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How to File a Car Insurance Claim

How to File a Car Insurance Claim

If you don’t know how to file a car insurance claim then the process can seem nearly overwhelming, especially if you do not prepare to follow the proper procedures. Every car insurance company is a little bit different, however the basics are fairly standardized whether you have a personal agent or are working with an online insurance company.Car Insurance

While there are potentially a number of steps that you will need to follow, they can all be broken down into three basic phases – what to do at the scene, filing the actual claim, and getting the repairs take care of.

At the Scene

As soon as you get into an accident, time is of the essence. The first step is calling the police. If there are no apparent injuries, then do not call 911, but rather the direct non-emergency line. Immediately after you contact the police and let them know about the situation, you should get in touch with your insurance company. It doesn’t matter if you are dealing with a local insurance agent or need to contact a hot-line, you should let them know what the situation is.

Even if you believe were are at fault for the accident, it is not recommended that you express this. Let the facts, witnesses, and authorities determine responsibility for the collision. The last thing you want is to be given fault for an accident because you accepted responsibility before all the facts were known. At-fault accidents can significantly increase your insurance rates.

Gather The Necessary Information

Once everyone has been contacted, you should begin collecting information. In most states, the police will provide you with the information of the person who you were in an accident with, although there is no harm in collecting it before the police arrive. You should also immediately write down the basic scenario in which the accident occurred. This will ensure that your story remains constant through the entire process.

Another thing to keep in mind is that in many jurisdictions, police officers will try to avoid taking an accident report if the damage appears to be under $500. Regardless, you need to insist on an accident report. If they refuse, then you should at least be able to get an incident report. This is incredibly important because it gives you a record created by a an independent third-party.

Filing The Actual Claim

In general, you will want to file the claim as quickly as possible. The first step is to contact your insurance company. Some people believe that if the accident was not their fault then they should file the claim with the other persons insurance company. While there is some merit to this, the problem is that the other persons insurance company is not looking out for your best interest, whereas your insurance company is.

Once you’ve filed your claim, your next step is likely to be talking with the claims adjuster. In some cases, this step may not occur if your insurance company has repair shops that they work with directly. If this is the case, then you can simply drop off your car and your insurance company will pay the repair shop directly, assuming that your car is not considered a “total loss”.

If the accident was not your fault then there’s a good chance that the other driver’s insurance company will contact you directly. In general, they will ask you for details about the accident and may want a recorded statement by phone. Make sure that you refer back to the details you wrote down at the scene in order to ensure that your statement does not change because the other insurance company will likely be recording it and looking for any inconsistencies.

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If you are injured and not at fault in the collision, it is advisable to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney regarding your claim.

Getting The Repairs

Once your claim is filed, the next step is actually getting the repairs taking care of. If you are using the insurance companies network of auto repair shops, then you simply need to drop it off. The insurance company will then pay the repair shop directly and should take care of rental car expenses depending on the facts of the accident and your coverage. If you are using your own repair shop then you will likely have to pay the initial bill and then submit the expense report in order to get reimbursed.

If for some reason, you do not get fully reimbursed then you can choose to take additional dispute resolution actions. If you are dealing solely with your own insurance company, then they likely have a dispute resolution process in place. If you are dealing with the other drivers insurance company, then you may need to take additional legal action.

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Orthodontic Consultation

The consultation appointment

The consultation appointment consists of a thorough clinical examination followed by a comprehensive discussion. our Doctor and his staff are compassionate and sensitive to the anxiety that some children and adults have before their consultation appointments. They are nervous and more concerned that they experience pain during the examination. Often people are just “scared that it’s going to hurt.” Since people may never have been seen in an orthodontist’s office, their only reference is their experience with a dentist. At the dentist’s office they may have received injections with needles to have a cavity removed with a drill. For orthodontic examination, no needles or drills are used. The examination does not hurt; the examination is absolutely painless. orthodontics san antonio

Our doctor is interested in learning the reason or reasons why orthodontic treatment is being considered. For example, some adults have said, “I don’t like the way my teeth look.” Or others may say, “I’ve noticed over the years that my teeth have shifted.” For others, they may have lost a tooth and their dentist suggests straightening their teeth before an implant can be put in. This is referred to as the chief complaint. Any relevant background information is also helpful. For example, “I had braces as a child, but I didn’t wear my retainers” or “My teeth started to shift before my wisdom teeth were taken out” or “I grind my teeth at night.”

For most children, their dentist or pedodontist has observed a problem with the bite or a problem with erupting adult teeth and has recommended an orthodontic consultation. For example, a parent may be told that there is a problem with the back teeth, like a crossbite or that there is not enough room for an erupting adult tooth; or that there is a problem with the front teeth, like an open bite, commonly due to a thumb-sucking habit. These are common problems that occur in younger children who have a combination of baby or primary teeth and adult or permanent teeth.

our Doctor, just like the dentist, will look at your teeth. But as an orthodontist, our Doctor also looks closely at the shape of your face, especially at your profile. our Doctor believes that the difference between a good orthodontic treatment result and a truly spectacular orthodontic treatment result has to do with where those teeth are in the face. our Doctor and the orthodontists with a similar treatment philosophy refer to this as “face-driven” treatment. So, for our Doctor, his examination of you or your child starts with the profile. More about family dentist Milton, On here
Anything you can tell our Doctor about your or your child’s teeth and mouth is helpful. These include night grinding; acid reflux; speech issues; mouth breathing; and tongue thrusts. Family histories are important and may be helpful since the occurrence of missing teeth is a trait that is passed along genetic lines.

To summarize, the examination is a process where our Doctor essentially takes an inventory of the your facial features, teeth and gums, and jaw joints so that he can tell you exactly what is necessary to properly fix your teeth. our Doctor will explain everything to you in plain English. He will give you his opinion with regard to the appropriate orthodontic treatments that could be used to address your chief complaint and to correct the alignment of your teeth or bite problem. He will answer any questions that you might have and respond to other orthodontic opinions that you may have gotten previously. And finally, our Doctor will tell you how long it will take to complete treatment.

The office manager or patient coordinator will give you the TREATMENT FEE and discuss the FLEXIBLE AND CONVENIENT PAYMENT OPTIONS. She will explain the next step in the process, DIAGNOSTIC RECORDS, and give you the fee for the records.

Understand that you have made no commitment to proceed with treatment if you have records taken. The diagnostic records are absolutely necessary, however, for our Doctor to thoroughly review. Although our Doctor is completely confident with the information he has discussed with you during the consultation appointment, he thoroughly analyzes the diagnostic records to confirm his diagnosis and to finalize your orthodontic treatment plan. The diagnostic records are yours. You may take them with you to obtain additional orthodontic opinions.orthodontic treatment - braces

In our Doctor’s office, you will NEVER feel pressured to hastily make a decision. As our Doctor frequently says, “There is no emergency here!” our Doctor says that “there is a best time for everybody” and refers to “windows of opportunity.” With regard to orthodontic treatment for children specifically, there are periods in a child’s development when certain bite problems can be treated most easily and effectively with the greatest opportunity for a successful treatment outcome.

With regard to teen and adult orthodontics, our Doctor understands that for most people, they have been thinking about “fixing their teeth” for a long time. He knows that for most teenagers and adults, they have been battling with their parents or themselves just to make the consultation appointment; just to find out what it would take to fix their teeth; even though they already know that they need braces, but remain hopeful that there is the slightest chance our Doctor will say that all they need is a retainer. our Doctor understands this. Again, our Doctor will tell you exactly what you need to know so that you can “think about it.” When you leave, however, unlike when you came, will have all the information you need to make an INFORMED decision for you or your child. Be assured that our Doctor and his staff will be there when you are ready.

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