We know how important it is to have car insurance for those cases in which—for some reason or another—we are involved in an accident. Whether this is your fault or not, your insurer can help you cover repair costs, relieving a bit of the burden that this frustrating experience entails.

For this to be possible, you must file an insurance claim. An insurance claim refers to submitting a formal request to obtain the money to help you cover the repairs and other events included in your policy's coverage.

Each state has different rules to carry out this process, and it is essential to inform yourself about them from the moment you purchase car insurance. After an accident, the first thing to do is call your insurer, regardless of whether you were at fault or not.

A representative will be sent to the scene to verify the facts and evaluate all the circumstances surrounding the event. They must inform you of all the documentation that you will have to provide to initiate your claim. It is very likely that one of them is the police report; This can be obtained through the police station closest to the scene of the accident since, generally, they will be the ones who will arrive.

It is crucial that you obtain contact information for all parties involved and potential witnesses, as this can help you a lot when reviewing your claim and even more so if you decide to file a lawsuit.

You should also keep all bills for expenses that have resulted from the accident, such as medical bills, medicines, towing, etc. Like all other documentation such as medical reports, medical studies carried out, among others.

Talk to your insurance agent to find out what time frame you have to file your claim, the amount your insurance will cover, and how long this could take to resolve.