Commercial Insurance: What to Know When Making a Truck Insurance Claim

While most truck drivers are very careful, various circumstances can lead to accidents and truck damage claims. This is, after all, the reason why truck insurance exists. It is important to be aware of the process involved in making a truck insurance claim, as well as procedures to be followed on the scene of the accident.

In the end, the claims process is relatively simple. The driver files a claim and the truck insurance provider sends a claim adjuster to inspect damages, after which the truck insurance claim is processed and payments are made. In order for the claims process to go smoothly, it is important to have five pieces of information for your truck insurer: your story, the stories of other drivers involved in the accident, the police report, eyewitness accounts, and physical damage at the scene.

To be sure to gather this information for your truck insurance company, follow these five steps.

Step 1

Immediately following the accident, the first thing you need to do is assess the safety of the situation. Contact emergency services, such as 911. If you are hauling hazardous materials, contact the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Response Center (NRC) at (800) 232-0124. Provide any medical assistance that you are capable of and trained to provide. Providing medical assistance without proper training can result in lawsuits and further damage claims by other parties.

Step 2

Obtain information from other parties involved in the accident including contact information, license plate numbers, and insurance information. Most states require drivers to carry an insurance card. All pertinent information will be included on this card.

Step 3

Speak to witnesses of the accident and ask them for an account of what they saw. Sometimes this may not be possible because of the severity of the accident, injury, etc. If this is the case, the police will also be gathering testimony.

Step 4

Contact your truck insurance provider. The sooner you call them the better. The truck insurance agent will immediately begin the process of filing the claim and advise you of any other actions that you may need to follow through on. They can help you determine at this time what types of insurance will be used in the claim. For example will both Primary Liability and Cargo Insurance be used?

Step 5

An appointment with a truck insurance claims adjuster will be scheduled. The adjuster will estimate the value of loss and price of repairs for your insurance claim. After this the process is fairly smooth with payment being made for the repair or replacement of equipment.

By Joe T. Joe Trzepla is a truck insurance consultant that works with companies such as Cover Me Insurance Agency which specializes in [http://www.covermeinsurance.com ]truck insurance for owner operators and small fleet. He also consults for other similar truck insurance companies such as the Direct [http://www.directtruckinsurance.com ]Truck Insurance company.

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