. But, if you leave the area without capturing important information, your claim is likely to get disputed.
Here are some of the things you need to do immediately after the mishap occurred:
• Inform the police so that the officer can create an accident report.
• Check if anyone is injured. If so, request emergency medical aid.
• Jot down the name, contact details, and vehicle numbers of all the drivers involved in the accident.
• Talk to the eyewitnesses, if any, and write down whatever they saw.
• Click photos of the damaged property, injuries, marks, etc.
• Report your insurance company about the entire scene.
4: Waiting Too Long to Filing The Claim
Every insurance company sets a specific timeframe to file the claims in case the accidents occur. Many of the companies even have deadlines of claim initiation that vary from 48 to 72 hours. As a policyholder, if you don’t stick to those deadlines, the company has all the right to deny your claim.
Whether you are claiming from an insurer or a third party, failure to comply with the policy’s rules may result in the loss of an otherwise valid car accident case.
5: No Proof of Medical Assistance After the Accident
If you have been injured in an accident, it is essential to seek immediate medical assistance. Even if you feel like you have any severe injury, it is advised to visit the hospital without wasting time.
The reason is, whiplash and other internal injuries may not manifest at the scene of the accident, but can show up the next day or even weeks later. Also, some of the medical conditions are detected by the doctor only.
Besides this, if you fail to get medical treatment, the company may assume that the injuries were not caused by accident. Providing proof such as medical bills and medical treatment certificates will give you a strong point to file a claim.
6: Your Insurance Policy Is Inactive
Remember that an insurance policy is a mutual contract between you and your insurer. The insurance provider agrees to cover your damages in the event of an accident or other damage to your vehicle. In return, you agree to pay your insurer a car insurance premium on time. If you fail to do so, you may not have a valid policy with your insurance company.
These are just some of the reasons that a car insurance company may reject your claim. If you ever get involved in an accident and need to file a claim for compensation, keep this information in mind to stay away from financial trouble after the mishap.