Most motorists don’t think much about their auto insurance after they purchase it, but when an
accident occurs, suddenly their coverage is front of mind. Filing a claim with your auto carrier can be a
bit daunting, especially if you have no prior experience with it.
After a mishap with your car, it is important that you contact your insurance company right away to begin
the claims process. Let’s take a look at some of the types of claims that most drivers encounter and the
time it takes to get everything worked out with the auto insurer.

Common Types of Auto Claims

Broken Windshield

Whether it was a rock thrown from a highway dump truck or an errant fly ball from a pickup game of kids’
baseball on your street, a broken windshield is one of the most common auto insurance claims.
The good news is that glass replacement claims are quite simple to resolve. As soon as you discover that
you have glass damage, call the insurance company immediately. They can put you in touch with an
authorized auto glass repair company who will come out to replace your car’s windshield. Auto glass
technicians are highly trained and carry special equipment that enables them to install new glass in your
vehicle, quickly and easily. Some policies have a small deductible that you might have to pay, but it is often
less than $250.00.

Physical Damage

When your car needs body work as the result of an accident, there is no standard answer as to how long
it will take to fix the vehicle. After reporting the accident (assuming that you carry full coverage on the
car), the insurance carrier will appoint an adjuster who is responsible for assessing the damage, as well as
the estimated cost to repair it. Some insurance companies will allow you to simply take pictures of the
vehicle and send them to the adjuster.
Most insurers have preferred body shops that they regularly work with, but you are entitled to pick the
repair center of your choice. Depending upon the availability of replacement parts and the body shop’s
work schedule, fixing your car will probably take anywhere from a week to a full month.
Sometimes an auto carrier will consider a car to be a total loss, which means in their estimation, the cost
to repair the vehicle is more than the car is worth. In this situation, your insurance company will offer you
a specific amount of money for the car in order to settle the claim. The insurer will likely take possession
of the vehicle after the payout. If your car is deemed to be a total loss, do some research on its fair market
value before you agree on an amount. This knowledge will be a great help during the negotiation phase
of the settlement process with the insurance carrier.

Medical Claims

Medical claims take the longest to settle for an auto insurer after an accident. This is due to the fact that
the insurance company has to carefully examine the cost of medical bills that resulted from the crash. It
is possible that the carrier will subrogate the cost of medical claims, meaning that they will pursue another
party or carrier to reimburse them for these expenses.
If you suffered bodily injury from a car accident, focus on your health and make sure you receive the
medical care you need. Do all you can to get better as quickly as possible and leave the issue of paying
for medical bills to the insurance carrier’s claims department.

If you find yourself needing to make a claim and need Auto Insurance in Chicago, call Insure on the Spot today! Free Auto Insurance Quotes in just 2 minutes.