You have recently gotten into an auto collision with another driver, so naturally, you may feel distressed. Still, it is important to keep a cool head. You might plan on contacting your insurer or prepare a case that the insurance company of the other driver should compensate you for your injuries. You want to avoid mistakes that could damage your case.
A lot of people imperil their claims for damages simply by saying the wrong things to an insurance company. USA Today describes some of these mistakes so that you may avoid them during insurance negotiations.
Admitting fault
A lot of people make the mistake of admitting to an insurer they were at fault for an accident. However, keep in mind that what happened may be only your interpretation of the events. Mitigating factors may have caused you to make supposedly wrong choices that led to an accident. If you wait for the police to conduct their investigation, you may learn that the police have determined that the other driver had a large share of blame for the incident.
Guessing details
An auto accident can happen very quickly, so chances are that you might not recall all the details of the crash. However, you may feel that you must provide as much detail as possible to the insurer. In doing so, you could misrepresent what happened. An inaccurate recount of your accident could make you seem culpable for the crash.
In addition, you do not want your insurer to think you are lying about your accident on purpose. Giving false details to your insurer could also run afoul of the law. Consider providing your insurer with estimates instead of specifics, particularly if your insurer does not solicit you for particular information.
